In the words of Dorothy, "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto." Oh how well Dorothy expressed my emotion to a little dog with long bangs. Sometimes life just takes us places we never could have imagined. We don't remember exactly how we got there, but we fall asleep and wake up in a land filled with magical colors, little people, and a witch with striped socks. *Kerplop* Here I am.Allow me to personalize how my life is like the Wizard of Oz:
1. My plain black-and-white life begins to feel boring, and I wonder if just maybe I'm missing out on something.
2. The mean lady tries to make my life difficult and intolerable. ("The mean lady" defined as people, things, situations, change.)
3. I secretly wish to fall asleep and wake up in a brand new life away from the present struggles.
4. I do. Suddenly, change happens swiftly and entirely in a grandiose way. I am delighted, yet slightly confused by the sensory overload.
5. Even after meeting Glenda, the good witch, and being bedazzled by her glittery gown... I still feel completely out of my element.
6. Some nice friends join me on the stroll down the yellow brick road. We all have our weaknesses, but we seem to make it together. Even though I try to wander off on my own, and I fail- the friends catch up to me and save my patooty.
7. Bad stuff tries to prevent my progress and swoops down out of the sky. I get "caught up" for a while...even getting trapped in a castle, but my friends eventually rescue me. And the wicked witch melts with one little bucket of water. (Arguably, way too easy of a death for something so threatening.)
8. Right now, I'm just trying to get past the poppy field. Those crazy, gaseous poppies are trying to put me to sleep. I'm getting more sleepy with every step, and the colors are intoxicating. Seems easier to lie down & take a snooze...and press on another day.
9. I imagine just as I have overcome the obstacles before with the help of (God and) my friends, I will eventually reach the Emerald City and sweet talk my way past the gate keeper.
10. There I will see the horses that remind me of my grandma's old skool Christmas tree, and I will get a makeover. I'm hoping this little parallel has to do with a total makeover to my attitude and character and life in general. Because, those things have pretty much bit the big one.
11. Balloon man will leave without me.
12. But I'll be okay because of the crazy ruby slippers. I have had the thing I needed to get back "home" the whole time. But I've been so caught up in everything happening to me, having false hope in the Great and Powerful Oz that I've neglected to see the reality and the helping hand that God has been offering to me the whole time.
Self sufficiency, man. Why can't I just get over myself and let God do His thang? I'll tell you why- because I'm human. I fail. I surrender, and I take back. I doubt, and I cry my eyes out. But God keeps tilting my head back and making me look Him in the face. But I'll tell ya, even though I'm stuck in the intoxicating poppy field right now, I'm excited to know- when all this is done- I'm gonna click my heels and be able to say, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." ...the arms of the Father IS my home. No matter what my mailing address is.
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