I Think I Get The Wicked Witch

The Wicked Witch- Oz The Great & Powerful

I was at my sisters the other night and ‘Oz The Great & Powerful’ was on one of the movie channels. I have not watched this film previously in full, only spot checked it at work; so I had only very little idea of what to expect.

It was a good film to be honest but what I loved the most was how they depicted the wicked witch. The wizard came to town; the man that had been prophesied about (forseen/ spoken of) and believed in soo much that would end the wicked witches reign of terror. The film reveals the story of wicked witch falling in love with the wizard. I was shocked about this as I never knew there was this side of the story, I just thought the witch was just wicked. This really stood out for me and made me think about the witch in a different light and why she was the way she was.

The story goes on to unfold how the wicked witch thought he was hers; that she would be his Queen. She pretty much fell for him. However this was not the plan, mindset or heart of the wizard; she was not for him in that way. She goes to her sister heart-broken and wants to not feel the pain. Her sister, after manipulating the situation further then gives her an apple; to her surprise it turns her into the green monster that she is today.

The Agreement- The Wicked Witch

What I find most captivating is her transformation. Her ugliness came out because of what the wizard had done. For those who have watched the film, you could say that it was all in the witches head or that it was obvious he did not want her. That is true however when we look a little closer the wizard expressed these feelings of not wanting her in that way to his friends; not her. That is my point, that is the part of the story I would like to discuss.

I came across the above Bob Marley quote on someone’s Facebook page. This came back to mind after watching this film. It reminded me a lot of the wicked witch. In life we so often see the external manifestation of an internal wound. In this case the witch turned a green skin tone and became extremely nasty, more nasty than previously as all she had was a bad temper; this being the external manifestation but if we back-track a little we see why this happened. She had hopes, desires and dreams of becoming not only loved by the wizard but his Queen, this being unfulfilled and unmet led to her becoming heart-broken and making an agreement/ vow of never wanting to be heart-broken again or ever feel that pain; this being the internal factor. So there you see it, the external manifestation of an internal wound.

Heartbroken- The Wicked Witch

Lets face it most of us have been in this position in life at least once; heart-broken about something. Who ever really wants to feel that pain, sit with it, think about it? Who wants to ever express it? I know I don’t, do you? With this in mind I think we can take it a little easy on the wicked witch. I am not excusing her behaviour but I am seeing her wound. Choosing to never sit with or deal with her heartbrokenness did not help matters and caused the pain to take root and grow into bitterness. She chose to act out of her wound rather than act out of getting over it. I am just saying I can identify with why she is the way she is, not justify it.

I always get angry at the above Bob Marley quote and stories like the wicked witch. I hated the fact that a man would come into a woman’s life, open her up like a flower and then BAM, do something that then causes her to shrivel back up like an old prune. This is also the case for women doing it to men. I am UNIVERSALLY speaking; even in friendships; all forms of relationships, etc. However I guess I am still walking out my own healing and deliverance in this area. Getting better understandings by God alone about the power of forgiveness and love.

I always remember T.D. Jakes saying “hurt people always hurt people”. I have never forgotten this but hurt still hurts. Regardless of what people do we always have a choice; we deal with the pain or we become the pain like the wicked witch, letting it take root and turn us into something ugly which we are not. It is not easy to make the right obvious choice but as the Bible says in Deuteronomy 30:19 “his day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live,” (New International Version). The key words being from this verse being Now choose life.

Will you choose life?

Will You Let Me See Beneath Your Beautiful?

Please watch the below music video:

The words in this song are so captivating. They literally are asking to see someone, to see behind the outer exterior and into the inner person; their soul. Humans are funny beings, the one thing which has never changed even from Adam and Eve is our ability to HIDE. We are masters of hiding. We have all heard those stories, if not our own, where we ourselves or others have hid so well that people never really know who we are. When you really think about it it is actually quite scary.

Life has its fair share of trials and challenges, these then help to shape the person we become. Everyone is different and things affect everyone in different ways. Once our character is shaped by what we go or have gone through we act accordingly to the affects. For example if someone hurts me I would just lock them off as it is easier to not deal with that person and the associated pain I now connect with them. A good way to look at it is through the visual of make-up. Make-up is used to cover up imperfections and bring light to our best assets. Truly what it does is hides what is really underneath and highlights that which we want it to highlight. What we want you to see we will show you and that which we don’t want you to see we will hide from you.

When our heart, mind and behaviours come to the surface, this is where these song lyrics come into play. When we really see beneath a persons beautiful, that outer appearance; are we really ready to accept that? Are we really ready to see beneath someone’s beautiful? The lingering question being;

“Can you accept who I really am?”

We all say that we should accept people for who and what they are and do. However let’s face it, if we are really honest with ourselves and each other we really don’t always accept people for who they really are or what they do most times. Society has become obsessed with the outside man, forgetting that what is inside the man is the true reflection of who he is (man in this context being universal for man or woman).

And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. (Mark 7:20 – English Standard Version)

Whether you believe in the Bible or not this principle still stands. Take for example if someone says a mean comment. The comment comes from their heart and mind (thoughts), it flows from the inside out. What is inside man is far more true and potentially far more dangerous than that which is outside.

No one is perfect, we all do things our own way. We handle things the best we can or think we can and it is not always the best way but at that time it is. We form habits, build addictions or simply repress, suppress, over compensate or ignore emotions; allowing our actions to follow our decisions. With account of all this in mind, can you really accept a person through all this? Through when they treat you good or bad based upon their stories, based upon their feelings, based upon their past or present? Again I ask you, Are we really ready to see beneath someone’s beautiful?

It is like when you find out something about someone and you do not like what you have found out. What do you do? Do you hide behind a veil, run or simply accept it?Again the question that comes to mind is Are we really ready to see beneath someone’s beautiful? Them secretly asking, Can you accept who I really am?

If someone shows you who they really are can and will you still accept them?

Where do you stand?…

An Antidote For Pain

Tears from the inside out

I woke up this morning and one of the first things I did was cry. Lets face it, crying is no stranger to me but quite a close friend, we could be BFF’s most of the time. Lets just say that I am quite in touch with my emotions, not always being a good thing. It means I get hurt easily and most often take things to heart and out of context. I will not use the excuse of “I’m only human”, that’s really not what it is all about but the truth of the matter is how do you deal with the pain of your heart?     Most times I just sit and cry but no ordinary cry- a pain cry. Situations and circumstances overwhelm the heart and become a bit too much, the eyes become blinded by the object rather than the truth or positivity. A pain cry is no ordinary cry, it’s a cry of the heart- an inside out cry. The tears you cry are not just an emotional reaction but are speaking the language of your heart. Sometimes people can be in so much pain that they don’t even cry anymore, they wrap it all up into a little box and lock it up within side them. It sometimes becomes too much. People can speak words of encouragment, positivity and truth but it makes no difference as the heart is too hurt to receive anything. We are a great people; we have many different talents and giftings- we can do much but how do we deal with an inside pain?

• Do you speak to someone?
• Do you take drugs and get high to forget about it?
• Do you drink to numb the pain?
• Turn up the music and turn off the emotions?
• Do you have countless sex to forget about things?
• Do you find the wrong acceptance or love in others?
• Do you lock it up?
• Do you physically hurt yourself?

Which catergory is yours? Are there more? Only we personally and individually can answer these questions to ourselves truthfully about the habits we have built or allowed to form in our lives but an even greater question is: What is happening inside me?

Like I have said before in previous posts, we need to deal with ourselves and our lives but PAIN… this is something different, a different kind of experience and emotion. We have to make sure that we deal with pain properly and over time, getting the correct healing and taking the correct measures to get healing whether it be physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. We don’t just get over pain, it’s a process. People may of hurt you in any way you can’t even think about never mind describe, you may of experienced loss or loss of a loved one or it could be something else- many options. Pain is very real but you must remember that regardless you are never alone. Seek help that can help you but first recognise it yourself; if you never want to change then you never will.

Crying is one of the best releases of my own pain in my life for me. I’ve got to a pain where crying is no longer enough, the pain is still there. The release happens but the heart still hurts. I have Jesus Christ in my life and I still find it hard. I am supposed to go to him with all my problems and burdens but I don’t. How do you cope? A good old cry is more amazing than you think, it’s a good start. However like any other start you must continue until you finish. Like a drug rehabilitation programme, you must finish it to see a greater result. Crying is the start of the antidote but it is no where near the end of it. Be encouraged to find your antidote for your pain, the start to the finish.

A-Lone

Image courtesy of Lauraocta

“I ain’t got no people. I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time. . . ‘Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him” (45).

George from ‘Of Mice & Men’

Author John Steinbeck wrote a book titled ‘Of Mice & Men’. The book tells the story of George Milton & Lennie Small; two migrant ranch workers  in search of jobs during the time of the Great Depression in the USA. Lennie is mentally disabled and George is his guardian and best friend. The novel walks us though their remarkable journey, tested friendship and the lives of the men they encountered. A theme that is high lighted throughout the whole novel is LONELINESS.

Crooks from Of Mice & Men

“S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ’cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick” (80)- Crooks

Loneliness is amongst one of the worst experiences and emotions a human can feel, go through or deal with. The word lonely by dictionary definition includes some very interesting meanings; some including destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, solitary and the being controlled in various ways causing a depressing feeling of being alone. Alone is defined as being separate or isolated from others, a part from them.The notion of FEELING (emotion) takes over. At some point in life people are lonely; it’s human nature but the problem comes when a person stays or chooses to be alone.

We can’t choose the hand that life deals us. Sometimes loneliness is only for a season but sometimes people have it for a lifetime depending on situations and circumstances. Loneliness can be in a variety of different ways; physically, mentally and even spiritually. What I love about John Steinbeck was his great insight into loneliness, highlighting the fact that you can be lonely even if you are are with someone. Loneliness is not always good, having absolutely no one is not good but then you can have someone and still be lonely; George in the example from Of Mice & Men.

But what does our mind say? Can our mind lock us in our own cage or does it give us freedom whether lonely or not, to keep living life?

I love this scripture;

⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5 King James Version).

Everything that is not good for me and rises above what God says has to be brought down and into allignment with God and His Word. But what about those who don’t believe in God? What about those who don’t follow religion? What are they to do or do my beliefs now become a set of super-imposed morals upon those who don’t believe?

Casting down or telling something to bow down is not an easy thing to do in a society where freedom is much promoted. Freedom to speak (even if what is spoken doesn’t help at all), agree with things that really hold no ground, etc. How do we tell our minds what is real rather than accept an overpowering emotion?

Our mind is a core and essential part of our living. Everything we think affects us, affects who we are and what we can become. If I tell you you’re a master chef enough times, if you believe and receive what I say you will look to becoming it. If I tell you you’re dumb all the time, you’ll start acting and becoming what I call you if you have believed and received what I said about you. So can the same apply for when I am lonely? Yes I may be physically lonely but is there no opportunity at all?

Challenge your mental thoughts on loneliness. Yes you may be lonely but you are NEVER alone, there’s always an opportunity for something better regardless of who you are.