Are You A Bubble Boy?

January 30, 2012 — 42 Comments
Bubble Boy

Image via Wikipedia

In 2001 there was a movie released titled Bubble Boy. It was a comedy that failed yet the story can be inspirational.

The movie revolved around Jimmy Livingston. Having been born without an immune system, he was forced to live in a sterile environment.

When his neighbor moves away, she gives Jimmy a gift. A snow globe with the words “I love you” inside. This motivated Jimmy.

Jimmy build himself a bubble suit and sets off on a quest to find the girl.

Throughout the movie, Jimmy runs into multiple obstacles but continues on his journey. Eventually he finds the girl at the altar.

What would you do at this point?

Jimmy decides to take off his bubble suit so he can finally touch the girl he loves. He kisses her and promptly faints.

Everyone believes Jimmy has died until his mother speaks up and informs them that Jimmy had developed an immune system at the age of 4. He gets back to his feet and marries the girl.

How often do we live our lives like Jimmy?

We believe that:

  • Our weaknesses are too much to overcome
  • The things outside may destroy us
  • We are not good enough

When Jimmy received the gift from the girl, his ideas changed. The girl was to be sought after. To be found. To be held.

He ventured out into the unknown. He took risks. He gave it his all.

In the end, it was worth it for Jimmy. He was able to obtain the object of his desire.

Jimmy had a girl that caused him to take risks and believe he could make it.

  • What do you desire?
    Is it a new job? A new home? More knowledge?
  • What are you willing to give up?
    Safety? Comfort? Your life?
  • How will you go after your desire?
    Will you get more training? Approach prospective employers? Start your own business or ministry?

 

The story of Bubble Boy gives you hope. A man overcomes his weakness. He has a great adventure. He gets the girl.

Are you a Bubble Boy?

Question: Are you being held back by a perceived weakness? How can you overcome it? Please share your answer in the comment section below.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with someone you feel would benefit from reading it.

 

 


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Joseph Lalonde

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  • http://www.theanalogoustruth.wordpress.com/ Arny

    HA! great thoughts Joe!…

    My weakness would be thinking i’m not good enough to do this songwriting thing…but i keep pushing forward….

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Keep pushing Arny. From what I’ve listened to, you guys sound great.

  • http://twitter.com/_ThomasMason Thomas Mason

    I’m not a Bubble Boy, but I wish I was. I need to pray to gain more confidence to stop living in fear and pursue the unknown. Good post.

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thomas, thank you for your comment. I don’t think I’ve seen you around. I hope you enjoyed the site.

      If you’re wanting to pursue the unknown, you might want to check out the book In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. It relates to doing the unexpected and unknown.

  • Tracy Krauss

    I remember that movie, and although I wouldn’t give it a five star rating, it did have a message didn’t it? Good post!

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks Tracy.

  • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

    I remember that movie, but I had forgotten the key factor in the movie- he had an immune system and had chosen to live in fear!

    Awesome post, very motivational!

    I think I sometimes limit myself in my writing. I think, “there are millions of people out there that think they can write and only a fraction of them really can.” I know this is down playing Gods purpose in my life and I am using it as an excuse. I battle this, I know. I spend a great deal of time in prayer over it. Thanks for motivating me to live outside my bubble!

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      TC, I think we fret over the little things like that. By telling ourselves that “we might not write as well as others” we limit the work of God in our lives and the people He wants to touch through us.

      Now, go pop your bubble.

      • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

        :)

  • http://victortravison.webs.com/ Victor Travison

    I remember seeing the trailer for it, but it never interested me enough to actually watch it. I like the analogy you drew from it, however. Good job!

    ~ VT

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks Victor. Glad you enjoyed the post.

  • http://talesofwork.com kimanzi constable

    We miss out on all life has to offer and all the Lord wants us to do for Him because of our fears and insecurities. At some point we have to say enough is enough and truly start living our lives. I just finished my second book which is about radical change! Great post Joe

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Exactly Kimazni.

  • mjph

    Joe,

    I got here from the Christianwriters blog chain. Welcome to the chain! This is an interesting connection to the theme of quest. The bubble boy was on a quest to seek out his true love, but the challenge of the quest was pushing through his limitations brought about by the bubble.

    If the bubble boy did not know he had an intact immune system then he was by his standards living inline with the limitations of his disability as he saw it. This didn’t change the fact that he was healthy and did not need those limitations.

    Having the bubble boy die would have made for a bad movie, but that is what some self-help strategies are essentially saying when we encourage people by saying, “We can do anything we want to accomplish, if we just believe in ourselves and work at it.”

    We must be aware of our limitations and work within those boundaries. The problem is that we self impose additional boundaries on what we are capable of doing. This takes a clear sense of what God is calling us to do, for if He is calling us into a venture, then He has the ability to make it succeed.

    Dreams are things that we must submit to the will of God. It is wise to work very hard for achievable goals.

    He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty (Proverbs 28:19).

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read the post and sharing the insights you got from the post. I hope you’ll continue reading and take away some great insights.

  • Pegg Thomas

    Great post and wonderful take on “quest”. I’m not a bubble boy, if anything, I’m the opposite. I’m the jump-first-check-the-fall-later type… but I’m working on that too! Neither extreme is good.

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Pegg, you’re right. We must be tempered and moderate. If we’re too off balance on either extreme it will cause us trouble.

  • Pingback: Quest | CWBC | Word Obsession

  • http://profiles.google.com/writersprite Nona King

    We all have our moments of caving to a ‘bubble boy’ mentality, especially as writers. Sometimes I call it the ‘what if’ syndrome. What a great reminder you have posted here, especially when so many things have become uncertain for many of us in some aspect of our lives. If we don’t live dangerously, and face the fear to trudge through the risks, we can’t access the greater blessings that await us, eh? :)

    ~Nona

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks for the comment Nona.

      And you’re right. It is through facing the dangers and fears that we tend to experience the greatest and fullness of Christ.

      I’m currently reading In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. In it, it talks about Benaiah and the fear he must have faced as he chased a lion into a pit and killed it. Can you imagine the fear? And yet, because of that, he became one of David’s trusted warriors.

  • http://tracibonney.wordpress.com/ Traci B

    Great addition to our “quest” blog chain posts, Joseph. I’ve been a bubble girl far too often in my life, especially in my writing life. Thanks for reminding us that we have to step out of the bubbles to realize our dreams.

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks Traci. I’m glad to be a part of it this month.

  • Anonymous

    What a great story and example from it. Stepping out in to the unknown can be hard but it’s so essential if we want to keep moving forward and live a life of purpose.

    I allow some weaknesses to hold me back but I’m working through them so I can become and do what God has called me to do. Great post.

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Dan, keep stepping out and doing what you’re meant to do. Remember, God used the biggest weaknesses of the great men of the bible. Noah stuttered, Abraham and Sarah were old and without child, David lusted after another man’s wife, and the stories go on. Just remember you can be used regardless of the weakness that you see in yourself.

      • Anonymous

        So true Joe, thank you for the encouragement. When I’m weak God is strong.

  • Jack

    seems his mams quest was to keep her son in the bubble.
    the trouble with bubbles is they burst.
    Jesus is a bubble burster.
    biiiiig hug

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Exactly Jack!

  • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

    Adam, I can see a reasoning behind the mother keeping the truth from him. She wanted to protect him, like many mothers do. She was able to keep him from harm. He was perfectly protected. Sadly he didn’t get to experience life until he chased the girl.

  • Carol Peterson

    I haven’t seen the movie, but now I’ll be on the lookout for it.

    Fear that I’m not good enough holds me back in my writing. Hmmm…that probably holds me back in other areas as well. Fortunately, Jesus has an enormous Q-tip and is busy cleaning out my ears so I can hear HIS leading better and follow what the Holy Spirit is telling me to do.

    I loved your inspiration. Thanks for it!

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Carol, thank you for visiting and your comment.

      Great to hear that God is cleaning out those ears. Just remember, God uses people even when they think they’re not good enough. Moses thought he couldn’t speak in front of Pharaoh. Noah was laughed at for building an ark.

      You’re good enough and you will touch lives. Just write your heart out.

  • http://joeandancy.com/ Joe Abraham

    Beautiful story, Joe.

    I love teaching. But I was afraid of failure. Nevertheless when I started doing it, the fear broke. Even now, sometimes it tries to intimidate me. But I have learned the secret that as I keep on doing my job of teaching, Jesus gives me the boldness and victory I need to do it!

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks for your story Joe. That is encouraging.

  • http://www.thementoringleader.com/ Aaron Drake

    The fear of failure is a funny thing. Most of the time it’s not actually the failure that we fear, but “stepping out of God’s will”, as if the two go hand in hand. We seem to have the idea that God would never lead us down a dead end or into failure. Where do we get that idea? We get that from the world’s idea of success, not from God’s. Failure is a wonderful tool in God’s hands to shape our character into what we need to be for the next season.
    Risk taking is a fast track to building character.

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      I agree Aaron. We all want the “easy” way but that is rarely God’s plan. The Bible is filled with stories of failures followed by great redemption and success.

      I also liken it to when a baby starts to walk. It falls down (failure), A LOT. Yet it’s parents encourage it to get back up and try again. It is sad that we lose that as we grow older.

  • Cindee Snider Re

    Joe, interesting how your post asked a similar question to an issue my son and I have been discussing. He recently submitted and had his first game approved for sale by Apple’s App Store, and suddenly realizes how much he cares what others think of him, of his accomplishments, of his work. I had to admit, I do too — the sting of pride — and the weakness of perceived failure. Thanks for words that have made me think!

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Cindee, tell your son I said congratulations That is a great step for him to make. Let us know if it gets published and I will check it out.

  • http://rise365.com Claudia Good

    That was an awesome post Joe!!

    So interesting how we are held back both by what we believe about ourselves and what others tell us!

    This has been huge in my own life. I thought I was shy… I am not. I thought I was messy… I am not. I thought I was always disappointing people… I am not.

    I love taking risks and changing things up because they have never failed to bring new life and perspective :)

    • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

      Thanks Claudia.

      Glad to see you’re overcoming those negative, false assumptions in your life. Bet you’re living a more full, exciting life now!

  • http://www.mentorindia.com/course-listing.aspx Online MBA India

    Hey really that’s an amazing post. I will surely look into it