Somewhere, over the rainbow, bluebirds fly....

"there's no place home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home...."

I've got rainbows on my mind lately... it not a wonder considering I covered Noah's Ark last week in Chapel at school! I have been teaching God 101 this month, and well.. "In the beginning..." God creates this system of promises, accompanied by signs, that manifest into covenants that fulfill a lifetime relationship between us and our Creator! (If we listen!!!!!)

It's been an awkward year for me. I have not been able to receive my usual "signs" that are delivered with frequency by God.. as I haven't had a preaching audience, in any fashion. I had to go back to ancient times and live in darkness for a bit.. Wait for my Manna to fall from the sky. See the bird with the leaf in her mouth, and and just wait for all the colors to come out.

My kids are my 1st wonder from the Almighty. He speaks to me through them. He tested me this year however, and I need to open my heart and head to other paths in order to find my direction. My GPS had been on auto pilot for too long, or perhaps it just needed new batteries!

I struggled preaching about Adam and Eve the week before last. I have mixed feelings about the temptation toward Eve.. why Adam is so easy going, and why God allowed bad into the Garden to begin with. I question why Jesus' death on the Cross wipes away Original Sin... and why we continue to believe in such a myth so strongly. I do understand now, however, what the pieces represent and why we speak of them. And perhaps that is all I need to understand! As I told the children, that the sign we receive in not listening to God, (our GPS... God's Positive Sign), is a sick tummy and a feeling of shame! We do know however, that one bad apple does spoil the whole bunch! (Lesson learned!)

I did not struggle so much about teaching the Creation Story the week before that... as even my near 5 yr old friends sense there is something to be suspect in God creating everything in 6 days! However, I did tell them that the sign for that is represented in how tired God was that he needed a full day of doing nothing to be the sign of how hard we work all week.

God's signs and wonders continue to present themselves stronger and stronger as we walk through the Old Testament. This week we learn the hilarity of Abraham and Sarah conceiving a child when they were clearly,"beyond". God informs Abrahm, (his name at the time), that he would become the father of many! To rival all of the stars dazzling in the sky! "How could that be???? I am an old man", thought Abrahm. But as Abraham, follows God, changes his course and name, he soon discovers not only is he a father to a nation, but also to the long awaited son, Issac. Sarah, (Sarai), laughed with astonishment of the thought until he materialized and the wonder and sign was born unto them! Proving that nothing is impossible in God's world, time, or infinite love!

Noah had quite a few signs... birds of peace/Holy Spirit, life from an olive tree that came to mean peace, and a bow of color set in the sky to show Noah that God had made a promise and a covenant to the Earth to never flood it completely again. I oft wonder about the shape of the rainbow if you fit over the ark it forms a perfect circle again... a sign to me that God's Love is eternal. There is no beginning , nor end, in His time. The circle is forever.

I often think about the day after 9/11 when it rained so hard and people went to be with their families and friends... their was a rainbow cast so big in the sky that evening... I nearly wept as a sign from God that those who lost that day, had really won. God was telling us all it would be okay.

As the signs come "flooding" toward me these past weeks of school... I am reminded of a few myself. That the winds do die. The storms do cease, dry land will be found when you launch the bird of peace to find it for you, and the bow will be set in the sky! When God strikes a covenant with you be sure you realize that He will be there to own His part of it.

I have a few signs that God and I worked out in past hours of prayer to indicate that I am at least being heard. (I do think it goes beyond that... but my small-minded sense of faith at times wants to know somebody has heard my request! ) Years ago, God and I chose 2 symbols to know that He was around. They have come to mean different things for me. And for that I choose to keep within my covenant with God. However, I don't mind sharing that my totems are the ladybug and white feathers. These things come to me during the oddest times and hours. I have learned that they really find me when my weakness in hearing or seeing my God is present. God loves me so much that he humbles Himself and send me ridiculous totems to show His concern and care. To say the least, I've seen many of these 2 in these last weeks of teaching! I am aware, that I am exactly where I should be.

I think back to the Wizard of Oz, and to a time that the rainbow's colors were bleeding or not visible at all to me. I realized that after teaching Noah's story to my friends last week... God in fact, made my rainbow as shiny as he could. My covenant is strong, and the colors vibrant. I also realized that somewhere over that rainbow my bluebirds still fly, The Emerald City is a myth, The Wizard is present, the yellow brick road a choice, witches die, you know who your friends are, and you can always go home!

Some things, (covenants), that never change.... The show must go on, Christmas is coming, and
bluebirds do fly!

And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Luke 2:12

DG...(Dawn Grinnell/ Dorothy Gale)

Once Upon A Dream

I know you I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. Yes, I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once the way you did once upon a dream.

As I am waltzing around my classrooms, life, and new school, I can't help hum this oh so familiar tune from my all time favorite Disney flick, "Sleeping Beauty". I am as happy as Princess Aurora/Briar Rose brisking around without a care in the world adorning animals, and gazing at my new image in the woodland pool, as the 16 year old Aurora does. Aurora, realizing she is a grown up woman! Aurora, "Briar Rose", (her alias, as the mean and ugly Maleficent is still threatening to end her life, is given this alias by her protective fairies, to protect her).

Ironically I must laugh, as things occur to me...

1.) Is that I feel for Aurora, having to go into "hiding" for a bit in order for her destined life to be protected from Maleficent, while gaining her strength to do what she has come here to do!
2.) That she longingly awaits her true Prince, her destiny, wherever he may be. And yet she knows, somehow, music will be involved!
3.) That my name, "Dawn", in Spanish, actually means Aurora.
4.) And that it was my favorite movie in my early childhood years, according to my Baby Book.

Aurora and I share a kindred past! Aurora is born as a "very wanted child" to a King and Queen. Fertility was clearly an issue, and in Medieval Times, I am sure a blessing to receive whatever gender God bestowed upon you. (That part, I cannot relate too, altho maybe now!!)

She is seen as someone very significant. There are plans made for her from the very beginning. She is betrothed to a 4 year old Prince Phillip as the family is looking forward to her Baptism. There was fanfare and guests, beautiful decor, and then.. Maleficent! A wicked and evil witch, dragon-being that appears and hoists a spell onto Aurora that will not take affect until her dreaded sixteenth birthday. Her fate is a prick, (no.. read on)... from a spinning wheel! A poisonous prick that will end her life forever. Hmmmmm???

"Listen well, all of you. The Princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But, before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, she shall prick her finger, on the spindle of a spinning wheel - AND DIE!"

The parents of Aurora employ the help of the 3 castle fairies... Flora, Fauna and Merryweather to hide, a now, "Briar Rose" in a quaint cottage in the wood until her 16th revolution around the sun. She will then re-appear safely as "Princess Aurora." AH... only in Fairy Tales! I love the fairies.. or fairy godmothers! They are really business women left to the rearing of this innocent child! They are devoid of the abilities of how to sew, cook, bake, sing and sometimes their magic... out of the job market too long! However, they love Aurora and desperately do everything in their power to keep her safe.

The fate filled day arrives... Rose awakes on her 16th day with a spring in her step.. she carried on her normal chores and greets the little animals of the forest, each and every one with a song! She is full of life and exuberance. As she is serenading the Owl, "Once upon a Dream", I only begin to know how happy she is to be thinking of her life, her future husband, Phillip, whom she has forgotten, and more importantly, her destined role as Princess Aurora.

Her voice, is clear and carries throughout the forest attracting all.. and guess who??? Prince Phillip! (She thinks him, a commoner.) Prince Phillip, her disguised Knight in Shining Armor, Her Prince, Her soul mate is captivated and helps her sing this haunting song while they waltz innocently throughout the forest.

Ahhh....

She is called away and then she is faced with her destiny. Her re-entry into the castle! The fairies have done their work.. of course with some added magic when they could muster it... and poof she is a Princess again!

She is plagued with emotion.. "I need my commoner boyfriend.. yet I am a princess".. Not realizing this is exactly how fate operates... partially she thinks of escaping back into her former role of woodland nymph and then.....Maleficent!

She is brought down to a sleepy unconsciousness... witches have the knack to do that to you! Only through the power of love can Aurora rise. Phillip must fight the evil in order to get close enough to his sleeping beauty to bestow the kiss of life on to her lips and awaken her to a life where everyone is happy and filled with emotion in the castle again!

Malificent is defeated- and the couple is free to ..well.. move about the cabin!

Aurora is back to doing what she does!

I am back to my destiny. I am no longer Briar Rose, but Aurora. I am back in my destined role, I am with my valiant Prince, and mkaing life wonderful to the little ones in the forest!

Maleficent is dead!

I love my Fairies...(you know who all are)... and the animals are gathered around me singing again!

The spell is broken.

"Oh my life is changing everyday, every possible way.
Though my dreams, it’s never quite as it seems, never quite as it seems. I know I felt like this before, but now I’m feeling it even more because it came from you. Then I open up and see, the person fumbling here is me, a different way to be. I want more, impossible to ignore...Impossible to ignore. They’ll come true, impossible not to do, impossible not to do.

Now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don’t hurt me, for what I couldn't find!
Talk to me amazing mind, so understanding, and so kind, you’re everything to me!

Oh my life is changing everyday, every possible way.
Though my dreams, it’s never quite as it seems’cause you’re a dream to me.. a Dream to me!"

Guess, who's back? Guess who's back Guess back.... Guess whose back....

And they all lived happily ever after. THE END. Amen.

Welcome back to school. Have a wonderful year!
Miss Dawn