I WANT IT NOW!!

     As a kid growing up in the 1970's, I always have memories of our Thanksgiving. We spent that holiday at Grandma & Grandpa Harff's house in Secaucus, NJ. I know I have blogged about my grandfather before but let me just give you a refresher on this interesting man. He was not easy to get along with! I think my grandmother has an extra jewel in her crown in heaven for not only living with him but putting up with his shenanigans! He loved to talk, argue politics, talk some more and argue more about anything he could think of! It made for an interesting thanksgiving meal. He even tried to argue once with my father and his brother Frank about grass! Eventually, in the middle of the decade my father made an executive decision that he and my mom would host thanksgiving and no longer endure the pain of Joe Harff! 

     I do have one memory of thanksgiving that was fun sitting in my grandparents living room. My brother and sister and I would watch the movie on TV "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." The movie came out in 1971 and starred Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka and also starred Jack Albertson who would later star in the TV show "Chico & the Man." There is one part of the movie I would like to blog about that always bothered me. Actually, it was one of the characters. Veruca Salt! She was the little bratty girl who would always say, "I want it now!" I don't remember every part of the movie, but I do remember Veruca! In fact, I could not stand her! Whoever the actress was who played her was, in my opinion excellent and should have won multiple awards for portraying the part of Veruca. In the movie children all over the world were hoping to find the Golden tickets that were hidden in the Wonka bars. Veruca's father was very wealthy and owned some type of factory in Great Britain. He ordered cases of candy bars to be shipped to his factory and had all his factory workers searched through every candy bar. The first time we see Veruca she is sitting at her father's desk at his job complaining and saying his workers are not looking fast enough for "her" Golden ticket". Not once did the father ever say "Veruca, shut your trap and learn to appreciate what you have and be quiet!" Nor did he say "Veruca, when we get home you are going to be grounded for a very long time!" Instead, he told his workers to work harder. He never corrected her...EVER! When the Golden Ticket was found by a factory worker, and she came running to Veruca's father's office, Veruca never said, "Thank you," instead she said, "Give me that! It's mine!" She grabbed the ticket away from the worker with absolutely no appreciation!  Later in the movie when everyone who found the Golden Tickets were touring Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, Veruca was at it again! She wanted one of the golden gooses to keep for herself. What a brat! Even after her father tried to negotiate with Willy Wonka, Willy said, "They were not for sale." Veruca fell for her untimely death through a trap door! As a kid I was rooting for Charlie to win the big prize not Veruca! The last man, or boy, standing was Charlie!

     I think in each of us there may be a Veruca Salt! How many of us want things instantly? How many of us "Want it Now!!" Do you remember the days before ATM's? We had to walk into a bank. Before cellphones? We had to use a pay phone. When you wanted information, you actually had to go to the library? You answered your telephone not knowing who was calling (before caller ID). What about our prayers? Do we expect God to act quickly? Maybe he wants us to wait for an answer? I have a hard time with "Name it and claim it" or "Blab it and grab it" Christians who are "telling God what He should do." I am a firm believer that everything is in God's timing, not ours! Last week, I heard some very disturbing news about something I really wanted. I would rather not say what it was because truthfully mentioning it still hurts! I was hoping this would all work out, but it did not. I will be brutally honest and say I started getting depressed about it. Not clinically depressed but an overwhelming sadness came over me. I tried very hard to put a smile on my face at work. It was not easy. Now please understand my attitude was certainly not like Veruca Salt's. I am grateful that my parents did NOT spoil me. I graduated high school in 1982 and I'm sure there were kids who were handed keys to a brand new 1982 Corvette as a graduation gift. My father told me, "If you want a car, you will need to work for it!" I bought my first car in 1984. It was a 1972 Pontiac Ventura, and it was dark green. When I brought it home and parked it in the driveway, my dad said "You must be proud! You worked hard for this!" 4 years later I bought a new vehicle. a 1988 Mazda Pick-up truck that was light blue. I actually picked it up on my birthday. My father said those exact words again! I was proud! I did work hard for it! 

     I have learned this past week that having "stuff" in life doesn't matter. When we die, we are NOT taking it with us. I have also realized that this very thing I desired, something better will come along. Waiting is not fun, but I would rather wait on what God has for me than be Veruca Salt and say, "I WANT IT NOW!!" I would never ever want to be a "Brat" in God's eyes! Just some food for thought as we all continue to live this life and do our very best on planet earth!

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!!