The Green Dress

A few weeks ago I gave a talk in church.  I've modified it here to make it more of a "non-denominational" message.

Miss Orange County crown and plaque (the sash was too
tarnished and beat up for a picture. But I still have it!)

About 28 years ago I competed in and won a local pageant - Miss Orange County.  With that win, part of my prize package was my paid entry into the Miss California pageant (that would take place that fall), my interview outfit, some other clothing and best of all was my very own custom made evening gown.  My gown was made by a top Beverly Hills designer.  It was BEAUTIFUL.....form fitting in the front with sparkly "stuff" sewn all over it and rhinestone trim around the sleeves and neckline and then a flowing "train" type of back.  I even had 4" heels that were dyed to match my dress!

My evening gown

When it came pageant time, I loaded up my little Honda Accord and headed an hour and a half to the beautiful city of Palm Springs, California....just me and my green dress.  I showed up by myself, found my room and roommate and got ready for the week long festivities.  It was a wonderful week!

My 4" heels

Pageant night - all of the contestants, all 111 of us, were getting ready.  Everyone was taking care of getting themselves ready.  I did my own hair and make up. I had my beautiful green dress on and I felt like a million bucks!  I felt beautiful in my one-of-a-kind dress.  I didn't have any family or friends in attendance -- I don't know why....maybe they didn't think I could win or it was too far to drive???  Let's go with the "too far to drive" reason. ;)

After the pageant was over, there was an after party.  This was where we were able to have our friends and family come back and visit with us and tell us how beautiful we looked and what a wonderful job we did, etc.  I had no one.  The next morning I packed my little Honda Accord back up again and headed home...just me and my green dress. I resumed life "as usual".

My  white "Cinderella" wedding
gown

Now, fast forward three years......It's the morning of my wedding day. My maid of honor and close friend, Cyndi, helped me with my hair and make up.  I wore my beautiful, white wedding gown.  I felt like a modern day Cinderella!  When my soon-to-be-husband and I walked into the room for our wedding ceremony it was FILLED with family and loved ones!  Around 70 to 80 people were there, and that was just for the ceremony.....we're not even talking about the reception - that was an additional 250 to 300 MORE people who came to congratulate us and tell us how happy they were for us.

Right before the officiator began the ceremony he asked Don and me if we had anything to say.  I said, "Every girl dreams about this day and Don has made my dream come true!"

I'm sure girls dream about being crowned Miss California but I'd be willing to bet that more girls dream about their wedding day than they do a pageant day.  As beautiful as I felt in my green dress, nothing compared to my white, wedding dress.

I was never taught in church how to walk in 4" heels or how to walk down stairs while looking OUT at the crowd and the judges (instead of looking down to make sure I didn't trip!).  I never learned in any of my youth group classes how to talk to a judge and give an answer that would make me stand out or how to walk with my shoulders back and my head up.

Our special day....in my white
dress and Don looking fabulous
in his white tux!

I WAS taught to read my scriptures, to pray daily, to feed my soul with spiritual things, and to love others.  I was taught the scriptures and the meaning of the parables. I was taught to try to "be like Jesus".  I was taught that the things of the world weren't nearly as important as the things of God....and when you compare the green dress experience with the white dress experience, it really makes sense.

I didn't have the love and support at the Miss California pageant as I did on my wedding day.  Oh sure, my friends and family wished me well as I took off to the pageant and I'm sure they would have LOVED to see me win. However, there was more love and support on my wedding day.  People traveled from near and far to be there. I'm sure some just showed up to see if it was REALLY happening....Debbie Johnson getting married?!?!  It was a wonderful feeling to see so many friends and family in attendance on our special day giving us their love and support.

Eternal reward....no comparison

As much as I would have loved to have been crowned Miss California, my reward in Heaven, to be crowned with glory and eternal life with my Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, far out weigh the worldly benefits that being crowned Miss California would have brought.  When we put the things of God first, the rewards are far better than anything this life can bring.  So, enjoy the green dress, but remember...it is temporary.  The white dress, and all it symbolizes, points to God.

Whether you're wearing the green dress or the white dress, just know that you are loved, you are being cheered on by someone, somewhere because you are NEVER ALONE. Sometimes the love is more tangible (white dress experience) but regardless, whichever dress you wear, you are NEVER ALONE.

Love,

Debbie

Mountain vs molehill

I was told recently that I make a mountain out of a molehill.  That got me to thinking....one man's trash is another man's treasure, so the saying goes.  What one considers a molehill may very well be a mountain to someone else.

I have tried on many occasions to water ski.  To no avail.  My body just refuses to get up on those two pieces of fiberglass and balance itself across the water.  Then there's my husband.  Give him a ski and there he goes!  Ski away honey!  Ski away! (Well, that was 'back in the day'....let's see what his body does NOW. ;) ).  For him, it's a molehill. Wham, bam and done.  For me, I'm still trying to climb that mountain. 

I was just reading a book last night.  One of the characters is answering her phone and all the caller can hear in the background is a fire alarm and lots of noise.  He asks her what's going on.  A moment later it's silent.  He yells, "Are you still there?  Is everything ok?"  She calmly says, "Yes, everything is fine."  He asks her what happened and why it's suddenly so quiet.  She explains, "I was baking bread and burned it AGAIN. The noise stopped because I went outside to get away from it."

Mt. Egmont, New Zealand - photo by Michael A. Stecker

Obviously baking bread is a MOUNTAIN for that character.  It would be a molehill for me.  I mean really, just follow the directions, put it in the oven and wham - 30 mins or so later you've got yourself some homemade bread.  Also, notice how she stepped away from her "mountain" for a moment?  She was going to go back in and face it and maybe even some day she would CLIMB that mountain by baking her first loaf of bread without the fire alarm going off.

Your perspective of a mountain vs a molehill may be COMPLETELY different to someone else. For instance, I enjoy running.  I run 5k's and even 10k's on occasion.  I've done a few half marathons, too (13.1 miles). When I think of running a FULL marathon my knees start to hurt and I lose my nerve to sign up.  I have friends that run full marathons (26.2 miles) and think nothing of it.  A molehill for them, right?  Well, there is MY MOUNTAIN.  I haven't ruled it out completely so I'm still dancing around that 'mountain'.

I could go on listing the differences between mountains and molehills but I think you get my drift. Who am I to tell you that your mountain is really a molehill and you need to get over it?  

Kind of like flies.  You've heard the joke, "Waiter! What is this fly doing in my soup?!"  The waiter responds, "The back stroke."  Of course it's a joke but if you pick it apart....the waiter didn't seem to see the problem with a fly in the soup.  It's just a tiny little thing.  Get over it.  Flick it out of your bowl and move on.  To the customer, that fly ruined his meal (for the record....I'm with the customer on this one!).  A fly to an elephant or a horse? Swat it away with it's tail IF he even knows the fly is there.  To us?  One fly buzzing around our picnic can ruin the whole thing.  We will spend a lot of time to rid ourselves of that fly....waiving our arms around wildly, covering our food and protecting it like it's the Hope Diamond.  We obviously deal with flies different than an elephant or horse does.

"What are you saying with all of this, Debbie?"  I'm just reminding each of us to remember that one man's mountain is another man's molehill.  You may not mind the flies buzzing around you but it may bug the heck out of someone else.  We just need to be there to uplift and support each other on our climb....whether it's climbing that mountain or stepping over that molehill.  You never know how many molehills a person has faced or what mountains they have ALREADY climbed.  And when you think you're alone (and sometimes you just may very well be alone) always remember that there's probably someone out there climbing that same mountain, struggling along the way thinking they're alone.  We are NEVER really ALONE.  I truly dislike the saying, "When you think life is hard, remember, there's someone worse off than you."  Like THAT'S supposed to make ME feel BETTER?! Instead, I like to think, "When I'm feeling alone, I'm probably not.  There's probably someone out there climbing this mountain WITH me - probably on the other side....and we've got this TOGETHER.....because we are NEVER ALONE."

Love,

Debbie

P.S.  Maybe I'll finally climb that mountain by getting up on those water skis or actually signing up and running in a marathon.....some day.  Some day.