It is no surprise that my favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz. How could it not be?  It's a spiritual tale that teaches us so much about life.  Here are just a few things we can learn from The Wizard of Oz.

• You can't run away from your troubles.
• Good always triumphs over evil.
• Life's journey is too hard alone, so take some good friends along with you.
• Whatever you think you are lacking (brains, heart or courage), you will find it has been inside of you all the time.  You just weren't recognizing it.
• There's no place like home.
• We have always had the power (to go home or to do anything else we want). We create our own reality.
• We can accomplish anything--it's as simple as clicking our heels together-- if we just believe and have faith in ourselves. And if we are "ready" for it.
• Scary evil things usually aren't that scary and evil after all. Most fears will dissolve when faced (a bucket of water took care of the witch!)
• Sometimes the biggest and most powerful people (whether wizards or celebrities) turn out to be fakes--they are simply human like the rest of us.
• If you don't know where you are going, just "follow the yellow brick road" (signs and guidance from God).  Think of your Personal Connector Word to God as a sort of "yellow brick road."
• There are forces for good in this universe (Glinda, the good witch) who are always looking out for you and who will help you along your way. 
• Animals make some of the most loyal companions (How 'bout that Toto!).
• Sometimes people follow the wrong leaders out of fear. (The witch's footsoldiers seemed as happy as Dorothy when the witch finally melted.)
• Sometimes your way to your goal isn't God's way. At first, you may be disappointed. But then you will find God's way is even better! (Dorothy thought the Wizard would return her to Kansas. When she discovered he was just a man, she then thought he would return her via balloon. What she discovered was God's way was simpler and more direct--a click of the heels!)
• You can get blown away in a tornado--house and all--and the next day find yourself in paradise. Storms always pass. Good things lie ahead.
• Life is a dream. We learn our lessons and what really matters through our life experiences. But, in the end, we "wake up" (that's when we return to the divine, the light, God). The important thing is to learn and grow, as Dorothy did.

This is the 70th-year anniversary for The Wizard of Oz. It is easy to see why this classic movie endures!