“The Wizard of Oz” has been my favorite film forever. Judy Garland has been my favorite actress forever. I grew up doing a lot of plays, partly because I wanted to be the next Judy Garland! So the one role I wanted more than any other was Dorothy.

Finally, my sophomore year of high school, a theater in a neighboring town announced “The Wizard of Oz” was on their schedule.  I was 16 – the same age as Judy Garland when she filmed the movie. It was meant to be!

I prepared the audition of my life and (drum roll) I got the part!! You can imagine my excitement. Or maybe you can’t. It was my life-long dream come true. The role my favorite actress played in my favorite movie of all time. The role I had dreamed about for at least a decade. The role I barely got because I was too old and couldn’t dance and drove the director crazy (imagine that!).

Now, this wasn’t a professional theater, it wasn’t a big-budget production, no talent scouts were there. I didn’t actually sound like Judy Garland. There weren’t even flying monkeys. But did I care? NO! This was my dream. I would have done that play in my back yard with my siblings cast as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion (and I would have, had this not worked out!).

I went into every rehearsal thrilled to be there. I enjoyed every minute of that show, from the first rehearsal to the final curtain call. I savored it, relished it, loved it. It was wonderful! And even now, 22 years later, thinking of it still makes me happy…

I was thinking of that today, and I was convicted because I realized I should treat every day the way I treated those days. I should look forward to what’s in store, I should ignore the bad, refuse to be brought down by the petty.  God has given me one life. And he has redeemed that one life through His son. He has made plans for me, he has sent his Holy Spirit to teach, comfort, and direct me. That is SO much more exciting than getting that dream role. Yet, I allow days to go by when I choose not to see the good things He has given.

I need to remember that, if I could be “over the rainbow” about a part in a play, I should be over the moon about the life God has given me! So I will choose to enjoy today, to rejoice in it, to savor it, relish it, and be glad!