Duane S. Montague

Send in the Clowns

Don’t you love farce? My fault, I fear.
I thought that you’d want what I want–sorry, my dear.
Send in the clowns. There ought to be clowns!
Don’t bother–they’re here.
from “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim

I never would have guessed someday I would invoke a song from Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music to summarize how things are run in Washington, DC, under the leadership of President Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress. But these two simple stanzas sum up perfectly what happened at yesterday’s “Health Care Summit.”

It was a farce. Started with a lie. And it all went downhill from there. Especially for Obama and his fellow Democrats. What Obama and the White House hoped would be a chance to further demonize Republicans as the “Party of No” turned into a stunning example of which party is actually the party of “Know-Nothing.” It showcased how thin-skinned and really unpresidential our president can be, how unprepared to deal with truth instead of emotion Democrats in Congress are, and the fact that, once again, feelings are more important than facts.

Facts, famously said John Adams, are stubborn things. And, unfortunately for Obama, those facts got in the way of his televised circus yesterday. Oh, he tried to get around them. “Don’t get bogged down in numbers,” he told Paul Ryan, when confronted with the truth that his plan was fiscally disastrous. “Put away the props,” he said, when John Boehner pulled out the 2,000+ pages of the Health Care bill that few in the room had actually bothered to read.

It wasn’t just the President who was being disingenuous. After Senator Lamar Alexander called for Democrats to renounce parliamentary tactics (i.e, “reconciliation,” the so-called “Nuclear Option,”), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was indignant. “No one’s talking about reconciliation,” he lied. Everyone and their brother knows that Obama, Reid, and House Speaker Pelosi have been doing nothing but talking about reconciliation so they can avoid an open debate.

For his part, President Obama responded with one part pissiness and two parts diffidence. After the lunch break, when Republicans had the gall to once again suggest that reconciliation was not the way to go, Obama responded with, “The American people are not all that interested in procedures inside the Senate.” Hmmm. An easy way to put the lie to that statement is to look at the new USAToday/Gallup poll which reports that 52 percent of Americans oppose using the procedural maneuver to pass the health care bill in the Senate on 51 votes rather than the 60 votes required to end any filibuster.

As Michelle Malkin puts it, “When he wasn’t cutting off Republicans who stuck to budget specifics and cited legislative page numbers and language instead of treacly, sob-story anecdotes involving dentures and gall stones, President Obama was filibustering the talk-a-thon away by invoking his daughters, rambling on about auto insurance, and sniping at former GOP presidential rival John McCain.”

While Republicans came off well and reasonably, the six-hour blowhard-fest was a monumental waste of time. Why? Because the President had the final word, and he made it clear, in one of the most un-presidential moments of the day, which was filled with them (snarly faces, snarky words, and yes, nose-picking):

“What I do know is this, if we saw movement, significant movement, not just gestures, then you wouldn’t need to start over because essentially everybody here knows what the issues are, and procedurally it could get done fairly quickly...We cannot have another year long debate about this. So, the question I’m going to ask myself and I ask all of you is, is there enough serious effort that in a month’s time or a few week’s time or six week’s time we could actually resolve something? And if we can’t I think we got to go ahead and make some decisions and that’s what elections are for.”

The President is set to lead his party clearly against the will of the majority of Americans. He’s willing to obliterate proper Senate procedure to ensure they get this thing passed. He’s not going to wait six weeks, he was preparing for this from the very beginning, and his final words, his final threat to Republicans, makes that clear.

While Sondheim’s song was a song about love and regret, in light of yesterday’s summit, it can be interpreted a bit differently. This was a farce from the very beginning, they think that we want what they want (and instead of sorry, my dear, it’s pretty clear that Obama and the Democrats have something a bit more expletive-filled to say to the American people, and it ends with “you,”).

Send in the clowns? Don’t bother. They’re here.

Oh, and one last thing. I predict that last line, about that’s what elections are for, will come back to haunt Obama and the Democrats come November…

What Is Drama?

drama-masks — Comedy, Tragedy, and Monty

What is drama?

It’s teenage angst, as portrayed in improvs between high strung daughters and their overworked fathers. It’s standing onstage in Idaho and absolutely forgetting just what you were saying in your scene from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. It’s learning the history of early theatre and reading medieval mystery plays—and then discovering that people in the Dark Ages used really bad words.

Drama is Theatre Arts, where students gather every day to laugh, learn, and create improbably detailed characters with dark secrets. It’s where one gets to watch really bad movies to understand just what not to do, one listens to extensive impromptu speeches from Mr. Montague (aka Monty, the teacher that no one really knows is a teacher, even though he’s been here for 4 years). It’s sharing a laugh at Figpickle’s, taking Monty’s kids to the water park, and winning blue ribbons at the ACSI Speech Meet. It’s giant sundaes, creepy Children’s Literature, and rips in Santa Claus costumes. It’s monk robes, big mustaches, and virtuous heroes. It’s fighting for wall space, a talking dog, and saying goodbye to the syllabus.

The Wonderful 1/100,000^th’s, as the Theatre Arts students are known, shine as they portray characters bigger than themselves. They make the audience laugh and cry during Christmas productions (like Ryan the Magnificent in A Christmas Tale), they bring the wild west to life in the Spring production, The Wild and Wooly West. They make memories, they share moments, and they hold up a mirror to life to show it not as it is, but as it could be.

What is drama?

It’s inside jokes, non sequitirs, and comments that wouldn’t work in any other class. It’s the best hour of any student’s day.

I wrote this for this year’s edition of the SCS annual. There is SO much more I could say. My current students–and former students–could add so many more things to this definition. Oh, how much we could say!

Bella Notte

I remember the first Valentine’s Day I spent with my then fiancee, Robyn, like it was yesterday. We had been dating for a little over 7 months, had been engaged for almost two, and I knew I wanted to do something romantic and special for this incredible, gorgeous, amazing woman who had surprised me by falling madly in love with me.

At the time, I shared a large apartment with my grandmother because my grandfather had passed away the previous year. I asked Grandma if she would mind giving me the apartment for the night and proceeded to create my plan.

I would recreate the spaghetti scene from Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. Every element of the evening would be exactly as the scene behind Tony’s Restaurant showed in the film.

I found a red and white checkered tablecloth, melted some candles down and put them in various bottles, bought a huge roll of butcher paper and drew a skyline that would serve as the backdrop for the evening. I even had clotheslines and clothing hanging between the buildings.

Spaghetti with meatballs with the dish of the evening, homemade by me, of course. I also ensured there were the long crunchy breadsticks, sparkling cider (not completely authentic to the film), and some desert. Italian music filled the room and when Robyn arrived, I think she was pleasantly surprised to see I had gone to so much work.

We’re now celebrating our 12th Valentine’s Day together. I would like to say that I’ve put as much work in to every one since, but I haven’t. It seems to get harder as the years go by, as you add children to the mix, and have to include in the budget more than just the cost of sexy underwear, perfume, and dinner–there’s also the babysitter to consider, and finding one is always a chore.

We’ve had many other memorable Valentine’s Days: a “choose your destination” evening where I gave her cards with various choices, determining where we would go for appetizers, dinner, what kind of gift, etc. I think that’s the one where we also got sideswiped by a car load of illegal aliens in downtown Redmond. Memorable, to say the least.

We’ve done themed nights, like the time we saw the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore movie 50 First Dates, set in Hawaii, listened to songs about Hawaii to and from the Hawaiian restaurant, The Islander, and then saw the movie. Last year, we couldn’t find a babysitter, had a 9 month old baby, and decided to stay home. We paid the kids $10 each to watch themselves while Robyn and I ate a great dinner, watched Moulin Rouge, and Robyn fell asleep.

All that to say, Valentine’s Day is supposed to be this big romantic evening where women are showered with love and gifts. I get it. But sometimes it’s just difficult. This year, Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday, my busiest day of the week. We’re going out to eat, and I look forward to a nice time out with my beautiful bride. But if everything doesn’t end up as “romantic” as I think it should, will it still be okay?

I think so. After all, any night you can spend with your best friend–your biggest ally–your closest companion–the love of your life, well, that to me is a true Bella Notte.

Happy Valentine’s Day to the love of my life.

Our Wedding Day — I'm Smiling Because I Know Exactly How Lucky I Am

Top 10 Movies of the Past 10 Years

A completely subjective list, but these are my picks for the best movies of 2000-2009:

10. Amelie (2001)
This is one of those movies that is easy to forget about. It’s light and airy, and it’s quite charming. But it also says a lot about romance, love, and the power each of us have to change the lives of those around us through simple, small acts. Audrey Tatou is absolutely amazing, and the score is one of the most imaginative soundtracks of the past 40 years.

9. Cars (2005)
Pixar’s story about a lost car and a small town is a celebration of America’s road culture–and the small towns that once dominated its landscape. A film that celebrates the racing world while at the same time saying we should all slow down a bit, it’s a bit contradictory. But it’s beautiful, fun, and the song “Our Town” by Randy Newman and sung by James Taylor is a highlight. Perhaps it wouldn’t score so highly if we didn’t drive through the same part of the country the summer the film was released.

8. A Mighty Wind (2003)
A mockumentary about a reunion of various 60’s folk artists, this film by Christopher Guest is actually one of his “sweetest” films. Rather than making fun of the characters, Guest involves the audience in their quirks and makes you actually care about them–instead of just laughing at them. However, there are PLENTY of laughs and one-liners that are priceless. And the music, performed by the most talented (and underpaid) actors in Hollywood, is spot-on perfection.

7. Unbreakable (2000)
M. Night Shyamalan’s follow-up to “The Sixth Sense” is a far superior film. A film about the true origins of superheroes, and asking the question–“What if they were real?”–it features powerhouse performances by Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson. Dark, brooding, yet full of hope, it is the director’s best film, because it’s NOT all about the twist ending. (Although there is quite a good one.)

6. Up (2009)
Pixar’s latest film is perhaps one of their most unlikely successes: an unlikely trio of heroes (an 80 year old widower, a boy scout, and a crazy bird) combined with a most imaginative story and striking visuals make the film a true delight. And the film says more about marriage, the power of dreams, and what it means to truly love another, than most films aimed at adults. Easily the best film of this year.

5. Gladiator (2000)
The movie that relaunched the sand and sword epic, and did it in a powerful way. Russell Crowe is amazing in the movie, and its battle scenes, gladiator fights, and crowd scenes are epic to behold. But what makes the movie so memorable is the fact that it says so much about manhood, standing strong, and fighting for what is right. Much like “Braveheart” before it, the film speaks to the man of today by showing us a man of yesterday we can all aspire to be like.

4. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The rare sequel that is actually better than the original film, it’s also rare because it’s a big summer blockbuster that actually says something. A film about the quest for identity, to discover who we are, Peter Parker’s story becomes a great picture of our own: who are we? Who do we intend to be? And we are called to a greater purpose. The characters are better developed, Doctor Octopus is a much better and intriguing villain, and the sight of Spidey soaring through New York are still top notch.

3. Moulin Rouge (2001)
Baz Luhrmann’s dynamic musical was a tour-de-force of filmmaking, directing, editing, and art direction. Starring the usually non-singing Ewan MacGregor and Nicole Kidman, this is a truly post-modern film, combining and celebrating the musicals of the past, while bringing new life and energy through creative conceptual energy. Gitchee gitchee ya ya da da, indeed!

2. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
It’s not the best film of all-time, but man has its influence been huge. A celebration of nerdy people, a commentary on teenage culture, and one of the most quotable films of all time (“Your mom goes to college.” “Vote for Pedro.” “My lips hurt real bad!” “Girls like guys with skills.” And many more!), the movie is one of those love it or hate it pieces. I happen to love it, and it’s one of those movies I can watch over and over again.

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2000-2004)
Alone, they are probably the greatest films of their respective years. Taken together, Peter Jackson’s film versions of what Tolkien called “unfilmable,” are easily the greatest film of the past decade. Beyond the special effects, sweeping spectacle, and amazing score by Howard Shore, there are rock-solid performances that take what could be an overwhelming melange of fantasy, war, and death, and turn it into a powerful, moving, and altogether human story. It’s a triumph of film-making we are unlikely to ever see again in our lifetime, a combination of the epic storytelling of years gone by with cutting edge technology–and a story that remains powerful, moving, and triumphant.

Runners Up: Big Fish, Meet the Robinsons, The Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Batman Begins, Pearl Harbor, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, Enchanted, and The Incredibles.

Bring a Torch

“It is Jesus, good folk of the village!

Beautiful is the mother — beautiful is her Child.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because that is what we do on Christmas,” came the answer.

“But why?”

“Really, Jeannie. You know perfectly well why we open presents. It’s to show our love for each other and our love for Jesus.”

Pause. “Mommy, why do we give each other things on his birthday?”

“What, dear?”

“Why don’t we give Jesus presents on his birthday?”

“But we do. We give him our love and thankfulness.”

“That’s not a very good present, Mommy. I think he would want something more.”

Pause. “Like what, Jeannie?”

“I don’t know.”

“Jeannie, he is God. What kind of present can we give God?”

Pause. Giggle. “I could give God what I made in school.”

“That paper maché candle? What would God do with it, dear?”

“He could use it to — to –. I don’t know.”

“See what I mean, Jeannie? We can’t give presents to God, so that’s why we give presents to each other.”

Pause. “Mommy?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Mommy, couldn’t God have used the candle long ago, when Jesus was born?”

“Well, yes, I suppose so…”

“And Mommy, couldn’t he have used it to light the way for Jesus and Mary and Joseph? To get them to the stable and keep them out of the dark?”

“Yes, dear, I’m sure he could have.”

“So, Mommy, there are ways God can use what we give him, right?”

“Well…”

“And Mommy, all we have to do is make sure we give our presents to him.”

“Yes, Jeannie.” Pause. “All we have to do is give them to him.

Ah, Bleak and Chill the Winter Wind

“Ah, bleak and chill the wintry wind, but colder far be he who hath no warmth of love to share.”

She had been standing on the corner since morning. The skies had clouded up, and the first hints of winter snow fell. But she was standing on the corner, wrapped tightly in her winter coat, the baby in her arms, the sign at her feet.

Few had stopped to ask her how she was. The lunchtime crowds had hurried from the buildings surrounding her, dwarfing her, and no one noticed or paid much attention. Like many before her, she stood in the busiest section of the city, not begging, not pleading, but asking.

And being refused.

Some of the shoppers had glanced at her out of the corner of their eyes. “Why doesn’t she get herself a job,” muttered one to another as they hurried from store to store — their eyes set more on the shop windows than on the street in front of them.

No one read the sign that day. The snow had stopped early in the evening, but she did not move. Standing alone in the shadow of the department store, she did little more than smile at the occasional passerby who happened to look her in the eye.

She had eaten her lunch there, from a brown bag like so many others, and had fed the child there as well. She had watched the setting sun glint upon the multi-story glass buildings, and saw the street lamps light and the trees lit with hundreds of small lights. And, shortly before nine o’clock, when the streets were finally empty, she left.

The next morning, two others had taken her place and no one noticed the difference. If they had only looked at the sign. The sign was there to explain the truth and the need.

No one looked at the sign — yes, it still lay there, leaning wind-worn and tired against the marble. But we can do what no one else would do. We can take time to notice the sign and read what it says:

“I’m not asking for money. I don’t wish for a job. I have both and I am happy. But others are not. And for their sake, please look. Look past the coldness and remember what Someone said long ago: When you have done it unto the least of these my brothers, you have done it unto me. Open your eyes to those around you and maybe we will find a way to make peace in this world.”

Over two thousand years ago, the signs were ignored, and the cold wind of those who rejected Christ still blows.

Today we have a second chance.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

“Peace on the earth, good will towards men from heaven’s all gracious king.”

It wasn’t a particularly good day for the shepherds. Four of the sheep had gotten caught among the brambles, and two had wandered off in search of greener pastures. The sun had been warm all day, and nothing hurt more than resting on that stony ground around David’s City.

A few had given up for the day and went home.

Home to bed and warm food and sleep.

But a few, the hardened shepherds, the ones who knew no other life, stayed on into the night and huddled around a fire meant to keep them warm in the now cold darkness.

The quietness hung around them like the coats over their shoulders. The occasional bleat from a lamb frightened by a rustle in the tall grass was the only sound to hover near them, and it soon disipated into the ever-increasing silence.

Can you see it?

If you close your eyes and look, maybe you can see them.

There, to your left are two of the older fellows, and on your right a couple younger ones, all gazing up at the silent stars. The fire before you is burning bright and just over that tall shepherd’s shoulder you can make out a few lights in David’s City.

The tall fellow looks about his companions, nods to himself in satisfaction, as if to say, “Everyone is still here,” and closes his eyes. Sleep sounds good. He’s been here since morning and after finding the two lost sheep, he is tired.

Wham! Bam!

The lights across the country are turned on as the hillside suddenly bursts forth into singing! No man is sleeping, and no animal shakes from fear. The silence is shattered and thousands of voices sing in unison, “Peace on the earth! Goodwill toward men from heaven’s all-gracious king!”

The solemn stillness is broken. It is silent no more. The angels have sung and the clear sky is a burst with lights.

The tall fellow never got his nap that night.

But that was okay.

He figured he didn’t need it.

Heaven’s Fairer Eye

Christmas is less than a month away. The buying, the carol-singing, the decorating, suddenly all of these things are the most important and I’m filled with what some sage has termed, “the spirit of the season.”

But I pause. I stop and I reflect and look at those carols.

They are songs to be sung at Christmastime.

They bring good cheer and warmth to an otherwise cold and hostile world.

They are taken from their resting places (where we stuffed them January 1) and sung with cheerful voices.

So, because they are well-loved, because they are part of the most-loved holiday of the year, I want to look at them. I want to do more than sing the words or hum the tunes. I want to look into them and understand why.

Why they are so well-loved.

Why they are shared by all mankind.

Why they help us understand the Christ of whom they speak.

Pause with me, will you?

Get a mug of spiced cider and put on your favorite Christmas album. Curl up in your most comfortable chair and let’s sing them and share them and love them.

And maybe, while we do, we’ll find something more.

I will be sharing a new story inspired by a classic Christmas carol several times a week between now and Christmas. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and stories with you.

Christmas Music 2009 (Part One)

I’m a huge fan of Christmas music. Since I bought my first Christmas CD in 1987 (I believe it was First Call’s An Evening in December), I have accumulated hundreds and hundreds of albums, shared out of print albums digitally across the web, and found obscure and new items on iTunes and other internet sites.

Each year I am thrilled to add more music to my collection, which currently numbers more than 6,500 songs and takes up 30 GB of hard drive space. If I let the music play for 24 hours/7 days a week, Christmas music would stream from iTunes for 15 days without repeating. Yes, I love Christmas music.

This year, I’m going to post on some favorite albums and give some suggestions on collections or recordings you should add to your collection.

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51WPh3TItmL._SS500_ — Ralphie, Before He Shot His Eye Out

This year’s “Big Find” (at least, so far) was the original soundtrack to the Christmas classic, A Christmas Story. Long-requested but never before released, the music is not ground-breaking. It didn’t win any major awards, and it’s definitely not going to give composers like John Williams a run for their money.

But from the opening jingling of bells in the main title sequence, to the menacing pastiche of “He Had Yellow Eyes,” which beautifully rips off the wolf’s theme from Peter and the Wolf, to the barking, jaw-harp twang of the Bumpus Hounds’ theme, there isn’t a tune on here that won’t bring back memories of this well-loved film. Most of the music is adapted from classic Christmas carols or classical music themes, which makes it ideal listening for the season.

None of the period songs were included on the album, which is available from iTunes and Amazon, which means you won’t hear the classic songs of 1940’s America. But whether it’s the opening title sequence (which is oddly combined with the themes for the Old Man’s Major Award) or the wonderful ripoff of Groffe’s “Grand Canyon Suite” forming the basis of Ralphie’s adventures fighting Black Bart, the music is charming, nostalgic, and sure to conjure up wonderful memories of past viewings of this classic film.

When the whole thing wraps up neatly with “Beautiful, Glorious Christmas,” you’ll agree with Ralphie: “All is right with the world.”

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For sheer Christmas perfection, there is no greater album than The Andy Williams Christmas Album. Recorded in 1963, it has become one of the biggest-selling Christmas albums of all-time, and for good reason. I grew up listening to this album, and the familiar grin of Andy from the lower left corner of the cover brings back many memories. But, unlike many Christmas albums that make one nostalgic, this album has withstood the test of time and emerged a classic.

Like many holiday LPs of the era, Andy’s eponymous album was divided by sides. Side One conjures the secular fun of the holiday while Side Two dedicates itself to the carols of the season. What this ends up as for the contemporary listener is a wonderful musical journey that is full of delights.

The first track is Andy’s soothing rendition of “White Christmas,” which is mellower than Bing’s–and a perfect way to kick off the album. From there, “Happy Holiday-The Holiday Season” shows what Andy will be leaning toward as the album progresses–some fun, swinging numbers. This track was so good that the Manhattan Transfer virtually duplicated it on their own Christmas album 30 years later. The classic “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” debuted here, which helps explain why Andy’s version is still the definitive one. (On a side note, one of the co-writers of the tune is more famous as the composer behind the “Gilligan’s Island” theme.)

61W0NRR3ZKL._SS500_ — This Picture Means Christmas is Coming

“The Christmas Song” is beautiful–especially when Andy soars into the final chorus. I prefer it to Nat King Cole’s original recording for sheer beauty. Andy’s version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (A Song and a Christmas Tree) takes the song to wonderful heights of 60’s-era stereo tricks, while “Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells” (arranged by the lady more famous as the author of the “Eloise” books) kicks the end of Side One into the stratosphere. Absolutely amazing arrangement that swings with the best of the psychedelic 60’s.)

Andy’s versions of some best-loved carols are also quite lovely, with his versions of “The First Noel” and “Silent Night” being among the loveliest recordings. His “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” makes excellent use of his vocal ability and showcases the beauty of his under-appreciated talent. The only drawback to Side Two is the warbly-voiced child who practically wrests control of “Away in a Manger” away from the star.

All in all, though, this is a stand out for any season. Often copied (Michael W. Smith most recently did a version of “Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells” that is virtually identical to Andy’s), but never duplicated, it is a triumphant holiday album that will be listened to by my great-great grandchildren. And somehow that red cover with Andy’s grin will bring back holiday memories for them, too.

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Many more albums to come. Happy listening!

The Biblical Virtue of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas

I’m a huge fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I was one of the lucky ones who saw the film in theatres in 1993, when Disney wasn’t sure what to do with the film. I went to work for Disney right after the film was released and remember seeing all the merchandise created for the movie at 50% off.

You see, when the movie was first released, it was not a huge success. Oh, it wasn’t a flop per se, but it wasn’t a blockbuster. And Disney didn’t know how to market the movie. They almost didn’t let it be known it was a “Disney” film and released it under the Touchstone banner originally.

Maybe it’s because the characters are a little less cute. Remember, the last three films Disney had released were The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. They were on a roll. And along comes this film with a pretty much grey and black color scheme, creepy looking characters, and a storyline that is somewhat…unusual. No wonder they had no idea what to do with it.

NightmareBeforeChristmasWallpaper1024 — The Citizens of Halloweentown

In the years since, however, Nightmare has become a key part of the Disney franchise. It gives all those Goths who love Disney but don’t want to admit it characters they can wear and get tattoos of and identify with. The Haunted Mansion Holiday is one of the coolest things to happen to a Disney attraction in years, and the film has been re-released in theatres to much acclaim.

But I’ve always loved this movie. Always.

Some people ask me why. They see it as a subversion of Christmas. They see it as what is dark conquering what is light. They see it as something that somewhat creepy people are fans of and wonder, “What the heck?”

But me, I see it the way I’ve always seen it, and it fits perfectly into the Disney pantheon of storylines. And it fits perfectly with a Biblical virtue I’ve been thinking about a lot during the past month: Individuality. You can define individuality any way you want, but the definition I’m working off of is discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference.

You see, Jack Skellington isn’t that much different from Simba. Or Aladdin. Or Qusasimodo. Or Remy (from Ratatouille) or Wall*E. Jack isn’t that much different from you or me.

You see, all of us are created to fill a special purpose and a place in God’s kingdom. I don’t know what yours is. That’s really between you and God, and if you seek His heart and direction, you’ll eventually get there. But I know what mine is. My purpose is to help kids and parents find their place in God’s story, to lead them into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and to help them make a huge difference in this world.

Jack’s trouble is a lot like the trouble I was having a few years ago. Like Jack, I was really good at what I was doing. Jack is the “Pumpkin King” and the main man of Halloween. He is really good at making Halloween great. In fact, the beginning of the movie points out that this year’s Halloween was even better than last year’s! Jack isn’t suffering from being a loser–no, he actually has too much success.

Jack and I both got bored with our lives. We thought there has to be something more. (This longing for more, something almost every Disney character has, is actually quite godly and ingrained in us as His creation.) For me, I wondered if what I was doing even mattered anymore. I had “been there, done that.” What was left for me to do?

The Pumpkin King has “grown so tired of the sound of screams.” He’s bored to death. (Ha!) He feels he has lost his purpose. So when he discovers Christmastown, he gets excited again. Here is something new, something wonderful, and he loves the way it makes him feel.

Nightmare-Before-Christmas-nightmare-before-christmas-494173_800_494 — What's This?

“There’s children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads! They’re busy building toys and absolutely no one’s dead! There’s frost on every window, I can’t believe my eyes–and in my bones I feel the warmth that’s coming from inside!” (from “What’s This?”)

This new feeling awakens him and inspires him. He decides that this year, he should be in charge of Christmas. He puts the citizens of Halloweentown to work creating what he thoroughly believes will be a “merry and jolly” Christmas. In the “Making Christmas” sequence, we watch the macabre residents of Halloweentown busy working on creating gifts for Christmas. Yes, every single gift is horrific and scary or disgusting and gross, but they are doing their best to make what will be a wonderful Christmas.

Needless to say, it all goes wrong. The toys attack the children, Christmas wreaths try to strangle granny, and the police are on the lookout for a man dressed as a skeleton ruining this joyful holiday. Moments before he is shot down by missiles, Jack is convinced he’s making a great Christmas for everyone. He has completely missed the point.

Jack eventually comes to his senses.

“What have I done? How could I be so blind? Spoiled all! Everything’s gone all wrong…” (“Poor Jack”)

He sings that “all I ever wanted was to bring them something great,” and that he really did his best and it awakened in him something he hadn’t felt in his life for a long time. “I, Jack, the Pumpkin King,” he sings, and realizes, “That’s right! I am the Pumpkin King!”

You see, Jack, like me, had forgotten who he was. He hadn’t “discovered who he was meant to be so he could make a difference.” Why was Jack’s version of Christmas so messed up? Because he was trying to subvert it and make it evil? No. Jack–and the rest of the people of Halloweentown–could not make Christmas “merry and jolly” because that’s not what they were created to do. Their purpose in life was to scare people. That’s what Jack was created to do.

When Jack finally comes to the realization of who he is, I think it is safe to say that he will fully devote himself to making Halloween the most amazing thing he can. He has discovered who he is–now he can fulfill his purpose and be all that he is intended to be.

You and me, we’re in the same place as Jack Skellington sometimes. Until we know what we are created to do, we will never be able to fulfill our purpose. We may already have discovered who we are meant to be but think, “That’s not important enough or interesting enough or I’ve done it so long that I’m bored.”

Remember Jack Skellington. Discover who you are meant to be so you can make the difference only you can make. Don’t try to be what you’re not. Be who you were created to be.