Wonder Women

In 1975, the pilot episode of the TV show "Wonder Woman" aired with Lynda Carter receiving her golden lasso and red white and blue outfit from her Amazon Queen Mother, played by Chloris Leachman.  She came from Paradise Island, named that by her mother because there were no men on it. (Chloris Leachman is hilarious, even when she's serious!) This island is full of beautiful, athletic women who never age and are much more highly evolved, and only love peace and honesty, yet still prance around scantily clad. Thirty-six years later, this episode aired in my living room, and was met with rave reviews! My kids even picked up on the fact that everyone was staring at her because she was walking around town in patriotic underwear and didn't seem the least bit self-conscious, but the sailors flocked around her.  They also noticed that in 1975, Nazi = bad, and still does. Smart kids. 

The amazingly stunning, nearly perfect Lynda Carter is strong, smart, kind, and everything that little Amy Thompson wanted to be.  Except I also wanted to be a nun, and nuns don't wear patriotic underwear in public, that I am aware of.  They are still superheroes in my book, however. In fact, I think they are some of the real Wonder Women. 

In 1976, Wonder Woman flew an invisible airplane.  Decades before that, one of the Sisters of St. Joseph flew a single engine plane all over Alaska to bring Communion to the Catholic residents there.  She lived much of her adult life in service to the people there, flying at a time when women weren't allowed to do such things. 

The Amazon Queen gave Wonder Woman a golden lasso that forces the person trapped in it to tell the truth.  Our Maker gave one of my Sister-Friends an opportunity to see the truth as clear as day.  She volunteered for jail ministry in Peru in an area where you are jailed for stealing bread to keep your family from starving.  A prisoner there scrimped and saved and scraped up enough materials to get a needed operation.  As he sat with her, waiting for an available surgeon, the ambulance brought in a young man who was dying from his wounds from an accident.  That prisoner gave up his bandages and scalpels to this other man, so that he would have a chance to live.  The truth is that love lives in a prison in Peru.  It can't be shackled.  No prison bars can stop compassion.

Some of the social issues of the 70's are lost on my kids.  They don't understand why people seem shocked that a woman is...well...strong.  It's never occurred to them that she should be any different than any other guy on the show.  I'm glad they don't get it.  I hope they never get it.  They also don't understand civil rights, because it seems like a no-brainer that everyone is equal in God's eyes, and should be in ours, too.  Why would the color of your skin or gender make it okay for people to mistreat you?  I like their world better than ours.  Maybe that's what Jesus was talking about when he said we should come to him as little children.  I don't think he meant before your 18th birthday, I think he meant innocent and accepting, trusting and loving.

There were even Wonder Women in the Bible.  In the Old Testament you had Ruth and Esther.  Esther's is an awesome story.  She had GUTS and gave old Haman what for!  In the New Testament, Mary is a good one.  Ooh, did Jesus love her!  He even remembered his good old Mom at the foot of the Cross.  "Hey John, here's your Mom.  Mom, John can be your son for me. Love each other." (Rough Swager translation.) And isn't it interesting that all through the New Testament, Paul refers to a church by the woman's house where they meet!  God loves women!

If you have a really good look at the Creation story, it says that God made man in his own image.  Male and female he made them.  In his own image.  Male AND female.  So God is also feminine.  And my womanliness is in the image and likeness of God.  No WONDER God loves WOMEN!  We were made by our maker (who is the perfection of manliness and the perfection of womanliness) to be Wonder Women!  We were made to be strong and highly evolved.  We were made to love peace and honesty.  We were made to care for the needs of others, and put ourselves last.  Not because we lack value, but because that kind of love makes us priceless.   

She finally puts on some normal clothes, which is good. She poses as a dowdy military woman with her hair in a tight bun.  Some of the best Wonder Women wear modest clothing.  The important thing is that she's always around when we need her. 

Blessings!