I found myself thinking about a movie.
It is one that I watched with my children, but I haven’t seen in a while.
It still makes me smile every time I think of it.
It is the story of Pollyanna.

Pollyanna is a best-selling 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter.
Walt Disney brought the story to life in his 1960 film.
It was this movie and one particular scene that I was remembering.
I think God brought it to mind for a reason.

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In every town, you will find houses, apartments, and townhouses.
Many places to choose from in which to live.
Communities are popping up that are designed to be self-contained.
Adorable little streets with community pools that serve a section of homes.

Stores, shops, restaurants, and bookstores are there.
It is a town within a town.
Walking paths, nature trails, softball fields, and playgrounds.
Everything you could possibly want is within walking distance.

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I woke up to a gorgeous day.
After weeks of being in the air-conditioned house, it was cooler outside than inside.
It was a day when I absolutely love to go on my walk.
It was a day to open the windows.

It has already been determined that I do not like hot weather.
It has already been noted that I am not a fan of humidity.
Consequently, days like this make me feel alive!
Days like this just seem to make everything more lovely.

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Growing up there were only a few opportunities for sleepovers.
There was one that I remember vividly.
The sleepover took place up the street from my house.
It included the neighborhood girls.

I remember having to borrow a sleeping bag.
I brought my pillow, my toothbrush, and my pajamas.
There was talk about telling scary stories before we went to sleep.
The thought of that did not thrill me.

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I remember learning about contractions in elementary school.
Always a lover of words, I was excited about this new grammar I was discovering.

A contraction is a shortened version of the written and spoken forms of a word, syllable, or word group, created by the omission of internal letters.

I loved the possibilities.
I loved the apostrophe that floated above the space where the missing letter should be.
I used them whenever I could except in formal writing where everything was spelled out.

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It is being called the most famous play date in history.
Future king, Prince George, is in New Zealand with his parents.
The Prince, who was part of this specially convened playgroup, had a taste of normalcy.
These children will one day be his subjects when he is their future king.

The irony of it all.
Play dates happen all the time.
When the future queen is on the floor with her son and other children, the world notices.
When the future king takes a toy from another child, the presses roll.

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As a little girl I loved to pantomime.
I would go down my basement, where I kept my record player, and become a star.
I played record after record and was transported to the Broadway stage.
I knew the words to every song by heart yet never made a sound.

It was not that I couldn’t sing.
I could sing; I really enjoyed singing.
However, our basement was right below the kitchen and sounds carried upstairs.
I didn’t want anyone to hear my performance.

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You owe me!
I tried to imagine what had been done that demanded payment.
Payment with an attitude of entitlement.

Do you have the money?
No, but you do!
If you don’t have the money to buy this, then you will have to wait.

The discussion seemed to be over something in the electronic department.
The desired object was expensive.
The mother was attempting to train her young child.

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It is truly a winter wonderland outside my window.
Since the temperatures are still below freezing, ice remains on all the branches.
Spectacular, intricate designs hang precariously from each limb.

As the sun shines through the branches, the ice shimmers and glistens.
Each design more delicate than than the one before.
All created by the Master Ice Sculptor.

It is important to see the beauty in such a devastating storm.
Beauty that bewilders.
Beauty that begs the question, How can something so beautiful be so perplexing?

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As the New Year begins, we pack away our Christmas decorations.
Pack them away and bring them back to the attic.
Back to the attic until the day after Thanksgiving.

Some may say that is a bit Scrooge-ish!
Some may say that is too soon to take them down.
Taking them down this early was out of necessity.

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