Sleepless in Starkville: Love at the Movies

Maybe it's the fact that I've had three cups of coffee.  Maybe my body has just gotten used to staying up after midnight.  Or maybe it's the recent memories rolling around in my head as a smile grows across my face.  Regardless, I can't sleep.  I'm sleepless in Starkville.

"Hey, you want to bump into me on, say,
 Saturday around lunchtime? Over there?"

I've come to find that many of my favorite chick flicks, romantic comedies, or whatever you'd like to call them were written by Norah Ephron.  Maybe you'll recognize some titles: Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Julie & Julia and several others.

I can watch her movies over and over again; in fact, I have.  Not only is the story line fantastic, but after watching the movies again and again I pick up on the details of the movie and can't help but sigh as I say to myself, "Brilliant! Just brilliant!"

Last night, watching You've Got Mail for the at least the millionth time, I found myself wishing Norah Ephron wrote my love story.  The Empire State building on Valentine's Day, the curve in the pathway in Riverside Park, New Year's Eve party...  It all works out so perfectly.

But almost as quickly as the thought crossed my mind, a quiet whisper from inside me said, "Someone much better has written your love story.  The details are so much more than brilliant and even though there may be struggles along the way the ending will put Norah's to shame."

He's not in the screenwriting business for the money.  He doesn't direct because He's competing for an award.  He's not a producer because He has nothing better to do with His time.

My Father does it all because He cares about me, because He loves me, because He wants what's best for me and because it's a way He draws me closer to Him.

One of my favorite lines from Sleepless in Seattle is when Becky says to Annie, "You don't want to be in love, you want to be in love in a movie." Truth is, as much as I love these love stories, I want one of my own.  He's written it for me, it's finished and I'm onscreen now waiting for the next scene to unfold.

Father, thank you for writing a story just for me.  Thank you for working out all the details, no matter how small.  Help me to trust you with each scene, the cuts that are made and when it looks like I won't make it to the top of the Empire State building.  Help me to enjoy the ride, the moments of waiting and the sweet memories made along the way.  Thank you for holding me in your hand and for calling me your daughter.  How I love you.