Yeah, probably one of my favorite lines from Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life. Filmed in 1946, just timeless family classic. Growing up, we had a family tradition to watch Jim Henson’s The Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve after the church services and It’s a Wonderful Life on New Year’s Eve. Yes, it is a story that takes place on Christmas Eve, but the message always brought in a great ring to the New Year (“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”) No traditions seemed to be any greater than those two.
Yesterday, I had an eye appointment with the neuro ophthalmologist to see how my optic nerves are doing. I had another visual field test and everything seems to be going the direction that they are wanting. The plan is just to stay on the medicine they prescribed for me last appointment and have another follow-up appointment in February. On our way home from Cincinnati, Mom and I stopped by a Barnes and Nobles there in one of the suburbs. I did not have to have my eyes dilated so imagine the ecstatic feeling that I was having. 🙂 We synchronized our cell phone clocks and set a time limit we were for sure bound not to keep. Then we went inside. I just love books! I was not intending really to buy any, because I have been in the process of downsizing my own shelf. But as I passed by the Christmas selection table, my eyes spotted one titled, 52 Little Lessons from It’s a Wonderful Life. I had seen this book before from a trip to BN a week before Thanksgiving–it was a coffee run (Starbucks are limited around this area). But I had decided at that point to wait. Then I forgot about it.
I skimmed over the introduction by its author, Bob Welch. Fifty-two lessons for each week of the year. I bought it and started it this morning. It is like a little devotional that incorporates the lessons taught from the movie. I like it so much I decided to finish it in 52 days instead of weeks. I believe that takes me to almost the end of January. So in essence, I will still be bringing in the New Year with the movie…even if I am not watching it on New Year’s Eve.
I just wanted to share this book with you, because it is a good reminder of little lessons of faith and life that we so often forget…we turn into George Bailey without realizing it. I know I have. It is then that God sends people like Clarence to show me once again how important and special my life is and that it is worth living to the fullest.
Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?
~Clarence
My Life with NF2 
In response to the last sentence before the quote:Your life is so important and so special!!! And you are so good at living it to the fullest! I know you have touched my life and many others! With your sweet smile, laugh, and the sweetness about you, you have changed the world for the better! I am excited for the day when in Heaven we see the people who were touched by our lives. Maybe even those who we never held a conversation with or we never knew we had made a difference in their lives but they were touched by our testimony, a smile, or a prayer. I love you and I definitely enjoyed our visit in November! Love, Janelle
Hi Janelle! Yes, God works in ways to touch people for when and where they need it at the moment. It is neat to be part of the journey with everyone else. I am so glad that I got to see you in November too! Did you by chance happen to get a small painting recently? 🙂 I would still like to paint you another, so I will be thinking and praying of what to do for you in with the other ideas you said when you were here. 🙂 I am sad I could not see you guys this weekend, but doing much better. Hope you all had a great time with everyone there! Love, Mel
Garrett and I just watched this movie on New Years Day and I had never noticed that in response to what George Bailey said – Mr. Potter says, “And a happy new year to you, in jail” — I always thought it was more a Christmas movie too but then thought it made perfect sense for us to watch it on New Years Eve just due to that one sentence. HAHA!! Anyway, yes, that movie is such a wonderful reminder to never take our life for granted and to be thankful for every breath we’re given here on this temporary Earth to touch the lives of those around us with the love of Christ each day:) XO
Potter’s line is one of the best. HAHA. It is a nice movie to watch at the end of one year/into the next–I just usually forget it’s lessons half way through the year. So, I need to work on that.