Melinda & Me

Over the summer I checked out a few DVDs from the library to watch while I worked on projects. One of them was Marley & Me. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that Marley was a dog that was not exactly well-behaved.

Although I had seen the movie before, this time as I watched I felt layers of emotion happening inside of me. In my mind I related to John Grogan’s discontentment. In my heart I resonated with Jen Grogan’s desire for family. And unexpectedly, I saw myself in Marley.

From the moment the Grogan’s picked up Marley he was rambunctious, restless, disobedient, and relentless. Yet amidst the abundance of negative traits, he was loyal and became an important part of the couple’s lives.

As the years went by, Marley complicated the day-to-day, brought chaos, and ruined valuable and memorable things. But as frustrating as life with Marley was, the Grogan’s knew that getting rid of him was never part of the plan. There was a reason they brought him into their lives, and as messy as days may have seemed, Marley was loved and brought love in return.

I wonder if God feels that way about us sometimes. If He wrote a movie script about me, would He entitle it Melinda & Me? I often complicate the day-to-day. I can be rambunctious, restless, and disobedient. And still, getting rid of me has never been part of God’s plan. As messy as my life can seem, just like Marley, I am grateful for love and will bring love in return.