Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of watching the newest “girly” Disney movie, 16 Wishes with my daughters. It is amazing, but sometimes I take a lot away from “kid’s movies”. That could totally be related to the fact that ALL I watch are “kid’s movies”!
16 Wishes tells the story of Abby Jensen, a girl who planned and dreamed about her 16th birthday since she was 8 years old. Abby kept a list of secret wishes she wanted to come true when she FINALLY turned 16. On her 16th birthday, a mysterious visitor delivered a unique set of birthday candles. Abby discovered that lighting the candles corresponded with making her dreams a reality. She landed the attention of her crush, got the car she always dreamed of, earned sweet revenge on her nemesis, Krista Cook , and was suddenly fashionable, athletic, and popular. The best day EVER!!!
It all went south for the winter after she made her 9th wish which was for everyone to treat her like an adult. Abby definitely got what she wished for! Everyone treated her like an adult because she actually became one. She ended up missing out on her beloved Sweet 16 party with her hand-picked party decorations being given to her nemesis, she had no friends, and was forced to move away from her parent’s house and stop attending high school.
What at first seemed so wonderful ended up being horrible. In fact, her new “adult life”, the life she had always wanted, showed her how great she had it when people treated her like a kid. It also showed her that she was self-absorbed and not a good best friend. When all she wanted was her old life back, the little things she used worried about: clothes, boys, and being popular, seemed silly. Abby had to race against the clock in an attempt make everything like it was before midnight or she would have been stuck with her new life for good.
As with all of the Disney princesses, THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER! Abby got a “do-over” on her last wish and she put things back to the way they were! She got to start her birthday all over. This time she relished in what was really important—family and good friends.
After I wrote a post last week on being thankful, I realized that I spend a great amount of my time living in the future “wishing” and hoping! Wishing and hoping keep me focused on what I don’t have and searching for perfect circumstances. Forest Gump had it right when he said: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get”.
The milk chocolate with caramel center are easy to swallow but some of the dark chocolate with the “surprise” center can be really gross and bitter. Just like life. I am learning to accept things as they are in the present yet not let their state define who I am.
Here is my prayer today:
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
–Reinhold Niebuhr
Loving today's prayer! Thanks for sharing this post with us.
I was browsing my feed squares and decided to stop in for a visit. It'd be great if you would stop by my blog and say hi and while you're there feel free to link up on my blog hop! See you around!
Julie @ Bunches of Bargains
http://bunchesofbargains.blogspot.com
It's amazing the lessons we can learn from kids' movies.
I too need to be more thankful for what I have today and not always be wishing for what I think will come next.
That is a good way of looking at it. Live in the moment, not worry about tomorrow! While I was reading your synopsis, I was thinking about how sometimes we pray for certain things, and when they come true we are still not happy. It is not about what God can do for us, but our relationship with Him! So funny how we both got different lessons out of it:O) Have a blessed day sister!
Thank for the wonderful reminder to enjoy and appreciate the now. And thank you for the wonderful prayer, this is just what I needed today.
What a great post. I need to remember this too!
Great post and like the poster above me said I need to remember this too. Thank you for sharing the prayer
Isn't it amazing how we can find messages and analogies to life all around us:)
We watched this movie as a family and I found myself having to explain time and again to my daughter that both girls were really being mean- not one vs the other. I did like how it resolved and that gave us good conversation, too.
I work to stay focused on NOW. All I have is this moment. The past is done and the future is unknown. So when I stay focused on the choices I am making right now, life is much more simple!