Day 9

Day 9

March 9th, 2009

30-Day Challenge

Picture submitted by: Jo Beth Broyles

Note:  This was a true experiment.  I took the “If Your Life Was A Movie, What Would Your Soundtrack Be?” and turned it into story.  I went some 400 words over my limit, but I’m hoping the story isn’t too boring.  So, just so you don’t forget the rules: 1) open your iTunes (MP3 Player) library, 2) put it on shuffle, 3) for the first question, type the song that’s playing, and 4) when you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE.  There you go.  And now for the story:

Beautiful Feet

*Opening Credits:

Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows: by Petra  [The shot begins in a quaint town in Chile and winds around the streets until it reaches a beautiful catholic chapel.  A date on the bottom says “1986.”  The camera zooms in on the stained-glass window, then rushes through it to show a small congregation mid-service.  The camera angles in on one person, sitting on the middle pew, not too close to the back, but not to close to the front.  Prim and proper, she looks ahead at the preacher, a pious expression on her child-like face.]

*Waking Up:

El Corralero: Los Huasos Quincheros  [A date appears on the bottom, saying “1979.”  This is the part of the movie where it is revealed that the main character, Carla, grew up on a wealthy ranch in Chile.  Her parents own many well-bred horses, and host quite a few parties.  Often, they enjoy playing Polo on them.  Carla’s parents also want her to be a famous horse rider.  We learn that she has only recently begun to ride them.  Many shots of Carla riding the horses, with a panicked expression on her face.  The trainer yells at her.]

*First day at school:

Sincero Positivo: Illapu  [A date on the bottom says: “1973.”  Here we see a flashback to Carla, age 6.  We see many hungry faces, and the teacher looks listless.  We find that her parents were not always so wealthy.  The children are assured that everything will go just fine.  Scene flashes forward to September 11th, when an announcement is made about a coup, led by General Pinchet, himself.]

*Falling in Love:

Sea of Souls: Fernando Ortega  [The date on the bottom says “1986.”  Carla finds a small Baptist church and goes there one Sunday.  Here she finds a Jesus she never knew.  The preacher of the church, an English missionary, speaks to her about missions.  She feels a need to share this Christ to the many lost people in the world, and decides to travel to Peru for her first mission trip.]

*Fight Song:

The Invisibility Cloak and the Library Scene (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone): John Williams  [Carla goes to Peru and shares the gospel fervently, speaking to anyone who will listen to her about the love of Christ.  Camera focuses on one young man who listens intently and takes one of Carla’s pamphlets.  He promises her he will think about what she has said.  It is in Peru, however, that she comes face-to-face with a demonized man.  Despite her prayers and rebukes, the demon taunts her.  She finally leaves the demonized man, defeated and frightened.  He follows her and beats at her.  Just before things get truly ugly, the young man from earlier in the movie breaks in and rescues Carla.  We find that his name is Hugo.]

*Breaking Up:

Circus Renz: Andre Rieu  [Frightened and bitterly disappointed, Carla begins to question everything she learned at the Baptist church, and even everything she learned from the Catholic church.  God must not love her.  If He truly loved her, He would have rescued her from the demonized man.  He would have cast out the demon.  Did He not say that He is more powerful than any other power?  Carla decides that if God does not want her, she does not want God.  Christians are all actors and clowns in a circus tent, with a Ring Master to care for them, nothing but a sideshow entertainment for the world.  She just doesn’t have enough talent to belong.]

*Prom:

Feliz Navidad: (I don’t know the artist, because I lost the CD)  [Carla decides to return home.  Hugo tries to convince her to stay, that one set-back should not reverse years of faith.  Despite his pleas, Carla returns home, but not before Hugo gives her his number.  At home, her parents welcome her back and hold a lavish Christmas party in her honor.  They never liked the idea that she went to a Baptist church, and even less that she went to Peru because of it.  The tell her that they’re glad she returned to her Catholic roots.  Carla does not tell them that she has abandoned even those.  We see Carla mingling numbly amid a crowd of rich people on the warm summer night.  Wine glasses clink, people laugh, and Carla pulls away to gaze at the stars.]

*Life:

Valley of the Echoes: Randy Stonehill  [Carla occupies herself with a job and with life in general.  She even takes up riding her horses again.  Her character has changed subtly, however, and though she still tries to act friendly and polite, there is a bitter edge to her that wasn’t there before.  She prefers to spend time alone, and her bitter outlook on life brings about uncomfortable silences in conversations.  When her parents try to encourage her to volunteer for some charity events, she scoffs at them.  Little by little, Carla’s bitterness drives people away.]

*Breakdown:

Jabba’s Baroque Recital (Return of the Jedi): John Williams  [We find that Carla has been having strange dreams that quickly sour and turn to nightmares.  One night, she awakens from a particularly vivid dream, scratching and gasping.  Terrified and alone, Carla begins to pray.  During this time, she feels darkness pressing in around her, choking her.  She falls on her bed, shaking and trying to scream.  Her mother rushes in and sees her.  Not knowing what else to do, she reaches for Carla’s old rosary and begins to pray.  The darkness breaks from around Carla, and she can breathe.  She and her mother look at each other, realizing that they have just encountered a realm they never really believed existed.]

*Driving:

Hard Candy Christmas: Dolly Parton  [We see a night scene, and a car driving down the highway.  Carla and her mother are heading down to the Baptist church, to meet with the pastor.  As they drive, Carla tells her mother about what happened in Peru, and how she turned away from Christianity, and tried to move on with her life without it.  They cry.]

*Flashback:

We Live a Long, Long Time: Jimmy Murphy  [Carla remembers a conversation with her grandmother, who was a very pious woman.  She remembers her saying, “A rose that is cut away from its roots will wither.”]

*Getting Back Together:

Just a Closer Walk: Exalt  (How appropriate)  [Carla and her mother meet with the minister and his wife at the church.  They pray together, and Carla rededicates her life to Christ.  When she tells the minister about her experience in Peru, he prays with her for more strength and reliance on God the next time that happens.  Carla’s mother looks thoughtful.

*Wedding:

Queen Amidala/The Naboo Palace (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace): John Williams  [That Sunday, Carla gets baptized.  She wants to show the world that she belongs to Christ.  The shot of the baptism is beautiful, with water sparkling as it splashes off of her when she rises up.  In one beautiful ceremony, she has been crowned a daughter of the King.  She has joined herself forever to Christ.]

*Birth of a Child:

Shine Hallelujah Shine: The Bluegrass Cardinals  [Carla returns to Peru to meet with Hugo.  There, she finds out that he has dedicated himself to Christ.  Together, they work to set up a church.  They name it, Iglesia Bautista Ciudad Brillante (Shining City Baptist Church).]

*Final Battle:

Al Mundo Paz: G. Handel/W. Watts  [We see the church grow, and many people come.  Hugo, after leaving this church in the hands of a good leader, moves on to plant other churches, with Carla supporting him.  Why wouldn’t she?  They have married.]

*Death Scene-

He Reigns: Various Artists  [On her deathbed, Carla tells her granddaughter never to forget her roots.  Carla’s granddaughter holds Carla’s hand and says, “Grandmother, look at the roses that have bloomed from those roots.”  She hands Carla a book called Dios, el Rey de Peru  (God, the King of Peru).  Inside, Carla finds many signatures from members of all the churches that she and Hugo planted.  Someone has written a book about the victories of Christ in Peru, many of them springing from these very churches.  Carla weeps.]

*Funeral Song:

Road to Zion: Petra  [A large crowd of people gather around the coffin.  The young minister giving the service reminds them that Carla has finally ended her long journey.  “Beautiful are the feet that bring good news,” he quotes.  “Her beautiful feet have at last taken her to Heaven.  She has finally reached the loving arms of God.”]

*End Credits:

Cri Cri Closing Theme: Cri Cri  [The End]