Follow the yellow brick road

I didn't have a photo of me doing dishes. But here's the
next best thing-photos I took of my son doing dishes!

This morning as I was doing dishes,  I was praying.  (I like to talk to Heavenly Father as I work, or drive, or do anything which is a quiet activity.)  As I prayed I expressed gratitude to Heavenly Father, who taught me how to love.  A friend whose influence has been so influential that I have made a 180 degree turn around in my life, and countless miracles have occurred!  

As I stood scrubbing dishes, with bubbles up to my elbow, I considered how I never knew how to love, and how learning to love was beyond anything I could have imagined.  As I considered these things, I had an odd thought:

"Christine, Is it possible your love helped to teach anyone else how to love?"  I laughed, and thought,  "Me, the girl who never knew how to  really feel love, much less, give love? Me, who felt emotionally numb most of my life? What would I know about love?!"

In that moment, a familiar melody played into my thoughts.  I've heard this melody a few times over the years, but I could never figure out how the message of the words applied to my life.  This song comes in 3 variations, and I never heard the words when it came to my thoughts. I never knew for sure, IF it was a song from God, or "coincidence.  And, if  is was a message, I didn't know what the Spirit wanted me to learn from it.  Was it about the "heart," "brain," or "courage?" As I pondered, and prayed to understand the song, I was dumbfounded by the meaning that I seemed to understand.. (Click on the words (above) "heart," "brain," or "love-- to hear those versions.:)

Here is the song in 3 versions.  It's from The Wizard of Oz!

Oh, how I loved The Wizard of Oz growing up. I had a very vivid imagination , and I liked to pretend that I wore the ruby slippers. I just knew that I could get home if I closed my eyes, tapped my heels together, and I believed hard enough- all while saying "There's no place like home." It worked as well as the times I tried to fly, by jumping off my dresser--when I landed with a thud!!

(Fascinating side note! ;) I still remember that dresser jumping day! Don't ask me why, but I was loudly singing my favorite sesame street song, "Sing!" Maybe I thought there was a correlation to jumping, and not worrying about anything anyone else thought! Who knows!  I do remember feeling complete faith that God would allow me to fly, but I remember feeling such disappointment--like faith didn't work!! A hard knock lesson! I'm glad I've since learned that faith is a gift!)

Sing, sing a song. Sing out loud, sing out strong. Sing of good things not bad, Sing of happy not sad. Sing, sing a song,Make it simple to last Your whole life long. 

I had forgotten what Wonder Twins was like!
You can watch a terrible #yet made me roll with
laughter(1:30 min. short) at this Youtube link.

Don't worry that it's not good enough
for anyone else to hear, Just sing,

sing a song. (Made famous by the Carpenters, but I knew it from Big Bird!:)

Tangent:  And, for the record, I never could get my Wonder Woman spin just right, so that I actually could change into my cool, superpower suit! But I apparently did have some super strength in first grade, because one day while playing "Wonder Twins" out in the baseball field. My friend Jason, and I, put our knuckles together, and said "Wonder Twin powers activate!" and we were then able to tip over the large backstop!

There in the quiet of my kitchen, a light bulb went off! I'd always had that love within me, I just didn't realize it! I didn't quite understand the symbolism as a child, but now I understand that the Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow each possessed the qualities they went out in search of!  They proved those qualities on the journey with Dorothy. They just needed a special person/people to help waken that quality within themselves.

She dried his tears.

There was Dorothy, the one who seemed to have it all together. She didn't seem to need anything more than to find her way back to Kansas. Dorothy was a

She raised him up.

true friend to her comrades.  She showed enduring compassion towards them. 

On the journey up the yellow brick road, Dorothy's new friends had opportunities to prove their loyalty and friendship to her, as they demonstrated the quality they each most longed for. It's amazing that the Lion shows courage.  The Tin Man shows love.  The scarecrow shows intelligence.  

You must have an enormous heart!

It can not be overlooked, nor over-empathized, that it took Dorothy's initial invitation to join them, which opened the way for her friends to realize who they really were within!  

She anoints him with oil.

I still remember watching Wizard of Oz for the first time, when I was about six years old. It made an impact on my memory.  But, as a child I never got the real message of this classic movie!

Christine (me) Age 6 or 7

Now I realize that we each have Dorothy's in our lives.  I'd even say that there are times when there could be several "Dorothy's" walking with us at the same time, or maybe just a Dorothy at different stretches of our journey on the yellow brick road. Hopefully, we are each learning to be, or have been, a "Dorothy" to someone else.

This reminds me of a song! A dedication to all the Dorothy's that have changed our lives for the better- and helped to raise us up (nope, I could share that Josh Grobin song, but I'm thinking of another beautiful song-- "There, but for You, go I."  This song truly speaks of how the puzzle pieces of another persons life and influence can change us eternally, for the better! People who took the dormant good within us, and helped it to bloom into a bouquet of beauty, which we then can offer to others along our journey.  (Ah, yes, I'm feeling poetic!:)

In my "Aha" moment, I realized that my sweet friend, that I'd been thinking of and praying for this morning, has been my Dorothy!! (What's the masculine form of the name Dorothy?! ;)  He successfully strummed a special chord in me, which created a music no one had ever before managed. It was this chord that helped me want to change.

My friend showed fortitude, patience, and mercy.  He taught me righteous truths and wisdom, through the purity and dedication, of his mind, heart, and hands. This friend even managed to teach me how to bravely walk the yellow brick road alone, when he could no longer walk beside me.  Without his influence, I do not know that I would have learned all I have.  It took one of his specially sized puzzle pieces to fit perfectly into a dedicated spot in my life's puzzle. The piece he left behind, helps me to continue to sojourn along that golden path.  Never a day passes, when I don't pray for my friend, and consider the blessings he has been in my life.

I finally realized why I never knew which version to sing!  I needed to unlock all three of those qualities within me. I needed to learn courage (nerve), love (a heart), and intelligence (brain). Zing!

I try to show these qualities each day of my life. As for intelligence, I've returned back to school. As for courage, I've learned to walk through the dark hours of my life with the education my friend empowered me with- which was to look to God in everything!

And, as for love, Well, I hope it's evident by the light in my eyes, the spring in my step, the sunshine in my soul, and the service of my hands.

I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father watches over each one of us. I'm thankful to see that as we look to God for direction, he will help us learn how to remain on the yellow brick road toward Oz and the Emerald City!

It doesn't mean it will all be smooth and easy.  Sometimes that road will stretch out across lonely highways, or dark forests, but in Heavenly Father's (God's) care, we will safely make it through the pain and sorrows of life.

If we are diligent and consistent in seeking God (through scripture study, prayer, and keeping His commandments), our eyes will be opened, we will learn valuable lessons for the hard times, and our intelligence will increase.  And, if we are paying attention, we will gratefully identify earthly angels (in the form of friends and family), who love and serve- because they love God first. 

Exodus 23: 20

20 ¶Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

Isaiah 63: 9
Old Testament

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

May we also symbolically become angels to all around us!

Christine

P.S.  Questions to consider:

What is one thing you can do to be an "angel" to someone around you?

Or, like the scare crow, tin man, or lion, is there a quality you want to develop, or have blossom within you? 

Ask Heavenly Father if he will bless you in developing that quality. Or help you identify how you can bless the lives of others, and thus find more joy within yourself! :)

Love is an action verb!

There are many other symbols in The Wizard of Oz.  But, I am keeping this short! :D  You'll have to think about those on your own, and determine how they compare to your own life.