A Realtor's Technicolor Dream Coat. It might surprise some of you to know that the handsome heart-throb of the early 70's, Donny Osmond, is my cousin. It surprised me when I first learned of it. Our family ties trace back to a small town located just outside of Salt Lake City. While our love for family, faith and music are fondly similar, our journey in life took us down different paths.
Most remember Donny for songs like 'Puppy Love' and 'Go Away Little Girl,' but my fondest memory was his 6-year stent in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It's a story of faith and redemption and it began in Chapter 39 of Genesis (Old Testament) about a man named Joseph, one of Jacob’s twelve sons, who was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. Through hard work and perseverance, Joseph became Pharaoh’s right-hand man and saved the empire from a deadly drought. And in the midst of personal heartache and pain, Joseph extended grace and mercy to his brothers, rescuing them from famine and forgiving them of their wretched act of betrayal.
I've always been fascinated with Old Testament stories. Some are so wild, they're almost unfathomable... but that's where faith comes in. It stretches our mind beyond the implausible and causes us to reach for the deeper meanings in life. So, what's this post all about, you ask? It's not about religious stories from the Old Testament... It's about life's journey and the lessons we learn along the way.
Sometimes, life deals some wretched, chilly blows. Yeah... sometimes life isn't pretty. My cousin Donny grew up in a lovely home with two parents, lots of siblings and wonderful childhood memories. My upbringing wasn't as fortunate. Perhaps some of you have stories of less than fortunate experiences of your own... be it financial, physical or even emotional pain. Life has a way of knocking the wind out of our sails and teaching us some lessons we're not always prepared to learn. But, it's up to us to keep breathing. It's that lovely bit of resiliency that makes the miracles of life come alive.
I've only met my famous cousins once... but our common love for family, faith and music are ties that bind us together forever. And like Joseph, we've cloaked ourselves with colorful coats that testify to our strength of character and resolve. No one can take that away from us... not circumstance, not loss, not pain, not anyone!
