Now, Which WAY Do We Go?

Road maps ... are very cool things.  A little archaic ... but still ... very cool. 

When you first get one, it's all folded up nice & neat ... pressed flat ... about the size of a rack card.  Generally, it's the person riding shotgun who gets the privilege ... the challenge ... of unfolding ... and reading the map. 

There's something special about unfolding a map for the very first time.  Untucking ... turning ... fanning out the paper ... until it's spread open ... as wide as the dashboard.

And the person in control of the map is rustling it ... crunching it ... trying very hard not to have his hand up under the nose of the driver ... while trying to manipulate the map down to a manageable size ... attempting to locate ... on the map .... where it is you are ... and where EXACTLY you are trying to go.

Generally, at some point, the map is then re-folded haphazardly ... into a square or a rectangle ... that bears no resemblance to the orginal factory-generated fold.  It's easier that way.  To hide from sight ... all of the other roads ... destinations ... to only look at the littler picture ...

It's less confusing that way.

Upon arrival, the roadmap is then stuffed into the glove compartment unceremoniously ... until the next time directions are needed.  Most likely it isn't even unfolded ... from it's new configuration ... because everyone knows that any attempt to refold the map into it's original, pristine shape would prove to be impossible ... so why bother ...

Those were the days.  The good ole days.  Of roadmaps.  And clear directions.

"Now, which way do we go?", Dorothy asked Toto. (Video link)  At the crossroads ... of the yellow brick road ... AND ... the yellow brick road. Toto, of course, didn't know ... which way to go.

From high up on the pole, the Scarecrow responds ... "Of course, people DO go both ways" ... and, well, we all know what happens next ...
they follow the yellow brick road. 


They didn't have a roadmap. Or any of today's navigational tools ... mapquest, GPS, onstar assistance ...

All they had to rely on was help from the new friends ... who were actually old friends ... they encountered along the way ... and the signs & messages that popped up ... from a variety of sources ... guiding them ...throughout their journey.

Signs & messages are fun.  Almost as fun as roadmap folding. 

Last week I was in Hot Springs ... exploring some possibilities for future projects ... looking for some signs ... as to what was coming next.

I took a little time to visit with a friend ...  that I would love to be working with ... on something.  We were sharing about the "which ways" in our lives ... right now  ... and ... trying to figure out ... why it was ... that sometimes where we want to go isn't really where we seem to be heading .... or something like that ...

He is placing some dreams ... some goals ... some projects ... on the back burner ... because they don't seem to be making sense ... or falling into place ... at the moment.

 ... just a little bit of encouragement ... in that area ... would sure go a long way ... to keeping the faith ... that's what he said ... as he was rushing out the door ... with a promise of a little more time the next day ...

So I moseyed on over to see another friend ...  an old friend ... whose glue gun has been riding around in the trunk of my car ... for a little over two years. During our visit, a random introduction was made ... me to another visitor in his store ... it's too soon to tell ... but I am pretty sure there wasn't anything random about it ... it was very cool ...

The next morning ... I shared the story over coffee ... and my discouraged friend stared at me wide-eyed ... and said, "Wow!  How does something like that happen?" followed by "It's interesting how things like that always happen to you...."

It was a message ... to us both ... of encouragement .... of keeping the faith.

Wandered through the Cracker Barrel gift shop on my way out ... and there was a sign propped up against a counter ... it was a sign, all right ... and a SIGN ....

.

I didn't purchase it ... because it was a little pricey ... for words painted on a board ... figure I will make one of my own ... one of these days ...

Still, the message wasn't lost on me!

Later in the week ... a group of people that I have become close to over the last year ... reached their defining moment ... of a year's worth of work & effort.  You know, that moment when everything that you have done is put to the test ... and you have no way of knowing how things will turn out ... until it's all tallyed up.

Ever had one of those moments?!?! 

You know you've done the right thing ... even when it's hard ... you've made the tough choices ... stuck by your morals & values ... taken a beating or two ... wondering if any of it was really worth it ?!?

And then by the closest of margins ... right prevails.  And you know in an instant ... that either way ... it would have been ok ... with you ... because character really does count.

There was no celebration.  Just back to business as usual. The next day, lunch was brought in ... chicken with garlic sauce ... and a fortune cookie. 

Cracked it open ... and there waiting for me was the SECOND best fortune I have ever received in a cookie from a Chinese restaurant ...

Hallelujah!

A simple message.  Just one word. No doubt it was meant for me.

On the way to a picnic yesterday a text exchange took place between me ... and someone that is important me ... but is not really fitting into my life ... not yet.

At times ... I am prompted to send him a word of encouragement ... it's always specific ... even though I have absolutely no idea what's really going on over there in his life ... the prompting is always so strong that I have no choice but to send the message ... even though it feels silly ... foolish ... awkward ...

So, obediently,  I said what I was prompted to say.  It took a little while ... but eventually he responded.

He:  Thank u !

Me:  For ???

He:  Msg's.

Stunned. And amazed.  I was.

All week I have been pondering on the signs & messages ... the now-which-way-do-we-go's ... and out-of-the-blue ... someone says ... to ME ...
"thanks for the messages!"

It was a humbling ... and an encouragement ... all wrapped up in 10 characters or less ...

Later in the afternoon ... I stood in a circle ... holding hands with two of the most important people in my life ... in a beautiful place ... surrounded by virtual strangers ... and we all prayed ... together ... outloud ...

Our Father

Who art in heaven

Hallowed be Thy name ...

Knowing full well that 6 p.m. was going to roll around ... and even though it was May 21, 2011 ... we were ALL going to be "left behind" ....

We were "raptured" ... nonetheless ...

That's right.  We were.  Looked it up.  Just to be sure. Either definition works for me.

rapture:

a: a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion   

b: a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things 

The Bible is full of stories where God says He's going to do something ... and then when He does exactly what He said He was going to do ... it doesn't look anything at all like what the people of the day thought it was going to look like ...

So even though I know that the Bible clearly states that no man will know the day or the hour of Christ's return ... who's to say ... that RAPTURE isn't already taking place ...

... and just not visible ... to our human eyes ...

... maybe it's taking place in our hearts ... right now ...

... it's our souls, after all ... that He's after ... not our physical bodies. 

Rounding out this amazing week ... Iit seems that the little bear has been talking outloud again.  (Read the story, Bear Hugs) This time ... he wasn't talking to me.  Still, it's hard to dispute the message ....
I love you THIS much!

Fourteen times in an hour.  That's what was reported to me. 

He's been sitting there on the shelf ... in that room ... for months ... waiting for exactly the right time ... to offer up  his hope & encouragement. 

One thing's for certain ... He's persistent.  When He is pursuing a relationship with you ... a relationship that will allow you to have your whole heart back. 

Open your heart ... Hear His voice ... He's talking to you ... it's personal ... once you begin to hear His voice nothing in your life will ever be the same ... again.

How many times do you have to be told you are LOVED before you get it ... before you allow yourself to feel it ?!?  If fourteen times isn't enough ... I am pretty sure that the message will come around again ... when you least expect it ... when you need it the most.

Now which WAY do we go?

Doesn't really matter if we have a roadmap ... or a GPS ... or compass ... as long as we listen with our hearts ... as long we are paying attention to the signs & messages along the way ... as long as we are willing to walk awhile with others who share our road ... as long as we hold hands with friends, old & new, as we pray for direction ...

Just follow the yellow brick road ... it's the road that leads to nowhere ... it's the road that leads you home ... doesn't matter which WAY ... really ... it doesn't ... because every road takes you to where it is you are going ... eventually.

I love you THIS much!

It's a way of life ...

Hallelujah!

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c) May 2011



A Little Bit Of Magic ...

Yesterday I was reminded by someone who knows me really well of how very blessed I am to have good friends ... who love me.  I know that.  Of course, it never hurts to be reminded every now and again.

The coolness of my friends is reflected in the very special gifts I have been receiving this holiday season.  One of the first gifts I received was a rock paperweight thingy with the message:

Sometimes you just have to

take the leap

and build your wings on the way down.

And then there was the very fun ... very SMALL ... t-shirt that arrived in the mail from an out-of-town friend.  The image of the icky ole witch being crushed by the Ho Ho Ho's ... is so very MJ ... it's perfect!

Abbi, who knows me best of all, showed up on Christmas Eve with a handfull of

tree-shaped pine-scented air freshners that she hung throughout the branches of my humongous artifiical tree so that on Christmas morning when we all got up to open gifts ... the tree would smell ... REAL!

... I really loved that!

It's awesome to receive things ... even the simplest of things ... from someone who really knows you ... and goes out of the way to give you something ... chosen especially for ... you!

Beautiful candles on a handcrafted tray ... exactly the same cinnamony color as my kitchen ... made up another special gift from a friend who has known me for at least two lifetimes.  The gift was thoughtful & lovely ... but it was the boxes that captured my imagination.  Printed on the outside of each one was the name of the studio of the artist who designed the piece as well as the message:

Be A Part of "THE STORY"

 I went to the website to find out what the tag line was all about ... to explain why that was printed across the front of the box ... nothing was there. 

And it wasn't just one box ... the candles were in a box that said "Be A Part of THE STORY" ... and the tray was in a box that said "Be A Part of THE STORY" ... 

It's as if the artist knew me ... personally. Seriously. I am all about the stories!

No doubt the message was there ... just for me!

People have been giving me angels since the day I was born.  My dad called me "Angelfluff" throughout my childhood. Gifts have come from my Mimi and my Mother addressed to "my lil angel" and "my angel" all of my life.  Abbi & I have exchanged angels for most of her life, too.

This year, there were three special angels. 

One from Abbi.  A beautiful creature with red hair and a handful of stars ... it's an all-year-round angel ... she will sit out somewhere special to remind me every day ... to dream big ... to reach for the stars!

There were two cards inside of the box with the next one ...

I hope this piece has

personal meaning for you

... a little reminder ... a reflection ...

a gesture that marks a memory ...

Gosh, there was no way I wouldn't be liking a gift that came with a note like that in the top of the box!  And inside, was a beautiful Willow Tree Angel. 

Arms spread wide ... her name is Happiness ...  free to sing, laugh, dance ... create!

And the personal, handwritten note from my friend ... that so touched my heart ....

 To: Mary Jane

... for showing me how to choose happy!

Wow!  It's always wonderful to discover that a little bit of difference was made in a friend's life by something I say or do!

My last angel was a totally random gift.  I know that because when the gift was offered up, the giver said from across the room...."You're going to laugh when you see what it is ..."

The box was really terrific.  It was triangle shaped and was one of those gift boxes that's got a pre-printed design on it.  This one was an abstract pattern with mauves, tans & grays running together. Very interesting.

I LOVE fun boxes.  People who really know me know that often I get more excited over an unusual box than what's inside.  So I was "ooohing" and "aaahing" over the box when the disclaimer came out-of-the-blue.

Gently I lifted the lid. 

Wrapped in tissue was an exquisite crystal ball with a crystal angel inside.

It took my breath away. 

Crystal things have always been my most favorite things. Aunt Julia started giving me pieces of crystal when I was about 13.   Somehow along the way, most of those pieces have been packed away as we moved from one place to another and have never been unpacked here.  I am going to find those things once I am done taking the Christmas things down.

That's a lost part of MJ that I am ready to unwrap ... & re-discover ...

The giver of the gift made another comment from across the room ... about the irony of it ... seems she had observed another gift being opened in our midst that she thought had been given by me ... a crystal angel ... only it wasn't ... from me.

Stunned.  How is it possible that this person ...who has known me for most of my adult life ... really doesn't have a clue ... about me?  About this gift?

It wasn't actually a snow globe.  Instead of shaking it up to see the snowflakes fall .. it had a switch on the bottom.  Push the button ... and presto ... a fiber optic light show plays out inside the globe.  Brilliant, jewel tone colors flash randomly ... bathing the little angel ... in a kaleidoscope of colors ...

a rainbow inside of a crystal ball ..

The tears came.  I simply couldn't help myself.  I was totally caught off guard ... and was immediately overwhelmed ... then the whisper came ... it's too personal to share ...

... it was of very great significance ...

Now I know ... without a doubt ... that I am somehow getting it right ... the moving towards the life I want to be living ...

  

It would have been different, I guess ... if the giver had really thought ... really known ... how special the gift in the nifty box really was going to be ... to me.  But ... that person ... didn't get it ... so there's no doubt who was behind the gift ... my Best Friend ... making His presence known ... once again.

Cool.  So very cool.

Yes.  I am blessed by friends & family who love me.  My gifts this year reflect those intimate connections. 

Of course, my true Christmas wish ... made a year ago... for a little bit of magic ... to be found at some unexpected time during the year that is now ending ... remains elusive.  It's not something that someone can wrap up in a box ... and put under my tree ...

However, tucked way down in the toe of my stocking ... wrapped in some very old, yellowed tissue paper ... were a pair of ruby slippers ... ceramic ... salt & pepper shakers ... with a collector type stamp on the bottom ... they aren't bejeweled or sparkly ... ruby-colored, though & totally functional ...

Neither of the elves in my house who might have participated in the stuffing of my stocking had any knowledge of their origin. 

I know ... you are thinking ... one of them must have been responsible for the neat little gift ...

The one elf isn't capable of keeping a secret of that nature ... and the other one was as totally surprised as I was at my discovery ... so I am positive that she wasn't responsible for the surprise ... either ...

... a little bit of magic ...

I'm sure there's a message there ... in the ruby slippers ...

in all of my other gifts ...

The Wizard of Oz has always been one of my favorite stories ... so I went looking for something other than the obvious

"there's no place like home" meaning ...  

I was pretty sure that I had vivid & accurate recollection of all of the memorable lines ... imagine my surprise when I visited the AMC Classic Film website and found this descriptive passage ...

She (Glenda) descends to the ground in her familiar,

shimmering, rainbow-hued bubble from the sky.

Glinda steps out of the ball of light and kindly tells Dorothy that

she has always had the power to go home

with the magical power of her ruby slippers,

but she had to discover it for herself.

Dorothy: Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?

Glinda: You don't need to be helped any longer.

You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.

Dorothy: I have?

Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her before?

Glinda: Because she wouldn't have believed me.

She had to learn it for herself.

Dorothy insightfully explains what she has learned from her experience -

during her dream of being in Oz.

In a self-revelation, she realizes that everything she could ever have wanted was right in her own backyard -

IF she had wanted it hard enough. She relinquishes the miracle-working power of the Wizard -  he has floated away -

and relies upon her own power and personality

to find her independent identity and way home.

She has confronted her childhood fears and grown up emotionally

with strength enough to meet her adult future.

In some ways, the journey was as rewarding

as the accomplishment of her goal.

 

Dorothy: Well, I think that it, that it wasn't enough just to want to see

Uncle Henry and Auntie Em,

and it's that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again,

I won't look any further than my own backyard because, if it isn't there,

I never really lost it to begin with. Is that right?

Glinda: That's all it is!

Scarecrow: But that's so easy! I should've thought of it for you -

Tin Man: I should have felt it in my heart -

Glinda: No, she had to find it out for herself. Now those magic slippers will take you home in two seconds!

Dorothy: Oh! Toto too?

Glinda: Toto too.

Dorothy: Now?

Glinda: Whenever you wish!

Everyone who knows me ... knows that I don't believe in coincidences ...

Dorothy found her way ... home ...
,,, with a little help from her friends ... & so will I ..

Take a look again at my very special gifts ... follow the yellow brick road ...



Be a part of the story ... a personal meaning just for me ... ruby slippers ...

a crystal globe full of rainbow colors ...

 choose happy ... reach for the stars ...

I just had to learn it for myself ... 

my heart's desire ...

whenever I wish ...

Three days left ... until the new year begins ...

... there's still time ... for a little bit of magic ...

I believe!

http://www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com/

(c) December 2010