"I Want To Live Again"

Christmas officially begins at our home when we can visit with George Bailey and the other townspeople of Bedford Falls. Even mean old Mr. Potter is a welcome sight at our house this time of year. This is one of those movies that feels like it has been a part of your life forever. I honestly can't remember the first time I saw it. My husband on the other hand has a very vivid memory of his first introduction to George Bailey. Matt grew up in a military home, with his dad out to sea on occasion and his only sibling 5 years older than him. Matt was a good, sensitive kid and has always loved his mother dearly. He recalls one afternoon during the Christmas season when he walked in the den and his mom was watching a "black and white" movie. As most young teenage boys, he was not interested, but because he loved his mom and wanted to spend time with her he sat down and the rest is history. This is his all time favorite movie. He can quote it, he owns and dominates the trivia game and he has even referenced this movie in sermons on occasion. The story of George Bailey is not that different from "our" story if you really think about it. At some point in our lives we all wonder if we are making a difference. Do I really matter? Would anyone even noticed if I wasn't here? What if my life was different? What if I had never been born? Isn't there something I could do that is bigger than this? I have asked one of more of these questions from time to time. I've never had a cute, chubby angel named Clarence, in long johns, drinking a flaming rum punch, trying to earn his wings come and show me how silly my thought process is, but the Holy Spirit within me has spoken louder than Clarence ever could. God is faithful to remind me that when we are sold out for Him and living according to His plan for our lives it does not matter how the world views our success or even how we view our success, but all that matters is our obedience to Him. Sometimes life can seem mundane and we can fall into the trap of thinking "is this all there is?" When our Heavenly Father is saying, "Look at ALL there is." He is ALL we need. At the end of this movie George Bailey says over and over again what has become my favorite line of the whole movie..."I want to live again. Please God let me live again." My question for you and for me this Christmas is are we really, truly LIVING the life God ordained in eternity past for us to live or are we pining away the days in regret and bitterness wishing our lives had turned out differently. Choose today to LIVE for Him and find the abundance of Zhu Zhu's joyous petals in your pockets. He came, He has come so that we might have LIFE abundantly. I WANT TO LIVE AGAIN!