So, we were invited to see Kung Fu Panda 3. Of course we wanted to see it - we LOVED 1 and 2 - even own them. So why would we question seeing 3? I wasn't until I looked on facebook, on blogs, on reviews...
As a family blessed by adoption, there are many trials we face. Many questions we stare in the eyes. Many, dare I say it, fears that creep in. Fears of what will happen when she asks? What will happen when she realizes we don't look alike? What will I say when she asks about her birth parents? What will we do if she wants to try to find them?
Thankfully, my God did not give me a spirit of fear but of power, love and sound judgement (2 Timothy 1:7). So, we prayed, decided we should go see it and see what happens. Asking Him to give us wisdom whenever those questions arise (James 1:5).
Now, to be clear...this is MY families opinion - we are not placing that on you. Each family is different. Each situation is different. So, pray and ask the Lord what to do. He is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and even better - He is always faithful and will give you peace. :)
So... my verdict. The short of it, I really like this movie. Sure, there were the parts that tugged on my adoptive mama heart. I appreciate the reality the writers put into the struggles that both the adoptive and birth dad felt internally and for each other. Also, appreciated the reality of what was most important finally coming to each of them. What I liked most - the movie had a lot to do with finding out who he was (Po) and the internal struggle to figure that out. Boy, don't we all do that?? Sit and ponder, "Who am I?" Going from working professional to stay at home mom, I often asked, "Who Am I?" Moving from USA to big Red Country...countless times I've asked, "Who am I?" Times where I felt others wanted me to become who they wanted. Maybe even times I wanted to become someone else. Have you ever pondered that? Well, Po did too. You betcha our adoptive kids will ask this.
Did you see "Somewhere Between?" I wept the ENTIRE movie, from five minutes in until the end. I hear when we go back to the US our kids will feel similar as the girls in that movie. That our kids won't know if they are American or Asian. Even our kids who were born in America. Clearly, if American born kids ask this who live overseas (Third Culture Kids) struggle with this, our adopted kids will ask the same. Without spoiling the movie - they did it well! In my opinion - they answered that so so well! When he figured it out, he used it to help so many others do the same (including his dads) and that was powerful! haha - In this movie truly powerful. :)
There was no picking a dad. No tragedy. It was beautiful. Beauty from ashes. It was almost as though they picked through my dreams of what I would want for Meisi. Now, I know I am a bit dramatic and could likely have too lovely a picture of what happened. However, it is my prayer. My dream. I want to tell her and will tell her the truth. We know nothing. Nothing. We don't know who her birth parents are. We don't know why they made that decision to leave her on that cold winter day of her birth or soon after. Yet, I feel - looking at her personality. Her love for life, The ray of light that she is... All things she got from her birth mom and/or dad (cause she has been this way since day one)... We will tell her we believe that day, her mom chose life for the second time. She chose life to not abort which is incredibly common in China. She was born with severe heart disease and that was clear from her purple skin. So, I imagine that her birth mother looked at her beautiful daughter and made what had to be the hardest decision she has ever made. That scene in Kung Fu Panda 2 (replayed again in 3) where Po's mom lovingly places him into the basket, then left him as a way to save his life. Yes, dramatic, but that is what I dream was her story. Being from such a poor town, her birth parents likely could never afford to do the life saving surgery she needed. So, they chose life again, making the hardest decision any parent would have to make... to leave their child in hopes of her being found. They made sure she was. Placing her in front of the store there on the dirt road... Is it her story? I don't know. I may never know this side of Heaven. However, we pray for her birth parents. We pray they somehow will hear truth. That they have a personal relationship with Jesus. We pray through that the Lord will give them peace to know she is healthy and she is adored. Loved beyond measure.
When she asks those questions about who she is. We will talk through it, all of it. Yes, she is complex - Chinese by birth but American by passport, born sick but healed. We have this conversation often living here, not exaggerating to say daily. We even get asked frequently, near daily, where her "real mama" is. Yes, I am her real mom. No, her dad isn't Chinese. She is American. Living here, these questions are shaping who she knows/believes she is. Is it hard? YES! I pray daily the Lord directs our steps in handling all this well. Does Kung Fu Panda 3 change it. No. Right now being only 4, she didn't seem to understand much of the two dad thing anyway as we asked her about it afterward. However, when she can, I might even revisit this movie.
I particularly liked the end. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't believe in chi (or more correctly qi, which is kinda' like "The Force" in that other movie series I really like). I do believe His Spirit being the force within us. With the Spirit in us His light can shine through us. Knowing who we are. Children of the One True King. Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (Psalm 139:14). We should let our light shine. His light shining in us - POWER. TRUE power. Power that will defeat any beast or temptation to believe any less. :) I don't think that was where the producers of this movie were going, but that is where my mind went. :)
Clearly, I liked it, really liked it. Would I recommend it? In certain contexts: Yes. But whether you go see it, my friends, is entirely up to you. ;)
As a family blessed by adoption, there are many trials we face. Many questions we stare in the eyes. Many, dare I say it, fears that creep in. Fears of what will happen when she asks? What will happen when she realizes we don't look alike? What will I say when she asks about her birth parents? What will we do if she wants to try to find them?
Thankfully, my God did not give me a spirit of fear but of power, love and sound judgement (2 Timothy 1:7). So, we prayed, decided we should go see it and see what happens. Asking Him to give us wisdom whenever those questions arise (James 1:5).
Now, to be clear...this is MY families opinion - we are not placing that on you. Each family is different. Each situation is different. So, pray and ask the Lord what to do. He is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and even better - He is always faithful and will give you peace. :)
So... my verdict. The short of it, I really like this movie. Sure, there were the parts that tugged on my adoptive mama heart. I appreciate the reality the writers put into the struggles that both the adoptive and birth dad felt internally and for each other. Also, appreciated the reality of what was most important finally coming to each of them. What I liked most - the movie had a lot to do with finding out who he was (Po) and the internal struggle to figure that out. Boy, don't we all do that?? Sit and ponder, "Who am I?" Going from working professional to stay at home mom, I often asked, "Who Am I?" Moving from USA to big Red Country...countless times I've asked, "Who am I?" Times where I felt others wanted me to become who they wanted. Maybe even times I wanted to become someone else. Have you ever pondered that? Well, Po did too. You betcha our adoptive kids will ask this.
Did you see "Somewhere Between?" I wept the ENTIRE movie, from five minutes in until the end. I hear when we go back to the US our kids will feel similar as the girls in that movie. That our kids won't know if they are American or Asian. Even our kids who were born in America. Clearly, if American born kids ask this who live overseas (Third Culture Kids) struggle with this, our adopted kids will ask the same. Without spoiling the movie - they did it well! In my opinion - they answered that so so well! When he figured it out, he used it to help so many others do the same (including his dads) and that was powerful! haha - In this movie truly powerful. :)
There was no picking a dad. No tragedy. It was beautiful. Beauty from ashes. It was almost as though they picked through my dreams of what I would want for Meisi. Now, I know I am a bit dramatic and could likely have too lovely a picture of what happened. However, it is my prayer. My dream. I want to tell her and will tell her the truth. We know nothing. Nothing. We don't know who her birth parents are. We don't know why they made that decision to leave her on that cold winter day of her birth or soon after. Yet, I feel - looking at her personality. Her love for life, The ray of light that she is... All things she got from her birth mom and/or dad (cause she has been this way since day one)... We will tell her we believe that day, her mom chose life for the second time. She chose life to not abort which is incredibly common in China. She was born with severe heart disease and that was clear from her purple skin. So, I imagine that her birth mother looked at her beautiful daughter and made what had to be the hardest decision she has ever made. That scene in Kung Fu Panda 2 (replayed again in 3) where Po's mom lovingly places him into the basket, then left him as a way to save his life. Yes, dramatic, but that is what I dream was her story. Being from such a poor town, her birth parents likely could never afford to do the life saving surgery she needed. So, they chose life again, making the hardest decision any parent would have to make... to leave their child in hopes of her being found. They made sure she was. Placing her in front of the store there on the dirt road... Is it her story? I don't know. I may never know this side of Heaven. However, we pray for her birth parents. We pray they somehow will hear truth. That they have a personal relationship with Jesus. We pray through that the Lord will give them peace to know she is healthy and she is adored. Loved beyond measure.
When she asks those questions about who she is. We will talk through it, all of it. Yes, she is complex - Chinese by birth but American by passport, born sick but healed. We have this conversation often living here, not exaggerating to say daily. We even get asked frequently, near daily, where her "real mama" is. Yes, I am her real mom. No, her dad isn't Chinese. She is American. Living here, these questions are shaping who she knows/believes she is. Is it hard? YES! I pray daily the Lord directs our steps in handling all this well. Does Kung Fu Panda 3 change it. No. Right now being only 4, she didn't seem to understand much of the two dad thing anyway as we asked her about it afterward. However, when she can, I might even revisit this movie.
I particularly liked the end. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't believe in chi (or more correctly qi, which is kinda' like "The Force" in that other movie series I really like). I do believe His Spirit being the force within us. With the Spirit in us His light can shine through us. Knowing who we are. Children of the One True King. Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (Psalm 139:14). We should let our light shine. His light shining in us - POWER. TRUE power. Power that will defeat any beast or temptation to believe any less. :) I don't think that was where the producers of this movie were going, but that is where my mind went. :)
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Matthew 5:14-15
Clearly, I liked it, really liked it. Would I recommend it? In certain contexts: Yes. But whether you go see it, my friends, is entirely up to you. ;)
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