Life Lesson #216 ~ Live the Way You Want To Be Remembered

“Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.” ~ Winston S. Churchill

Life is full of ‘wait a minute vines’ as my daddy has always said. All you have to do is walk outside to learn this lesson. Just take a stroll down the street or around the corner and something or someone is bound to snag, grab or trip you up one way or another. Just making the choice to open your front door every morning is a chance. If my daddy has taught me anything in my near 45 years it’s this: inhale courage and exhale fear. My daddy was a lifetime soldier. He jumped out of planes with the 82nd Airborne. As a child I thought he had no fear. I watched him wear his uniform with pride. I was in aww of his wings. I loved when he walked out the door with his Green Beret on. In my eyes he's always been a man's man. My boys would tell you their Paw Paw is a bad ----. And though those aren't the words I'd chose, they are right..He really is. But he's also funny, kind, humble, loving and gracious. And he's a Godly man whose example sets the standard. In the worst of times my daddy's been a steady force, leading by example. He didn't have it easy at all. From the time he was born he'd tell you he was in deep. he left home at 17, joined the Army and was off to Vietnam soon after. He sent every last bit of his pay home to take care of his four younger siblings. He is the kind of man you can depend on.Truthfully he was forced to be the man of the house from the time he was a little boy. He's a wonderful husband, selfless in everything. he's genuine, honest and self-sacrificing. My dad is the kind of father I can always count on. As a Paw Paw he's devoted, loved and treasured. And despite any obstacle, rejection or wait a minute vine in his way he's been a man of integrity in everything. Sure most of his life hasn't exactly gone as planned but in everything my dad shown us all how to live a life full of joy in spite of the unknown. I can't deny life has been tough. None of us have an easy journey. Not one of us. Life isn’t full of lollipops, gumdrops and unicorns. Anyone selling you a Candyland storyline complete with a map is suspect. Life is hard. Like my daddy has always told me, "You gotta learn to pick yourself up by your bootstraps, dust off, smile wide and live the way you want to be remembered honey." Choosing courage may not always be easy, but choose it you must. I’ve heard it said, “The key to success is playing the hand you were dealt like it was the hand you wanted.” Hardship isn’t a byline. Many times it’s the headline. Still God is the author of our lives. His turning points and resolutions in our story will eventually lead us to our rightful place... bringing us into the roles we were born to hold. Courage and faith are the counterparts of fear and doubt. It all comes down to which two you choose. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe once said, “Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success.” The truth is if you truly want to be free, you must first be brave. Courage is a funny thing. Many times it just creeps up on us. I guess the same can honestly be said of fear too. Both play a large part in our lives. It all really comes down to how we decide to entertain dread, anxiety and worry or embrace boldness, joy and adventure. Be it an unknown author or not, these words speak the truth boldly. “Strength grows in the moments when you think you can’t go on but keep going anyway.”

The truth is my life it's been awkwardly and many times unconceivably full to the brim with toil and trouble. And yet it's also been filled with hope, faith and happiness. Have you ever wondered why I chose Disney as a source of inspiration? Or how I interpret and fuse faith together with fantasy and reality so easily? I'm sure some of you must think me mad or daft. But the truth is it's because most of my childhood and those moments I often reminiscence about are wrapped up in memories of Disney. I've always had this peculiar and uncanny knack for seeing lines within stories many never connect on their own. Maybe it's my free spirit or wild, divergent and quite unusual imagination? Who knows really. But whatever the reason I see things differently, wider...fuller. I guess you could say I'm a dreamer and a believer in the impossible. I live day to day full of optimism all while still holding onto the reality of this world surrounding me. Growing up I was allowed to be child of adventure. I was raised on sweet tea, Jesus and fairytales. So yes, I tend to see each possibility within a story. I grasp the words left unsaid  between, below and sometimes above the lines. And I often get lost inside each and every tale I fall into. Looking back some 24 years ago when I first saw the Lion King. I was just 21 in June of 1994 I was no different than I am today. Sure we were living in Slidell, Louisiana at the time. I was younger that's for sure but my mind was just as complex and complicated as it is now. I immediately fell in love with Disney’s 32nd animated feature film. I had the soundtrack and knew every word found in the Circle of Life, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, Hakuna Matata and Can You Feel the Love Tonight like the back of my hand. I was just starting to teach back then. I remember being excited when the Lion King was released on VHS. I bought it immediately. Little did I know a few years later it would be a well played and loved part of our new families movie collection. It's no secret I passed my love on of Disney and the Lion King to my boys too. But the real question is how has it taken me this long to share a Life Lesson based on this film with you? Well I think it’s time to remedy that, don’t you?

One of the biggest underlying themes found within the Lion King is the Circle of Life. We’re all apart of it. We 're born, we live and we die. It's the circle of life. We may have no choice in the way we enter it; however, the way we’re remembered within it is our choice. One of later films, Lion King 2 had a song called ‘We Are One’. It speaks clearly about life's uncertainty. “As you go through life you’ll see there is so much that we don’t understand, and the only thing we know is things don’t always go the way we planned.” I see Simba in this same light. Life was unfair. His haters conspired against him, to kill him even. He lost his father and his courage. He was alone and afraid. He saw himself as unworthy. He ran away, full of fear, regret and exceptionally reluctant to face his past. That is until he leaned into fear and caught sight of courage. Rafiki , a wise mandrill steered Simba in the right direction finally. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it you can either run from it or learn from it.” Now we all know how the story goes right? Simba was an adventure bound cub. He loved danger and walking on the wild side. And despite his father’s wisdom, ‘Being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble.’ Simba still had to learn this lesson on his own. He certainly wasn’t shy when it came to boasting how he’d be a mighty king one day, was he? “I’m gonna be the main event, like no king was before. I’m brushin’ up on lookin’ down, I’m working on my ROAR.” Simba was still fairly young here. He had yet to learn humility. Unfortunately, this lesson would come in the death of his Father and the loss of his title and self-esteem. Now we all face these kinds of moments in our lives. Not always in the same way, but we face them nonetheless. Simba certainly did. And we must too. I think we all have to realize while we’re not replaceable, our pride and actions can supersede our position, niche and ultimately our standing too. Simba 's life came full circle as he understood the value of humility and responsibility. Scar on the other hand? Well he found out the hard way, didn’t he?

Let's look at Scar for a moment. Sure he was a prince but who is he really? He's like a lot of folks we know. We label them evil, right? We all know someone like Scar. They can come into our lives in the form of siblings, parents, neighbors, coworkers or so called friends. These folks tend to deny reality. And boy do they love to twist the facts around too. If you're not careful you'll end up questioning yourself completely unsure of the details involved. The lying will eventually catch up with those Scar types but they don't care. Being the kings and queens of misinformation, they sit proudly ruling ruthlessly. And boy do they have the answers to everything. Remorse? Don't even think about it. Was Scar sorry for anything?  Nope. He couldn't walk away even if he wanted to. He'd rather die than admit he was wrong. Self-denial is King with this band of heartless and cold-blooded savages. That said when it comes to a narcissist we see them completely disregard responsibility too. When confronted by a grown Simba, Scar tries throwing the hyenas under the bus! Last but not least these kinds of folks are exceptionally manipulative and controlling. It's their way or the highway. And that's exactly what we find in Scar's character. He betrays his family. He' so stuck on the idea of being in second place he can't appreciate his own position in the Pride. He's a prince for goodness, gracious sake... Mufasa's brother and Simba’s uncle! But none of it's enough, is it? He's jealous, manipulative and vain not to mention arrogant, resentful, snarky and a coward too. He can only see his brother and nephew as competition. He's not first. He's ruthless . He sees himself as more deserving and intelligent. Sadly, when it comes to the Pride or his family, he covets his brother's position. He should rule as King instead of the brilliant prince he should be. Scar's so envious of his brother he can barely stand Mufasa’s name spoken. And as the story of the Lion King unfolds we learn much more about this want to be king. He’s devious, plotting to overthrow both his brother and nephew in order to seize the Pride as his own. He hates his brother so much he plots to kill his nephew but succeeds in killing his brother instead without remorse. As for this greedy and selfish plan of his, it almost works too. Poor Simba, watching his father die, thinking it was his fault runs. Scar calls out to our one day hero, “Run away, Simba. Run, run away and never return!” But return he did. And when he entered into the Pride lands of his father once again he had courage on his side.


Simba was exiled, alone and afraid at first. Little did he know running away from his past would eventually lead him to face it. I think Simba’s own words beautifully sum up his purpose driven return from exile. “This is my kingdom. If I don’t fight for it, who will?” Now he had to do some growing up first, that’s for sure. As he made his way through the jungle with Timon and Pumba he learned to embrace his easy going spirit and the Hakuna Matata way of life. Once Nala caught up with him, he learned of Scar's treachery and he found love. In time he came to understand if he didn’t learn to face the past and release his anger, he'd surely be the victim of his own fury and outrage. With the encouragement of Nala Simba found his way back home, but only after he fully understood this lesson. “Anger doesn't solve anything. It builds nothing, but can destroy everything.“ (Thomas S. Monson) And Simba certainly saw anger in Scar’s power hungry , murderous plan to take the Pride for himself. The reality is Scar hated his brother, not because he was first born. Let’s get that straight. No, his hostility and anger was based on jealousy and jealousy alone. It wasn’t that Mufasa had it all together. I am willing to bet behind the scenes he struggled with his marriage with Sarabi, raising Simba, protecting his kingdom and keeping his family connected within the great circle of life. He was wise, protective, humble, bold, inspirational and selfless. Scar on the other hand was power-hungry, sadistic and cold-hearted. Look at his own words as he boasts. “I’m ten times the king Mufasa was!” Seriously? Dude time for a reality check. I mean look at all the destruction in his wake. Talk about living in a make believe world. Scar's totally delusional, batty and cuckoo for a lack of better words. In fact he's all about his way, being the center of attention and getting what he wants, all the time. Like a narcissist, in the Lion King, Scar gathers the hyena’s around him to manipulate them into taking part in this dirty work with him. Jealousy is the root of Scar’s charismatic and dramatic insecurities. I mean how doe he not see this himself, right? He’s missing his own blessings by being so envious of his brother's. Sadly he’d rather be an illegitimate King of the Pride than second to anyone. Scar is living proof of James 3:16. “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” Evil is right. I just don’t get it myself. Jealousy just doesn’t look good on anyone, so why try it on? Seriously, I wish someone would have told Scar this. Then maybe they did.

What I’ve learned in my own life is some folks are just jealous of your strength. They simply see your struggle wrapped up in resilience and hate you for the courage you possess. You can never please these kinds of people. So don't. There's no point in trying really. It all leads to the same end: devastation, carnage and wreckage. "Jealousy is a form of hatred built upon insecurity.” Spoken by an unknown author, but is nonetheless valid. Like Scar, a narcissist, his henchmen, the hyenas are the fan club ganging up on their targets. Much as in real life before you know what’s even happening you’ve got flying monkey's from the Narc's circus harassing you. And the slander? Ha! Well my advice here is to stay immovable, confident and unshakable in God’s Word. Be impervious to doubt and insensitive to negativity .Just as Mufasa tells Simba, “.Never forget who you are. Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become.” What’s important here is to understand life always turns out differently than expected. We might even lose track of who we are at times. And in our worst moments we can even face being trampled to death by wildebeests. But the reality is this: the Devil hates courage. Eleanor Roosevelt once said this.“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I loved through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” And this is honestly is the reason Simba had to face his past and why we in turn must do the same. I mean don’t you think this very idea scares the devil, just a little bit? Sure it does. The best part? God knows this too. That's why He encourages us in Joshua 1:9 to, "Be strong and courageous.” He’s always there guiding, encouraging and strengthening us. If we would just look to the stars as Mufasa instructs Simba we’d know God is always present in spite of whatever cockamamie scheme Satan or his minions are plotting against us. Jesus Christ rights my wrongs. I hold my faith fervently...never man’s opinion of me . I trust in God’s grace above all else. No person, power or principality can remove me from His side. I know where I belong. I can’t be moved. In all of life’s struggles my help ultimately comes from Jesus Christ. He alone carries everything laid on my shoulders. He’s my constant help. This courage I possess comes from his unwavering strength. Psalm 61:2 reminds me everyday, “when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” And lead He does. Christ gives me the courage to rise up from the ashes. Because of God’s faith in me I’m fully capable of becoming the woman He’s called me to be in Christ. I know my rightful place and as Simba does, I will fight for it.

Like C.S. Lewis, I too “pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless, I pray because the need flows out of me all the time - waking and sleeping. It does not change God it changes me.” I know I can’t take on the world alone. Heck I can’t even get out of bed without being scared of my own shadow. But with Christ as my King, I can face whatever waits outside my front door. Christ alone lights my way. He’s my shelter and He can be yours too if you allow Him. While we struggle with our pain and wrestle with our pride God is still King residing over Heaven and Earth. Rupi Kaur explains grace beautifully. “Learning not to envy someone else’s blessings is what grace looks like.” Life isn’t fair but it is our greatest adventure. We must learn to walk in grace, with love and courage. Will it be easy? Nope not in the least bit. But we have hope. There is power in the name of Christ. He is all we need. Charles Spurgeon challenges us to hold the faith. “The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. Unchain it and it will defend itself." God will defend you. Let your light shine. Learn to forgive and forget. Be strong and courageous. Keep pushing forward. Be thankful for every wound. Truly, if not for each blow, hurt and scar we endure we wouldn’t possess courage or faith. Don’t forget real beauty is found in our brokenness. And if we’re really honest about the troubles we face, we'd admit each one is really just pushing us closer to God. Mercy is waiting just on the other side of doubt my friends. Don’t give up or live life in fear. Trust God has the wheel. Remember, “it’s all connected. Your gifts, your circumstances, your imperfections, your journey, your destiny. It’s molding you. Embrace it.” (unknown)

As our time here together comes to a close think of  Simba’s story as one of a father’s love for his son. Mufasa offered his life freely for Simba’s. Much the same as Jesus gave his own life for ours. He paid our debt so we could live. He was mocked, beaten and put to death. Satan in all his greed and jealousy similar to Scar's story sought to destroy the One true King. And just as Scar, Satan failed too. People like Scar and his fan club reveal themselves through their actions. So pay close attention. Jealousy is a disease. Integrity is the only cure. Generosity, grace and contentment will follow. Seek these things and you’ll never have to worry about Scar’s fate...surrounded by rising flames and his fan club of resentful hyenas. So today this is where Life Lesson #216~  Live the Way You Want To Be Remembered takes us. Live your life for Christ. Be a light, inspire, forgive and love unconditionally. Live free from selfish, corrupt, jealous, vain, self-indulgent greed and resentment. It’s all poison. It kills everything beautiful and good. When facing a villain such as Scar, consumed by your demise look inward. And may I suggest taking the words of  C.S. Lewis to heart? “Courage, dear heart.” Remember you have everything you need to face this giant. Hold onto grace, take courage and don’t forget God’s great faithfulness. He’s never failing, ever. I promise you Satan will run in fear once you stop running from God’s grace. So get out of bed, get dressed, walk out your front door and remind yourself of Mark Twain’s words.“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.” God’s got this. Go ahead, take your leap of faith darling. And live the way you want to be remembered.

“Rise up. Take courage and do it? ” ~Ezra 10:4

~ Merida Grace