Tip of My Iceberg

My daughter and her family are legitimate Disney lovers. I’ve seen the ears; they’re worn because it adds to the magic of what is Disney.

At least, that’s what I’ve been told.

I’ve been to the happiest place on earth; that is their official tagline, a creation of the Disney Imagineers, I assume. I’ve been stunned at the number of adults who wear a variety of ears, ears that celebrate every holiday, season, and occasion that requires a form of celebration.

Suffice it to say the pubic has bought into the magic. And the joy.

Living in Florida, there are seasons where people flood down here from the northern climes for a little bit of sun and fun. Disney and the beach are the favorite destinations. Crowds abound at all those locations, and the magic of the Sunshine State may seem a little thin at times.

The magic isn’t just at Disney. Or the beach. It’s all around us. Every day. No matter how challenging our circumstances are. Because we get the chance to begin a clean slate each day to create that magic for ourselves.

Does it sound too much like “Pollyanna,” the old Disney movie based on a children’s novel by Eleanor H. Porter? It’s the story of an optimistic orphan who’s sent to live with a cold-hearted aunt after her father dies. Because she grew up in a missionary family, her parents taught her the “Glad Game”, the choice to find something to be glad about no matter what the circumstances. Many, especially her aunt, found her hope to be naive, but slowly she began changing the mentality of the town she lived in.

Too often, we choose not to find joy in the moment. It’s so much easier to complain than be grateful. When Pollyanna received a pair of crutches from the missionary barrel, her dad encouraged her to be glad she didn’t need them. That may be a stretch, but choosing gratitude and joy lessens the weight of disappointment and sadness.

That is magic.

A man named Simeon lived in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ birth. The Holy Spirit had told him that he would see the Messiah before his death, knowing that this was the promise of God for His people. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple for His circumcision, Simeon approached them with great joy, having waited for years for this glimpse of hope for the world.

We want joy to be instant. So much of life today is immediate that waiting always seems an inconvenience. Having our expectations delayed is not merely bothersome. It’s disappointing.

God has so much more in mind for us. He longs to pour out His lavish love on us, reminding us of His presence as we allow Him to be part of our lives. We underestimate how well-loved we are and how we’re seen as deeply valued and delightful by Him.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heart, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Being loved by the eternal, all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God who understands our deepest mess and chooses to love us anyway?

That’s real-life magic.