Category: Spiritual Insights

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Life Lessons from The Wizard of Oz

I saw The Wizard of Oz for the first time when I was about 3 years old.  The movie had a powerful impact on me.  I was mesmerized by it.  I loved the singing, adventure, and friendships.  So many scenes captivated me.  I remember being very upset when Dorothy was trapped in the witch’s castle and the hour glass was almost empty.  I was crying from fear she was going to die.  I also cried, a time after this, when I watched The Cowboys and John Wayne was killed.  I thought he was really dead.  It was a relief to learn we don’t really kill people in movies; they’re just acting.  So many things about The Wizard of Oz impacted my life, including the overarching theme:  there’s no place like home. Continue reading Life Lessons from The Wizard of Oz

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A Divine Choice

One of my favorite stories to share with my history students in class has always been that of the Prussian ruler, Frederick the Great.  Frederick ruled in the 1700s.  He didn’t have a good relationship with his father.  I like to tell this story because a lot of teenagers can relate to difficult times in their relationships with their own fathers.  It also helps me connect with them the fact that they cannot blame their behavior on their past.  Regardless of the circumstances in which they were raised, or of any event they may have experienced, the decision is theirs, and theirs alone, how they behave.  They are 100% responsible for their actions.  End. Of. Story. Continue reading A Divine Choice

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My Dream Home

For we know that if our earthly house, a tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:1

I’ve seen a lot of houses in my life.  There are even shows on TV celebrating everything from the most over-the-top luxurious to the latest craze…tiny houses.  My own experience ranged from the stately 3-story home of my grandparents (dad’s side) to the little more than a shack that my Mamaw & Papaw (mom’s side) lived in.  My grandparents house is something I still dream about.  It was so big!  There were so many things to do and see.  Visiting there was like a wonderland adventure.   Continue reading My Dream Home

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41 Hours to the Cross

More than 15 years ago now, I spent many days in a hospital room taking care of my mother when her time on earth was coming to an end.  I slept in the bed beside her, fed her, bathed her, washed her hair, helped her brush her teeth, massaged her neck, talked to her, watched over her, and tried to comfort her during her pain and confusion.  The emotions we all experienced during this time ran the gamut.  My mother had not gone into this hospital to die.  It was just another step in the process of getting her better, or so we thought.  None of us, me or my three siblings, misunderstood the severity of the cancer that ravaged her body.  Yet we were slow to accept the truth about how little time she had left.  The reality of that fact would weigh heavier on me than anything I had ever faced before.  So heavy, I all but crumbled beneath it. Continue reading 41 Hours to the Cross

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The Labyrinth of Life

This past summer, my husband and I went on a little vacation, and by that I mean I went with him to work for a few days.  He travels a lot with his job.  We spent a couple of those days in Kansas City and were able to attend a Royals baseball game.  We hadn’t been anywhere in quite a while, and even though it was a “working holiday”, I was pretty excited about getting to spend time with my husband and laying out at the hotel pool while he worked.  The day we departed, he asked if there was anything particular I wanted to do while we were in Kansas City.  I had been wanting to go to the IKEA that had opened there for a while so I told him about that.  He didn’t really know what IKEA was and thought this was a questionable request.  No more was said about IKEA for the next two days, and I figured by his dismissive response earlier that we would not be making a visit. Continue reading The Labyrinth of Life

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When It’s Just Jesus & You

Several years ago, I had a profound experience with a young lady who was a student of mine at the time.  I have known this girl since she was in kindergarten.  She is the same age as my youngest daughter, Autumn, and they have always been friends.  Her mother is also a dear friend of mine.  Through the years, I’ve watched her grow and face all the challenges that many young people face, including the loss of her father while still in elementary school.  Almost anyone looking at her from the outside would never know things in her life have ever been anything but rose petals and sunshine.  She was always cute and bubbly, and had a million dollar smile.  That just speaks to the power of her Faith, and is part of her testimony for the Lord. Continue reading When It’s Just Jesus & You

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The Best Friend I Ever Had

Forrest & Jenny, Woody & Buzz, Sherlock & Watson, and Thelma & Louise.  These are some of the most famous best friends of all time.  But how does one acquire a best friend?  Friends come in all shapes and sizes, and from all walks of life.  They are born as your sister or cousin, or made from complete strangers.  My sister, Mary, and I are very close, and true friends.  Aside from my sister, I have a dear friend who is also my sister-in-Christ and we go to the same church.  But growing up, my best friend was a little girl with blonde hair.  She was sweet and kind, and she had a little sister about the same age as mine.  I remember the first time I saw her.  It was the first day of kindergarten.  I was already in the classroom.  I looked up, and she was coming through the doorway with her mother.  Her hair was up in doggy ears, and I knew immediately that we would be best friends. Continue reading The Best Friend I Ever Had

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Date With An Angel

In 1987, a little movie called, Date With An Angel, came out.  It was a silly romantic comedy starring Michael E. Knight (of All My Children fame), Phoebe Cates (of Fast Times at Ridgemont High fame), and the not-quite-as-famous, Emmanuelle Beart as the angel.  It was no huge hit.  It only gets 5.8 stars out of 10 on IMDB.  If you haven’t seen it, you should.  It’s funny and sweet, and oddly enough, one of my favorite movies.  I can quote many lines from this movie even though I haven’t seen it for years.  (After writing this, I am going to find it and watch it again though!)  For all the movies silly little antics and scenarios, there is a scene at the end of the movie that I just love.  The angel comes to escort Michael E. Knight’s character to heaven when he dies.  It’s actually a beautifully depicted scene.  I will never forget the first time I saw it.  I got tears in my eyes.  It was quite a surprise to have such a poignant moment in this funny little movie, and it was pretty close to how I had always imagined that moment to be like. Continue reading Date With An Angel

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If I Only Had A Brain

Mrs. Jones, my kindergarten teacher, had just explained to us what “Show & Tell Day” was.  This was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing, and I was very excited about it.  All the students were going to get to bring things from home, show them off, and tell about the item.  Such a great way to get to know my classmates a little better, and a great way to let them know more about myself.  We were all, pretty much, new to each other.  I quickly began to look around the room and wonder, “What will Julie bring?  Ooh, what will Tammy bring?  Shane, what will Shane bring?”  It was very exciting, and then I focused back on myself.  What would I bring?  How would I decide what was the best item to bring?  This provided endless possibilities for me.  I really wanted to “wow” the crowd.  So, I decided on the best, most amazing, most interesting thing I had in my house…the brain. Continue reading If I Only Had A Brain

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Biblical Lessons From Three Dog Night

I was just three years old the day my Sunday school class was combined with the older kids’ class.  There weren’t enough little kids at church that day to have a separate class.  I was a bit apprehensive about going in with the bigger kids.  I wasn’t sure what to do.  In the little kids class we would color, maybe get to cut something out of construction paper, learn a bible story, and sing.  This big kids class had a totally different teacher.  Her name was Betty Pollard.  I was unsure of her knowledge of us little kids and our specific needs.  I worried that we wouldn’t fit in, or that it might just be a waste of time for me.  Betty got everybody arranged in their seats and quieted down for the day’s lesson. Continue reading Biblical Lessons From Three Dog Night