Don’t you just love fairy tales and the promise of happily ever after?
Robert and I just saw the Disney movie, Tangled. It’s the story about Rapunzel, the princess who was taken from her parents as a baby and held captive in a tower until her eighteenth birthday. Along comes Flynn Rider, a dashing, handsome bandit on the run who finds the tower escaping from the guards that were chasing him. Rapunzel schemes to use Flynn to carry out her dream of leaving the tower for a day to visit the source of the lights that she sees every year on her birthday.
As with every Disney movie, good triumphs over evil, dreams are fulfilled and there is always a happy ending with the guarantee of life happily ever after.
Real life isn’t depicted after the closing credits. There is no sequel – Tangled 2 – tangled in bills, making ends meet, and finding energy to remain close long after the relationship begins. Of course, princesses may not have to worry about such concerns. The majority of us have many stressors in real live.
Like Rapunzel, we do our own escaping by being entertained for a few hours lost in dreams of fantasy free from worry.
But I got to thinking about happy endings and happily ever after and thought that as Christians, we know the end of our story. We have a happily ever after.
When Jesus was on the cross, he said to the thief beside him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” And in the Gospel of John, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
So, the happy ending is already written for us. It’s the middle of the story that is up to us to write. We write our story by having goals and dreams, making good choices, using our talents, serving others and trusting God to guide us. The happily ever after is coming. It’s the living in the present moment that is up to us to make our lives happy and purpose driven now.
Rapunzel fulfills the barter arrangement she makes with Flynn. It is a classic Disney moment of a stunning, visual, romantic scene when the boy will kiss the girl. I was sitting with my arms crossed because it was kind of cool in the theater. At that moment I took Robert’s arm in mine and put my head on his shoulder.
Our lives have changed a lot in the sixteen years that we have been together. The most dramatic changes were when he lost his job and then five years later was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. I write more about that in the What it Means to Face and Overcome a Goliath Challenge post.
When Robert lost his job, we started a marketing consulting business together. We were literally together around the clock. The stress of lack of income and the struggle of starting our business was intense. But in that moment of watching Rapunzal and Flynn, it brought back the feelings of newness and connection that we had in the beginning of our relationship. We still have that connection. It just takes being conscious of that and not letting the sometime stressful details in life crowd out what is most important.
Living a life of fairy tales and happy endings – As Christians, we are assured of a happy ending. It’s up to us to fill in the rest of our story.
Jackie Trottmann
September 19, 2022 4:35 pmHi Dan,
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. The answers to questions one and three continue to change, don’t they?
Keep studying what matters most.
Jackie
Dan Boone
September 19, 2022 9:08 amThe Bible says, “God is love” 1John4:8, then again repeating, “God is love” 1John 4:16. He is our Creator, God of love. He gave us totally free will, so we can choose whether to love Him in return, as He loves us. To “live happily ever after” with our Creator, if we choose. Study most, that which matters most. Why am I here? Where did I come from? What is Life about?
Jackie Trottmann
June 23, 2011 11:22 amHi Gina,
Long overdue response, but life is challenging these days and unfortunately, my blog has had to suffer with taking care of my mom and trying to pay the bills. But the testimony of God’s love and providing doesn’t happen without the “test”, so, I am truly blessed. Thank you for your thoughtful response. I am glad that it touched you. Keep using your imagination – we are all artists in creating in some way, perhaps not drawings or paintings, but creating anything. So don’t sell yourself short in that department. Peace – Jackie
gina uccelatore
June 20, 2011 4:11 amoh thank you so much Jackie for your kind comments, it changes me from being insulted all the time in french speaking forums
every snow flake is different and there are billions of them
too bad the word “imagination” is often use in a pejorative way, because God sure has a huge imagination and I thank Him to give us humans a little of it too
though not being an artist like you, I feel exactly the same way
I didn’t know about charlie brown, thanks for the useful information
I always loved it, now I know why
especially when they sing the song “be everything you can be”
Jackie Trottmann
March 26, 2011 10:01 amHi Gina, thank you for your comment. Inspiration comes in many forms and God’s creativity is endless. I was just in the gardening store the other day and had no idea how many flower varieties there were. Then you think about every insect, animal on land and sea, the complexity of the human body, and on and on and the creative mind of God doesn’t allow me to express the vastness in words. In the earliest of Disney days there was no computer generation; the artists drew every frame by hand! As an artist myself, that amazes me. Art and music are powerful ways that God’s creativity shines through from the creator (of the art and music) and how art and music touch our souls. I had no idea what a strong Christian Charles Schultz was from Peanuts and Charlie Brown fame until his death and watching a documentary about him. Many people received joy from the Peanuts cartoons – perhaps not from a spiritual standpoint, but the comic strip was wholesome and addressed the insecurities we all felt through Charlie Brown. Any time we can be inspired, feel joy and feel more connected to God is a blessing. Keep on singing and being inspired.
gina uccelatore
March 26, 2011 3:51 amthe winnie the pooh stage show is one of the happiest ever in disney parks
next time you attend it, don’t worry if you see a grown woman burst into tears during the “forever and ever” song
it’s just me!
now you know why !
happily ever after indeed !
it’s happy tears I cry so don’t worry
and if we never meet here on earth my friends, see you there !!!
gina uccelatore
March 26, 2011 3:47 amat last a christian comment that is not AGAINST disney
you sum up exactly what I’ve always be feeling
as the ultimate disney fan (and christian, even though many churches don’t want me because in my country you can’t have an interest outside the church), I imagine HEAVEN as a kind of giant disneyland only much much better without the inconvenients
and everybody really loving everybody forever and ever, not just a few hours because it’s their job (some are sincere)
by the way I think it’s that big TOGETHER time we hear about in PERRI THE SQUIRREL
don’t forget the song was composed by CHRISTIAN mouseketeer jimmie dodd
I often sing “forever and ever” from winnie the pooh, only I’m talking to Jesus, not pooh
THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT ARTICLE
you made my day
GOD BLESS YOU forever and ever
Jackie Trottmann
December 7, 2010 10:34 pmMichael, so good to connect with you. Romans 8:28 is one of my favorite verses of all time. I leave you with another one, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace,” I Corinthians 14:33. I know that I have made many wrong turns in life, but God always has a plan B, C, D, E…. You have such a servant’s heart and I know that God will lead you down the path that you should go. Thanks for leaving your beautiful comment. Jackie
Michael L. Baldwin
December 7, 2010 4:03 pmJackie,
This is a wonderful article. It reminds us of what we can expect in the end. I also think about the fact that He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. There is a scripture has been a source of peace and comfort for me as I have dealt with these changes that confuse me and make me wonder how I ended up where I am. I know it will bring comfort to you as well. Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”