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I must admit to an oversight in parenting, these moments of honesty are difficult but here goes. There are children in my house who have never seen the Wizard of Oz. I guess I just never made it a priority or I got caught up in the Toy Story Trilogy, who knows why we let things like this happen, they just do.

Sunday night is my time to detox from the day; Sundays are busy and I need a little time to reflect and let the mind just go for a moment. Most of the time this means sitting in front of the television watching the most mindless thing I can find. This week someone beat me to the punch and I looked up and low and behold the Wizard of Oz was on.

I was excited about this and impressed with how much better it looks on a television in 2010 as opposed to around 1970 when I first saw the movie as a child. By a stroke of good fortune all the kids that had not seen the movie where in the house; my parenting error now redeemed.

This movie begins with Dorothy and her dog Toto getting in a tornado and finding themselves in Oz. This is a wonderful place except for that nasty old wicked witch of the west. She is out to get Dorothy and Toto for a little mishap when her house landed on her sister, talk about sensitive. Fortunately there is a good witch of the north that gives Dorothy the dead, bad witches ruby slippers and sends her down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to see some guy named the Wizard of Oz in order to get her home.

Off Dorothy goes singing up a storm and dancing down the yellow brick road. On her way she finds three friends that have some needs. She finds a scarecrow that needs a brain, a tin man that needs a heart and a lion that needs some courage.

Let’s throw in Dorothy's need to go home and what you have is a care group looking for someone to help them find what they need. The Oz well he is somewhat of a disappointment; think of him as a Bob Newhart from the 70's kind of guy. He delays in his help but eventually comes through; he is neither amazing nor wonderful but merely practical.

Here is what I see; four things that we are all looking for or need. Here is what I know; we can find them in someone much more powerful than Oz, we can find them in God.

· Scarecrow-Brain: We all need some spiritual wisdom in our life. We like the scarecrow may have the heart to get things done but are lacking in the wisdom to make it happen. God provides wisdom if we seek him. Let us stop leaning on the wisdom of man/woman but soak up wisdom from an all knowing God. Proverbs 3:21-24

· Tin Man-Heart: We all have a heart of course but often it becomes bitter and callus. We find ourselves lacking compassion. Here God is at his greatest; when we come to him he provides for us a spirit of compassion. To be like Christ, you must have a heart that breaks for injustice, aches over our own sins and looks for ways to love our brother. If you find yourself emotionless filled with a lack of concern for your fellow man; make sure your heart matches Christ. Proverbs 3:27-28

· Lion-Courage: Fear breaks over the bow of our ship daily. We fear world events, we fear the neighborhood, we fear we will lose our jobs, spouse or security and the list goes on. Fear paralysis us and keep us from moving out in faith. More than anything we all need courage to step out and do what God has pre-planned for us to do. We need courage to face a world of naysayers that want to squash our dreams and put us in our place. We need courage to face down a world that ridicules and lessens our faith. We get that from God not a magical Oz standing behind a curtain. Proverbs 3:25-26

· Dorothy-Home: Oh Dorothy, she never really left home it was just a dream. We wander often, we find ourselves and our souls lost. We wonder if we will ever make it back. All the time someone who loves us, cares for us and died for us is watching out over us directing circumstances with one thought in mind: getting us home. Home is not where you live and it is not the Emerald City, it is heaven, it is where we were created to be and it is where God wants to find us at the end of lives journey. Today if your soul is lost turn toward home and there you will find God waiting. John 14:1-3

On our journey in search of who we really are and what we were really meant to do we seek the answers from the wrong place often. Like Dorothy the answer is right in front of us the whole time; look to God. Trust me he is far better than the Oz.

Scripture: Psalms 1:6, “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

Prayer: Dear Lord, may we come to you with all our needs, knowing you care, love and watch over us. We ask these things in the name of Christ, Amen.