Jacket On. Jacket Off. Hang It Up. Throw It Down. Pick It Up.

It's more than a bit interesting to me that there are certain movies I would have never watched had it not been for my children's desire to see them. Movies like The Ninja Turtles, for example ... seriously ... I would have never ever paid money to see a bunch of life-sized talking turtles whose mentor was a life-sized talking rat. There were a ton of movies throughout the years that I watched because my kids wanted to watch them ... heck, even just last Christmas I sat with my hands over my ears and my eyes closed in a theater while Bradley soaked up every bloody drop in the latest Tarantino flick. And I must say that there's a large percentage of the films I endured because of my love for my children that I will never watch again ... unless, of course, they beg me to watch them with them. But then there are those movies I will watch every single time I stumble upon them on television ... movies I only watched in the beginning because my kids wanted to see them ... movies that deliver such a powerful message that they speak to me even now.

I think it's safe to say that as a general rule, remakes of movies are quite often disappointing ... but every once in a while, one comes along that gets it right. Now I know that many of you will disagree with me, including my movie-making son, but I think the remake of The Karate Kid with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith qualifies as one such film ... one that gets it right, that is. And I've spent a good part of my evening stretched out on my couch watching it ... well, except for the tournament scene when I was standing in the middle of my living room doing my own super awesome karate moves and cheering on young Dre the underdog. I haven't seen the movie in a long time, and I had forgotten just how insightful and inspirational it is. I had forgotten, but I'm pretty sure that on a night when God had a big lesson to teach me, He hadn't forgotten a single moment or a single line of the movie ... He hadn't forgotten at all.

Though I wish I could say that I'm such a genius that I understood immediately what I was supposed to learn from the movie tonight, that would not be true ... not even a little bit. In fact, I didn't get it until almost the end of the movie ... but when I did get it, when I did understand, I really, really, really got it and I really, really, really understood, and I really, really, really bawled like a baby. Even writing those words reinforces the depth of meaning in the lesson I learned tonight ... wow ... just wow is all I can think of to say. I'm sure many of you remember the "Wax on, wax off," line in the original Karate Kid movie ... of course you do, that line will live forever in movie history. In the remake, the repetitive action involves the young Dre's jacket rather than a car. Mr. Han's instructions to Dre to put his jacket on, take it off, hang it up, throw it down, pick it up ... again, wow ... just wow ... Dre had no idea what Mr. Han was teaching him. Dre lost patience time and time again, complained, whined, tried to hide his jacket, didn't understand the importance or reason for the exercise and even walked away in frustration and anger more than once. Mr. Han, however, remained calm, steadfast and loyal in his commitment to the exercise ... because he believed ... he believed in the process, yes, but so much more ... so very much more ... he believed in Dre and what he would become. Mr. Han saw in Dre what young Dre didn't see in himself ... strength, honor, integrity, character, purpose.

So here's the thing ... the thing I get tonight in such a big way ... the thing that well could be one of the most important lessons in my life up to this point. Mr. Han didn't allow Dre to stop performing the jacket exercise until he knew Dre was ready, even though Dre pleaded and begged time and time again to be done, and he didn't understand why in the world he had to put his jacket on and take it off and hang it up and throw it down and pick it up for a stretch of time that felt like forever to him. But then the day came ... the day came when Dre got it ... when he understood what the jacket exercise really meant ... the day came when Dre was able to become who Mr. Han knew all along that his young friend was born to be ... a champion whose courage and bravery inspired even his enemies.

Tonight, I'm so very grateful for the Mr. Hans in my life ... those who stand steadfastly by my side every day and say, "Terrie ... Jacket on. Jacket off. Hang it up. Throw it down. Pick it up. Terrie ... Jacket on. Jacket off. Hang it up. Throw it down. Pick it Up. Terrie ... Jacket on. Jacket off. Hang it up. Throw it down. Pick it up. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again." I'm learning because you are teaching me ... I'm growing because you are leading me ... I'm getting stronger because you are challenging me ... I'm becoming the person I was born to be because you believe in me. Tonight, I'm so very grateful for the Mr. Hans whom God has sent to stand with me, by me and around me. Tonight, I'm so very grateful that God loves me ... that He has always loved me ... that He will forever love me.

"Terrie ... Jacket on. Jacket off. Hang it up. Throw it down. Pick it up." I'll do it ... I'll do it as long as it takes. "Terrie ... Jacket on. Jacket off. Hang it up. Throw it down. Pick it up." Yep ... yep ... yep ... I surely will.