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Walt, My Mom, and I

Growing up there was never a lot of extra money. Add to that my dad’s heart condition and the fact that my parents didn’t feel that a vacation was worth taking unless it could double as a social studies field trip, and I guess it’s not too surprising that I didn’t visit a real amusement park until I was well into my 30’s.

Chuck, my wonderful husband, took me to LA in the spring of 1995 (BC that is – before children). We went to Disneyland and had a blast. Later that year, when he had to go back to California on business, he suggested I come along and bring my mom as – his words – a playmate. Mom and I traveled together before and it turned out to be great fun. The highpoint of the trip to California for me had to be the day I took mom to Disneyland and, as you clever people have probably figured out by looking at the title of my sermon, that day in the land that Walt Disney built produced the life lessons that have inspired today’s sermon.

The first lesson happened soon after we entered the park. A couple of characters – I believe it was Pluto and Goofy - walked by. Well, not exactly walked – they were skipping. Out there, in the middle of

Main Street

, they were skipping along. I’m not sure what possessed me – I had always been a bit irreverent – but I left my mother’s side and started skipping in a circle with them. It was delightful! After a while, I went back to my mom. When she asked me why I had done that, I remember telling her that I did it because “that’s okay here.”

Once I got home I got to thinking – walking is overrated. So I started periodically skipping down the halls at school. (Much to the delight of my students.) Not only did I feel better, but the sight of me skipping never fails to bring a smile to those around me. Then I started having dance breaks to revive my class during the day. I once led the whole school in a conga line wearing a feather boa and shaking a tambourine! I have been known to dance down the aisles in Acme – this is Cathryn’s personal favorite, especially if we see some of her friends.

The bible talks about dancing as a form of praise, thanksgiving, and celebration. Why have we forgotten that? There is so much joy in God’s world that we should be dancing all the time! Skipping and dancing should not be saved for the young or for a ballroom. We should be skipping out of church and pirouetting down

8^th Avenue

Back to Walt.

The first ride Mom and I went on in Disneyland was “It’s a Small World.” We had seen this in the 1964 World’s Fair and it has always presented a favorite message for me. But the second lesson was learned not on the ride but while waiting in line to get in. There were two families with small children waiting directly in front and directly behind us. The one in front of us was right from a bad sitcom. Two small children whined about the wait and begged for whatever treat or trinket they could think of. The frazzled parents were snarling back with threats of leaving the ride, leaving the park, and possibly the state. Mom and I backed away from this family.

The family behind us was the opposite. They talked about what they were going to see, counted the shapes they saw, and played games while waiting. Much nicer company to keep.

Now don’t think that this is going to be a lesson on parenting – you’ve met my kids, I can through no stones.

When we finally reached the head of the line, as fate would have it we were all put in the same gondola. The ride started and, after a while, I checked out the two families. The family who had made the most of the waiting was truly enjoying the whole experience. They were singing along and drinking in every animatronics wonder! The whiners were still in a snit. Parents looking like Excedrin ads and the kids too wound up to enjoy what was going on. The ride was wasted on them.

Last week Dave Johnson reminded us that the journey is important. What I learned in that line was that how you view the journey can also affect what you get out of the destination. Look around you the next time you are stopped at a light. Imagine that all the people in the cars around you are surgeons. Which one would you like to have operating on you?

· The one yelling at someone on the phone?

· The one trying to eat, read, and drive at the same time?

· Or the one who is happily singing along with the radio?

As Christians, we know our destination. As we go on our journey, do we want to arrive at the pearly gates tired and cranky or excited and happy to be there – ready to truly experience God’s love?

Which brings us to rule number 3: (Don’t worry, there are only four.) That is, not all rules need to be followed.

In 1986, about a year after my father died, Mom and I went on our first trip together. I had gotten a grant to go to Scandinavia and the then Soviet Union – although looking back at it, what possessed me to take Mom alone behind the Iron Curtain I’ll never know.

One warm day in Stockholm, Mom surprised me by suggesting that we have an ice cream cone for lunch. This from the woman who spent years force feeding me lima beans! When I acted surprised, she reminded me that we’d be getting dairy, grains (the cone) and – if we choice strawberry – fruit and after all, it’s okay to shake things up a bit. The idea was freeing! We have since made it a habit to have ice cream for lunch in every city and country we traveled. Disneyland was no exception. No one was hurt by changing the usual order of things. In fact, it made us appreciate everything more!

Think of the joy and magic we feel at Christmas time. Who’s to say it only has to be in December? One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to pick a particularly hot day, crank up the air conditioning, and watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! Why not? Similarly, I have thrown more than one beach party in January complete with hula skirts and sand warmed courtesy of a heat lamp!

Sooo, we will be singing a Christmas carol, “Joy to the World,” as our final hymn today. When we sing, remember that just because we are the “Easter People,” it doesn’t mean that we can’t also be a little bit Christmas even in the August heat!

My final memory of the whole Disneyland day gave me my favorite lesson.

My mom entered Disneyland a 70ish mature woman. I know fully well that she only went that day to humor me. However, as we went through the day, a wonderful change occurred. The years seemed to fall off her. She was young again. She laughed and goofed around more than I could ever remember. By the end of the day, there she was, with the other children, waiting to have her picture taken with Chip and Dale.

For as long as I can remember, church has told me that “We are all God’s children.” I’ve never heard that we are God’s mature, bill-paying, career-driven, boring adults! I think there’s a reason for that. I think that we should love Him, and each other, like children.

Sure, bad things will happen. There’ll be sad days, sickness, tough times. Things can and will stink. But only from time to time.

This reminds me of a time not too long ago when our son, Paul, and I were heading off for a lengthy time in the car. We’d only been gone about half an hour when he got car sick – really car sick. After we got him cleaned up, I suggested heading back home. “No, Mom,” Paul told me. “Just because I got sick doesn’t mean I can’t still have fun!” Children bounce back. Children know that everything will be okay. Why? Because their parents have told them so! God has told us that too. He wants us to bounce back. He wants us to be happy!

We should remember that God is the parent here. We are his children. He knows what is best. He’s told us that everything is going to be okay and we should believe him.

In conclusion, what Walt, my mom, and I would like to share with you is that if we remember the joy and fun of God’s world and the incredible happiness of his gifts, everything is going to be okay. What can possibly hold us down?

Amen