A few days ago over lunch, Charlynn showed me the Chewbacca mom video. Have you guys seen this? I know, I’m late to the party. But I loved it. As the video played, on the other side of the restaurant from where we were sitting, a lady heard the peals of laughter pouring out of Charlynn’s iPhone and yelled over to us, “Are you guys watching the Chewbacca lady? It’s awesome, isn’t it? I love her laugh!”
I obviously can’t see the video, so I missed the mask. But to me the mask seemed fairly insignificant. I loved listening to her laugh. Her laugh draws people in. It’s ridiculously infectious, insisting you participate too, with complete abandon, from the depths of your gut. She’s also a great storyteller. She celebrates everything in her life, even the mundane details. It’s her birthday! She gets to return clothes that are too big and choose her own birthday present! Even if she has to share her birthday mask with her kids, it’s okay; for the moment, it is hers to enjoy. We can’t help but celebrate with her. I want to be that kind of person, don’t you?
The day I watched the Chewbacca lady, I was thinking about my blog. How was I going to write about the past three months of crazy in one short post? So much has happened! A Spring filled with concerts from California to Massachusetts and everywhere in between. Lots of songwriting with my favorite artists and writers! Recording music for a new project! But also, unexpected surgery and a cancer scare, and the final concert with my two beloved musician pals, Kyle and Andrew. (Still mourning the loss of the Jesters, but so proud of them and their new venture.)
I want to tell you about every bit of it, but that’s not what this post is about.
What I really want to share is how God has drawn me in, a bit like Chewbacca mom drew us into her story. It’s been less of a laugh and more of a whisper, but what I’ve heard God saying is: I love you, lose the mask. As a singer/songwriter, I want to entertain, to bring the party, even if I have to conjure it myself, but God says the true story–the simple joys, mundane moments, and sad days–is far better than any story I could create. The true story, after all, is colored by His grace.
During this season, I haven’t always enjoyed being part of my story. But as God teaches me to look through His lens, I’ve experienced surprising adventures–meaningful conversations with folks I’ve met on the road, moments of uncertainty where all I could do was trust, and unforgettable times with friends. Through God’s eyes, I can see that all things work together for good, and that His plan is and always will be to give us a future and a hope–even when we can’t see or understand what that means. And these gifts–hearing God’s whisper and looking through His lens–make me want to share infectious, irresistible love with everyone else, like the Chewbacca mom did.
Maybe you’re like me, in a season where God’s inviting you to lose the mask and look through His lens to see your true story. Maybe you want to laugh at real life from the depths of your gut, but you’re afraid. Remember, people around us aren’t inspired by the masks we wear; it’s our laughter, our story, and our heart that will draw them in.
“This is worth every penny,” Chewbacca mom says at the end of her happy rant. Don’t you want to feel that way about every moment of life? Me too.
What simple joys have brought you into deeper recognition of truth this week?
