I went for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Musical at Fulton Theatre last night (the musical is based on a 1964 book by Roald Dahl, and there was a 1971 film dubbed Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, a 2005 film starring Johnny Depp and a 2023 film dubbed Wonka - I have not watched any of them). As I was easing into my ‘budget friendly’ seat, this couple comes up to me and another lady who was alone and ask if we could like to be bumped up - at no extra cost - to the Orchestra  section aka front row seats (which are like triple what we paid). They had complimentary tickets for Wednesday 10th but didn’t have people available to tag along with them - and so the tickets/seats were ours if we wanted them. Of course we said yes, and I promise you, I cannot tell you much of what happened during the musical because I was spiritualizing things the entire time. 

FYI, this post is part spiritualizing, part review.

But I am ready for my Golden Ticket.

For reference (sharing the Fulton Theatre version), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical is about this dude called Wolly Wonka who owns a chocolate factory that seems to be closed/non-operational, and Charlie Bucket, a young boy who has heard stories about the chocolate made by Mr. Wonka and dreams of meeting him/visiting the factory. 

Unbeknownst to Charlie, and the rest of the town, the local candy stand in his city is actually operated by Mr. Wonka himself. After hearing Charlie’s dream, Mr. Wonka decides to put 5 golden tickets in his chocolates. Those who get the tickets will have a chance to tour his factory and get a lifetime supply of chocolate. Charlie, like thousands of other kids, wants to win one of the Golden Tickets but his family is too poor to get him a chocolate bar. They pull their resources together to get him one for his birthday but it doesn’t have the Golden Ticket. 

Meanwhile, winners are making headlines on the local news - aka Chocolate News. 

When the fourth winner is announced, Charlie is distraught. He cannot see how he will get the final ticket (unless a miracle happens - that is my add-on). The local candy store guy, aka Mr Wonka (who is undercover), decides to give Charlie a dollar, and drops a chocolate bar with the last ticket in the vegetable vendor’s cart (Charlie always bought veggies for his family on his way home from school). He uses the extra money to buy the chocolate bar, gets the ticket, and is he excited about going to the factory...and finally meeting Mr Wonka.

Fast forward, all the other kids do not follow the various instructions given by Mr Wonka, and they end up losing their chances of getting a lifetime supply of chocolate. Charlie is the only one left, and instead of getting a lifetime supply of chocolate, he is given the factory (to make his own supply I guess). THE END!!! (of the musical)

Back to me wanting a Golden Ticket. 

I am ready to move to the part I get my Golden Ticket.

I am ready to move from the 'waiting line' to the 'best seats in the house'.

I am ready to be ushered into the factory,

...into the promise, 

...into what I have been waiting for, praying for, fasting for, believing for.

Yes I know that the musical is a made up story, and that anyone could have gotten an upgrade, in fact airlines upgrade people all the time, right? Still, I cannot help but think about the encouragement both Charlie’s trajectory, and the upgrade gave me. I have been talking a lot about assurance a lot (mentioned it during my fast summary and my breakfast meet up with Dr RR) …and I would be telling lies if I said this waiting and being humble part of the journey is a smooth sail. 

(Yo, Hannah, Mama Samuel, how did you do it?)

I am constantly checking in with God, like C.O.N.S.T.A.N.T.L.Y checking in...constantly asking, are we there yet, constantly checking the coordinates to make sure I am on the right path...and He is constantly bringing things and people my way to affirm me. 

My Golden Ticket might be a lifetime supply of chocolate (not that I would want that, unless chocolate is a metaphor), but it is worth the wait...what God has in store for me is worth the wait.

Speaking of Golden Tickets - did you hear about Glasgow's Willy Wonka disaster. It was on the news a couple of weeks ago - if you want a shorter version of what went down, just search for Glasgow's Willy Wonka, or watch the video below for a longer version (16 minutes long - not 60).