| “ | I tried out for the cheerleading team at school, I worked very hard, but I didn't get picked. I don't understand why I didn't get chosen, but my friend Savannah did, and now she acts all like she's really special. That makes me feel, well, not very important. What should I do? | ” |
— Maggie Greenman in Centennial, TX (Video Chatting to Bob & Larry via Q.W.E.R.T.Y. | ||
"It's a Meaningful Life" is a VeggieTales special that is a parody of It's a Wonderful Life and gives a lesson in being content.
Synopsis
The show starts out with Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber on the countertop as usual. Bob hadn't planned anything because he was expecting Larry to interfere with the show as usual. Feeling insulted, Larry decides to keep his mouth shut, even though Bob tries to reason with him. Bob then turns to QWERTY who posts up an email from a girl named Maggie Greenman. She wanted to get on the cheerleader squad, but didn't get picked. Even though he wasn't talking, Larry helped Bob with the situation by showing her a film.
The story takes place in a town called Rockwell, where Stewart (Larry) aims to win a football game so he can go to the Salad Bowl. But after a mistake from the Decoy, Morty (Mr. Lunt), Stewart finds himself in the hospital. Now, not only is unable to go to the Salad Bowl, but he can never play football again. Morty, however, did and became famous. To try and cheer Stewart up, his dad (Mr. Nezzer) gives him a job at his toy train factory.
Fifteen years later, Stewart is still living in Rockwell and is now the CEO of the toy factory. Unfortunately, the factory is behind with the bills and need to make 10,000 trains by Christmas. Stewart is now married to Donna (Petunia Rhubarb), has two sons, Art and Barney, and an adopted daughter named Emma. He also coaches his sons' football team and comforts Emma when she didn't get the part of a camel in the school Christmas play.
But Stewart's problems get worse when Morty comes back home and plans to buy the toy train factory. Stewart tries to make the factory to work harder, but that only made things worse. Now he's really starting to regret missing that football in the game. But just then, a train appears out of nowhere.
Stewart boards the train and starts to explore it. He then discovers the conductor, Gabe, who offers Stewart a chance to see what life would of been like if he had caught that football in three stops. The first stop showed Stewart as a greedy business man who plans to buy the Toy Factory and rename Rockwell just like Morty did. The second stop showed Rockwell without Stewart. Donna was not married, the football team players that Stewart coaches were mean, Art and Barney were not born, and Emma was still in the orphanage.
At the third stop, Stewart was given a choice to either remain in the world where he is famous, or to return home to solve his problems. Stewart decided that he should go home, seeing that God's plan for him in Rockwell is better than being famous.
VeggieTales- It's A Meaningful Life Trailer
When Stewart got back to the toy factory, he found that everyone in Rockwell was helping him get back on track. Even Morty began to see that no one would help him unless he lives a meaningful life too.
At the end of the story, Bob and Larry make up and Maggie learns to be happy because God has something planned for her.
Songs
- "110%"
- "Precious Girl"
- "Goodnight Junior"
- "Down These Tracks"
- "Precious Child"
- "What Have We Learned"
- "Meant to Be" - Steven Curtis Chapman
Cast
| Voice actor/actress | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Phil Vischer | Bob the Tomato Morty Bumble (Mr. Lunt) Stewart's Dad (Mr. Nezzer) Jim Gourdly (Jimmy Gourd) Percy Pea Silly Song Announcer |
| Mike Nawrocki | Stewart Green (Larry the Cucumber) Art Green Qwerty Worker Pete (Oscar) Lil' Pea Grampa Gourd |
| Lisa Vischer | Junior Asparagus Mom Asparagus |
| Cydney Trent | Donna Green (Petunia Rhubarb) |
| Alan Lee | Gustav Epiphanus |
| Cydney Trent | Sister Claire (Petunia Rhubarb) |
| Alan Lee | Gabe |
| Keri Pisapia | Linda Dulce (Ellen) Barney Green Mrs. Josephson |
| Stevey Joy Ru Chapman | Emma Green |
Trivia
- This was the first Christmas episode to start with a Countertop scene.
- Originally in the scene with Emma in the orphanage, she was going to be kicked out and left shivering in the snow. This was cut due to it being too cruel for Veggietales.
See also
- The Toy that Saved Christmas
- VeggieTales Christmas Spectacular!
- The Star of Christmas
- Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving
- Christmas Sing-Along Songs!
- The Little Drummer Boy
- Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas
- Beauty and the Beet
- The Best Christmas Gift
- The Gift of Giving