March 21, 2026
Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign
March 20, 2026
I'm Running Away
March 19, 2026
Must Hear: "To The Mountains" by John T
Look for this guy (above) on i-tunes.
Can't wait to hear more from this newly emerging artist the world is slowly discovering!
March 18, 2026
My Wish List: What I Want From Josh D’Amaro, Disney's New CEO
The man with the mega-watt smile and the infamous wardrobe is now CEO of the company we love and some of us love to hate. Fan of the parks and of Imagineering, "nice guy" Josh D'Amaro takes the helm of The Walt Disney Company today. An expanded Villains land aside, I'm not sure what he'll bring, but I know what I want. After giving the announcement some time to ruminate, here's my wish list as a theme park enthusiast.
Request: Return the Theme Parks and Resorts to Their Best Days
Reality Check: Josh will have much more on his plate than just theme parks and cruise lines. Still, this should be a priority as they are currently the biggest money makers for the company. This has nothing to do with the cast members and everything to do with providing real value for guests' hard earned dollars. Stop nickel and diming those who come to the properties for a relaxing, fun-filled vacation. Josh, you can pick and choose what changes, so think it through and take immediate action.
Recent Action Working Against Him: Do I really need to mention all the price increases??? If I do, this means the executives are even worse off than I thought when it comes to treating your paying customers as guests.
Recipe for a Quick Win: Bring back some of the perks that have been taken away, and bring them back for free. In case the Company leaders have forgotten, that means at no additional charge to your customers already paying so much for a room at the resorts or for a park ticket.
Bonus idea: Lower the cost of a character breakfast. Nothing says greed like this. Seeing Disney characters should be a perk of your park ticket and not an excuse to fleece the faithful flock. AND giving guests another choice or two for a quick service meal would help alleviate the frustration with the generally awful list of meals available at a fairly reasonable price.
Request: Let the Hard Core Disney Fans Know You're Listening
Reality Check: Josh has to listen to the Board and the investors as well. However, keeping the fans happy and keeping them coming back for more is something that just makes sense. It breeds long term success and not just short term gain.
Recent Action Working Against Him: Removing Rivers of America and taking the Muppets out and putting them back in where they do not belong.
Recipe for a Quick Win: Two important steps here and one bonus idea. 1- Green light a new and exciting, thoroughly charming adventure with Figment and Dreamfinder. By doing this, Josh, you will instantly put lovers of the charming purple dragon and his mentor in a good mood and earn instant credibility with hard core Disney park fans (like me) that think the best Imagineering days are behind them. 2- Bite the bullet and give us a brand new Tomorrowland in Walt's park! It is a huge disgrace that original land of the future is a hollow shell of the great, big, beautiful 1967 version. 3- Follow it up by placing a version of Muppet*Vision 3D into the same courtyard as Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. It's all as easy as 1-2-3. I know, I know it's not, but you're the boss now, so make it happen.
Bonus idea: Bring back some of the entertainment that's been closed since pandemic times. You know, that big empty theater in Disney California Adventure? That'd be a good start.
Request: Encourage Imagineering to Tell Original Stories
Reality Check: Intellectual Property use will always be on the burner when it comes to theme park expansion and enhancements. Instead of bad films making poor choices for attractions, work the other direction and save a great concept for the park, then turn it into a film. Would this work? Hard to say. It's a gamble, but maybe it is one worth taking.
Recent Action Working Against Him: About every Pixar film in recent release. And some lackluster recent attractions. Want some help? Take a long, hard look at how the Company screwed up Tiana's Bayou Adventure and never let something like that happen again. Inviting in one of your greatest Imagineers, Tony Baxter, to coach the project team and then blow off his suggestions is a misfire if not an outright disgrace. The Princess and the Frog is a terrific film with incredible characters and great music! It should never have been wasted on such a poorly scripted plot for the attraction. Aside from the last scene, the entire execution feels off. Need more to consider as further evidence? How about dumping the original memorable trilogy film of Star Wars for something else for Galaxy's Edge? What was everyone thinking? Certainly, someone in the building had to say it to the team planning it all. Well, at least Disneyland is going to try to fix some of the mistakes. Do I need to talk about Avengers Campus?
Recipe for a Quick Win: None. Brainstorm, innovate, work at it until you get something very, very good. Can it be done? Walt did it. You probably can as well! By chance if the movie comes first, don't wait decades to come up with a park attraction built on it.
March 17, 2026
St. Paddy's at Raglan Road: Worth the Stop?
The live entertainment is good-
but you may end up seated in an out of the way location.
Why has this been our first stop on our last two trips? Well, traveling with our youngest son. Although his ethnicity is very mixed, the lad identifies with the Irish piece of his heritage more than his German, English or Italian sides, so Raglan was the place we chose to begin our trip and let the vacation kick off in high gear.
I can't tell you what mid-week looks like in the restaurant, but on the weekend, my bet is Raglan is one of the most popular choices. It was the first place we booked on line when reservations became open, and it was the most difficult of all to get the time we wanted. Once we arrived, the entertainment district was mobbed. When guests go to the Springs, they go to party.
Our wait was about 15 minutes from the time we finally checked in. We were seated in the back left side of the restaurant in a dark, moody, corner as far away from the stage as could be, but it was a perfect setting to have a long and relaxed meal and a drink. Surprisingly, part way through our drinks, one of the dancers came and set up a mini stage next to us and began dancing. It was great! We felt like part of the action and not second their tourists because we were not in the main seating area in front of the larger stage.
The Whiskey Flight.
"Irish Rage" is one happy guy tonight!
I began with a gin based drink and my wife chose something lighter. Not our son! He's a hard liquor guy and was very pleased to sample the menu's Whiskey Flight- even if it did cost more than our meal. Our drinks were actually pretty good! Vacation had started! I knew Raglan was my son's top choice for a meal on the Disney property, and I didn't want to disappoint him when he suggested it again. I'm glad I gave in to his preference.
One of the tastiest appetizers we had the entire trip.
We began with complimentary bread and butter that was a meal in itself. Our waiter was prompt, relaxed, and knowledgable. Never pushy and an excellent listener- which is not always the case when you're shoving through hundreds of guests a night. He let us sit, drink, and relax, bringing in a second basket of bread. There was no rush to take an order or push us out once our meal was complete. This was the kind of service offered by professionals and something so needed on a vacation that can be overwhelming with tight schedules and big crowds. He was rewarded well for his approach as is also our custom.
Pull the Boxty is not the name of a kid's prank. Instead, it is a potato and hamhock creation that is every bit worth the very high price tag. The list of appetizers was extensive but when we ordered this one, our server told us it was one of the most popular for a very good reason. It was in fact one of the most flavorful dishes we ordered the entire trip. And it was no small plate! Hearty and heaping, everyone had their fill. I would have been happy to order this as my main meal, and I will probably do so if we ever go back.
The slow braised short ribs were a quick and easy choice for my beef-loving son. My wife picked the pot pie and was very pleased with her choice. Flaky crust, rich, hearty, and generous filling, all very well presented. I stuck with my preferred choice of fish and chips when I'm in a restaurant that is known for great fish. My beer battered cod was not as crispy as I normally like it, but it was undeniably excellent and flavorful, much milder than I expected. The chips were standard fare, which was rather surprising. The short ribs were easily the best of our lot with a mouth watering reduced red wine jus, but the accompanying roasted veggies almost stole the show. Almost.
The desserts were tempting, but were passed as by the time we left, if was very late, and we were stuffed. The music was bright and upbeat. We were actually close enough to enjoy it but also could hear each other speak. In short, the room that seemed farthest away was actually the one that struck the perfect balance for the kind of "first night of vacation" that we wanted it to be.
Then came the bill.
Including our very generous tip for excellent service, our night out at Raglan Road was actually the most expensive meal of this vacation, close to $200 price tag for a pub trip. That's just about more than $65 a head. Yes, that is a lot. Keep in mind that this is cheaper than the in-park hard to book meals. And it included live entertainment that had nothing to do with Disney rubberheads.
We found Raglan Road - the only one outside of Ireland itself- worthy of its reputation and worth the price for a special event, but you may feel differently. If my wife and I go back without my son along, we'll probably pick a different place for our first night at the Springs. But he is carrying on his own tradition as he will take his new bride to Disney for her first trip. Raglan Road will be their first stop. Some traditions are meant to be carried on!
Considerations:
- Book early. Really early! Try to get something after dark for the best authentic atmosphere.
- Nighttime is not kid friendly, so try brunch if there are children in your group. Or the take away shop next door if you just want the excellent food and don't care about the entertainment.
- Decide ahead of time what type of experience you want. Seating places a big role in this restaurant.
- The live entertainment is excellent- but it is a very loud restaurant.
- Go hungry or don't go. If you've filled up on a big lunch, choose this for another day.
Let me end with this traditional Irish blessing:
"May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love."
Want more Dine or Ditch?
Check out these other reviews:
Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom
Garden Grill at Epcot
Cafe Orleans at Disneyland
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal Orlando Resort
San Angel Inn Restaurante at Epcot
Nomad Lounge at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Cafe Orleans at Disneyland
Mythos at Islands of Adventure
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
March 16, 2026
A Little Birthday Gift
Sometimes it's just so true that your awesome wife knows you better than anyone else! For my birthday while we were in California, she rented a Mustang convertible for me and gave men a gift of an entirely free day to drive PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and then anywhere else I wanted. She even thought of packing a few of my favorite discs for the day in the car. Smart woman! Blessed man!
March 15, 2026
Take Back Kids Sports!
Go to PositiveCoach.org and take a look at what they are trying to do.
Check out who is working very hard to change things for our children: Lamar Jackson, Steph Curry, A'Ja Wilson, Jordan Larson, Luka Dončić, Peyton Manning, Jordan Spieth, and Sydney Leroux. Pretty stellar line up!
March 12, 2026
A Villains Land for All! One for Families and Those Wanting a Darker Side
The family friendly portion is in the front of the land. This makes it approachable for kids of all ages. The environment has to look a bit different than what's in Fantasyland, however. The rides for smaller kids focuses on attractions with less scary villains, while rides like the big rollercoaster use much darker ones. In the village, use the Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook, and even Cruella De Vil. This will be the spot for a few character meet and greets- one along the lines of Enchanted Tales with Belle, a couple of classic "C Ticket" level dark rides, a spinner hidden within a show building, a theater show, friendly themed shops, (a candy store themed to Pinocchio's Pleasure Island would work well here) and a couple of quick service spots that would appeal to the family. Just one more thing: add a 'middle ground" roller coaster somewhere between the intensity of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain Railway.
What about those guests to the land wanting more "bite"? Let's take a shot of creating a foreboding place with the scarier, darker, more thrill focused portion in the back. Make it accessible through three hidden entrances as you walk into the village. Think of how Universal handled Diagon Alley and the entrance to Knockturn Alley, but with multiple entry points. Use other, creepier villains for an incredibly themed boat ride using Shanghai Disneyland's famous Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure technology. Maybe the water villains like Ursula and her friends. Let the boats approach two different paths, but take the one that is darker and more suspenseful than the one that looks more bright and cheery.
Save Malificient, Chernabog, Dr. Facillier, Jafar, and Hades for the big, big, thrills that call out to teenagers and thrill seekers. A giant, very well themed coaster with a much higher height requirement- and cleverly disguised if not almost totally hidden track. Leave some showing as a tease, but make it themed. It doesn't have to be taller than Cinderella Castle to be thrilling. Play up the suspense factor. Have riders go totally underground first. Send the sounds of screams outside to the open areas, much like what the bakeries in the parks do with their "smellitizers"- or whatever they are called. Does a giant dragon on top (like in the concept art) need to be there? Or would the designers just be imitating what's been done with their competitors down the street?
This more serious themed area needs a spookier dark ride as well. Start with a version of the Haunted Mansion. After walking in, it's' time to get on the Omnimover. Then begin with one of a series of two or three different rooms acting as the first show scene. Each room can use a very different set of villains. Each room can be in a different setting as well. Make one set of dialogue funny, another frightening, and another with an entirely different tone- maybe arguing about how to best eliminate the good guys. All before they discover us and decide they have to eliminate us as well. As the cars go past, then let the riders experience different routes from there on out. (Can you imagine what the Haunted Mansion would have been like with trackless vehicles traveling to different rooms. Every journey could be different. And think of the Lightning Lane passes you'd sell!) Want more?
Add in a highly desirable sit down dining experience that plays up the chill factor (use a style like the West Wing room of Be Our Guest as a way to pull it off) and a great bar or two. Quick service better play a role here, too. Think Gideon's Bakery for inspiration. Go BIG on this! Multiple attractions for the little kid friendly area and the scarier one. Invest now and wow everyone.
This year's D23 should be interesting! I'm not even an Imagineer, and I can come up with some great ideas. What are yours?
(Art copyright Mark Taft.)
March 10, 2026
Pray for Peace in the Middle East
The war in Iran could be just the beginning as we see things in the Middle East heat up. So, stop, pray, and pray for peace in the region. Mourn for those in battle and those who have lost their lives. And go before God in prayer that He and He alone would stop the war.
In ancient times, when someone was mourning, the men would tear their clothes and switch to clothing of sackcloth garments and place ashes on their heads. I'm not ready to go back to those activities, but my heart is certainly concerned about current events- and I am praying for peace- and for all those that don't know Jesus Christ and his gift of eternal life for all who would believe wholeheartedly in Him!
March 8, 2026
Four Perfect Slow Travel Days in Walt Disney World- with a Universal Orlando Resort Stop Along the Way
Slow Travel. A brand new trend for the overburdened, stressed out, and frankly tired traveler. It's about time! Can I get an "AMEN!" Is it even possible to go to the theme park capital of the world- Orlando- and have a great time using the slow method? What about all that trip planning for Walt Disney World? Or that list of must-see brand new attractions at Universal Orlando Resort's stunning new Epic Universe? Can I still experience Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry using the slow travel method? I'd say "Yes!" to all the above- and here's how to do it.
1- Set Realistic Expectations- No, you're NOT going to be able to do everything you want on a trip of this duration and with Slow Travel being the emphasis. Once you have that firmly established in mind, it's time to proceed to step number 2.
2- Choose Your Two Must-Do Experiences- Limit your theme park priorities to just two individual experiences and then plan around them. Is it Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry or it is Harry Potter attractions in all three worlds? Perhaps you absolutely must experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or you have to have a day at the beach. Choose carefully. Is eating or drinking at Epcot's newer Space 220 a must? What about the Beak & Barrel bar in the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland? The truth is, the leisurely way of visiting the parks where you could just go in and decide on the spot which restaurant or attraction you wanted to experience are over. (I miss that!) Unless you are willing to go having no preferences in mind.
3- Determine What Will Your Downtime Will Look Like- A priority with slow travel is, well, slowing down and relaxing. Taking things at an easy pace. For me, time by the pool or even better, a day at the beach, works wonders in getting me to relax. A long lunch, touring the resorts, riding the waterways or just sleeping in are some options which will help you really enjoy your time when you tour this way.
Now it's time to begin planning by laying out your days before making reservations.
Try the following if you need help sorting it all out:
1- Choose One of the Following: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom.
2- Choose One of the Following: Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe
Option: Select SeaWorld or Busch Gardens as an alternative choice.
3- Select Two of the Following: Disney Springs, City Walk, Resort Touring, Recreation Day, Pool Day, Beach Day
If you have any Must-Do restaurants on your list, plan ahead to reserve them as soon as you can. Even if you cannot get your preferred time, take what you can get and use it as a starting point.
Other tips:
Choose a resort closest to your preferred theme parks.
If waiting for resort transportation is inconvenient, book an Uber or a similar transport.
Should you want to avoid getting reservations for meals, choose now to be satisfied with walk up food booths or stands if you can't get into what seems good to you when you are there in person.
Consider the resort restaurants as choices for the most relaxing meals. Combine this with a walk around the resort for exploration and relaxation.
Do your souvenir shopping at the resorts or shopping districts but not at the parks. The parks offer very little if anything that cannot be purchased somewhere else.
Did you do something that really brought you joy and a peaceful attitude? Consider repeating it later in the trip or choose something similar.
Now that you've considered your options, here's my plan for the (hopefully) perfect slow travel getaway:
My Must-Do Experiences and Downtime Plan: A day at Epcot, my favorite Disney park in Florida. Time at the Beach. A day at Epic Universe. Relaxed time at Disney Springs. Explore the resort hotels.
My Schedule:
Travel Day -Arrive in the early evening. Head off to Disney Springs or our hotel restaurant of choice.
Day One- Epic Universe. Why is this the first full day of our trip? Since I have been to the other Disney and Universal parks, this will be the one I am most likely to try and see everything. The pace will be more hectic and even frantic. We will still be in "busy mode" from the previous work days, so this is a good place to continue that before we truly wind down and take it slow.
Day Two- Time to head to Disney after checking out. This is a tour the themed resorts and a Disney Springs kind of day. A nice change of pace from cramming in a very full day at Epic Universe. Not a full breakfast but a coffee at our hotel beginning, so we can save our first meal for lunch. We'll finish it all off with some evening pool time.
Day Three-The Beach. Let's really relax now and take in a bit of what made Florida famous long before The Mouse ever showed up. Both the beaches of Tampa and Cocoa Beach are a fairly easy drive. There's nothing like the sound of the sea, toes in the sand, and a fresh seafood lunch to bring on the mellow vibe. No agenda, no time restraints other than returning to the hotel at a decent time.
Day Four- Epcot. I saved this for last because the memories of our time here last long after the vacation is over. For us, nothing says "Walt Disney World" like a great day at this once innovative theme park. We will bypass festival food booths for a sit-down lunch inside at one of our favorite World Showcase locations. After a day of exploring at a casual pace, we will end our time with the nighttime show and a walk around the beautifully lit countries surrounding World Showcase Lagoon.
Travel Day- Back to our home turf. There's always a bit of negotiating to by done when choosing our return flight. Do we opt for a later flight and spend some time doing one last item on our list? (You can guess where I land on this compared to my wife.) Or do we head home and get some downtime before reality rushes back in?
Or do we come back home and begin planning the next trip?
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
March 4, 2026
The True Purpose of Prayer- It's More Than You May Think
When I look around at world events, I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is time to pray! I'm sure millions of people around the world are joining me in prayer for peace in the Middle East. We certainly need to be going to God to make this happen. And He is the only one who can make this happen. But why pray?
There's something so calming, so peaceful, so reassuring that rises up in me when I look at this photograph. A man on his knees praying. It's been me for many days of my life. Has it been you as well? There's a lot to be said for this discipline.
But again, why do we pray? It's pretty simple, at least at the beginning of things. We want something or we want answers from God. At our core, we want to know someone greater than us cares deeply about us and is paying attention. Maybe we've hit the end of our selves and are broken, hurting or confused. So, we cry out to God, hoping he is real. And He is, and He wants a real ongoing relationship with us. But why?
Are you ready to dig in?
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When talking about prayer, we have to start at the very beginning…
It all begins with the character of God. In the book of I John, the great disciple of Jesus states, "God is love". (verse 4:16)
God’s character is the beginning of everything good.
Let's make it very practical here. God designed you and me. I'm not talking generically here, although that is correct theologically. For this purpose, I'm talking individually. He created us uniquely. What you love and care about. Your interests, your passions, your traits and characteristics both physical, mental and emotional. All of them were designed for His purposes. I'll explain that more later, but hold onto that thought.
The problem is with us. We can and often do run away from Him. Even or maybe especially those of us who have decided to make Jesus the center of our lives. He's not just a band aid for our hurt or a way to make sure we spend an eternity in Heaven with Him versus an eternity in Hell without Him. The plan is bigger. If we don't understand who God is and what our relationship with Him means, we will never really know what prayer is supposed to be about. It can lead to deep anger or disappointment. We may be expecting results that God never intended.
Of the many characteristics of God, four stand out to me as being worth consideration as we discuss prayer. Let's look at these from a Biblical standpoint.
1- He is Unchanging.
In the New Testament, James writes in Chapter one, verse 17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
In other words, He is the same God for the starving children in Africa as He is for those of wealthy. Even though we do not understand his ways and what He allows, they are never subjective to the limited understanding of man. The Eternal God is so dependable. In fact, He is not fickle and His personality doesn't change. If our image of God is dependent on our understanding of Him, our understanding becomes our highest authority, our god, not Him. Stop and think about that.
2- He is All-Knowing
Psalm 147:5 says, “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”
God created Man. Nothing we think, do, or say, past, present or future, surprises Him. He knows all things. Even if this terrifies me at times, and oh it does, there's an inherent peace and deep comfort in that for those of us that love and know Jesus Christ. He's not surprised by my sin, my bad motives, my stupidest decisions, or the ugliest of thoughts I have. He loves me still the same, even if He wants us to grow and live differently. The truth is, you cannot encounter God through His Son Jesus and not be changed by him. It's impossible. He knows that as well.
3- He always cares. Our circumstances don't change His love.
Here's a classic piece of scripture that best describes this point:
Romans 8:35-39 tells us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God's love for a fallen, imperfect man is shown best in the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross for sin. That He understands and has seen all the evil men can do, and yet He loves us. It is truly amazing. In fact, any man, woman, or child who would come to Him, confessing his sins, believing in his heart that Jesus Christ is the perfect payment for sin, will find an eternity in heaven with Him and true, fulfilling purpose here on earth. Hell is no longer his eternal destination, and Satan no longer has a hold on him.
4- He is Always Good
Psalm 25:8 - “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.”
Let me emphasize here. God is always good- even when we do not agree with Him or get what we want. God's goodness and mercy are found all through the Bible, but all of Psalm 136 resonates: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!"
Stop and think about the times God has answered your prayers. These stories are important because they are your stories of interactions with our Living God. No one can take these from you, no one can tell you they did not happen. This is part of your history. Just think, the most powerful being ever took time to interact with you. Incredible!
Now, remembering what you just did, let’s look at prayer from God's perspective. A Biblical perspective. There's three main aspects of prayer.
1- Relationship with Him
God desires that we would know Him and love Him. This goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. After the fall of man, when the forbidden fruit was eaten, God searches for them in the garden. It's not that He didn't know where they were. It's that He wanted them to answer as to why they were hiding from Him. Why did they no longer desired to know Him and talk with Him. Why they traded knowledge like God at the high, high cost of intimacy with Him.
An Eternal Relationship. He gives us hope for an eternity with Him. An eternal, loving, relationship. Never broken unity. No pain, no loss, no doubts. Imagine an eternity of peace, deep love, and joy. This is God's heart for us!
As far as prayer goes, He does answer prayer. For those who put their trust in Him, prayer is a two way dialogue, a by-product of close and real relationship. Not the reason for it. Contrary to what the false teachers of the prosperity gospel would teach, God is no cosmic genie, waiting at our beck and call to give us all we ask. Instead, He is a good and perfect Father, allowing only what is absolutely best for us... pain and suffering included.
2- Transformation
The second reason for prayer is transformation. I'm not talking the Michael Jackson type of change, but the kind of change for the better. Every recovering alcoholic understands what I mean here. Ever plead or even beg with God to change you? To heal you? To make you different than what you currently are? Well, God has a plan for that kind of transformation. The plan is to make those who believe to look more like Jesus Christ. He desires to clean us up, heal our souls, and to change the course of our lives. It gives us hope and purpose, but it also means God has a plan for us: To look like Jesus and to care about the very things He cares about.
3- Instruction
He wants to lead us. Our beautiful, living, powerful, good God has a plan for us. He created us and made each of us unique. Because we are made by Him to be unique, He alone knows what will most fulfill us and give us meaningful purpose. The truth is, we only think we do. Yet, until we love and trust in God, we will never discover the truth and instead, be left to search endlessly on our own.
We all want to know if we make a difference. We all want to know we will make an impression in this world before our life is over. God's plan is that all people would know and love Him. (Just read the book of Second Peter in the New Testament.) And He desires to uniquely use us for this plan.
There’s a progression here. In other words, if we love Him and walk closely with Him, we will go on this journey with Jesus:
· Encounter Jesus, the Living God,
· Be Changed by Jesus, the Living God,
· Be Used by Jesus, the Living God.
And God desires to keep this cycle going! So, from a Biblical perspective, these are the three real purposes of prayer. As you think more deeply about each, you'll realize prayer doesn't always involve getting what we want, what we think is best. Sometimes, oftentimes, it's a very different story.
To make sense of this fact, it helps to look at the life of Jesus as our model.
This Jesus, the one I love and follow, took on the pain and sins of Man. Once for all time. Even though His life was sinless and ours is not, there's a lot to learn by examining his life. He was, after all, a man of prayer. And what better place to look at his prayer than right before His Crucifixion.
Let's look at the Book of John, chapter 17 verses 1-4, right before Jesus is sent to be crucified.
"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."
This was the most crucial time in Jesus’ ministry. Would He finish well? No one would dare complete this task of crucifixion unless God Himself spoke it and they loved God enough to obey. Jesus’ prayer reveals THE most important aspect of why we pray:
“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”
But back to us for a moment. What about the things we pray about?
What happens when we pray and God answers? What happens when our life is impacted by what happens around us and to us? It usually falls into these categories.
· Good things we like
· When Bad Things Happen
· The consequences of our sin
· The consequences of other’s sin
· The results of Other people’s sin against us
What happens when we get what we asked for? When there's no answer? When the answer brings us pain? Keep reading!
When We Get What We Ask For
Rejoice and be thankful! God wants us to come to Him when things are good and not just come to Him when things are hard or when we need something. Remember how good He is! Celebrate that- and remember that.
Sometimes getting what we pray for comes with an unexpected side! There can be challenges that come with it. Opportunities to grow, change, and become more like Jesus.
It's time for us, for me, to move away from an American mindset of Christianity. What I mean is, following Jesus does not mean we will experience success as our culture defines it. We will, however, experience success as how God defines it. And He defines it as obedience. Jesus himself says if we love Him, we will obey what He commands. Doesn't mean we'll get what the world says is a reward.
In the world's eyes, Jesus was a crucified failure. In God's eyes, Jesus completed his mission- to die for the sins of the world, to save all the people that would choose to love Him, serve, Him, and follow Him. The world would say he was a victim of a hate crime. The truth is He was no victim. Jesus was a strong, brave and obedient servant of the God Most High who completed the task set before Him- even if it looked like failure and shame.
What about When We Get No Answer?
Let’s look again at Jesus in the Garden. He knows what’s coming. He is in emotional distress, lonely, troubled. He’s in physical distress as well. His friends are too tired and worried and sad to stay awake and pray with Him. He is ultimately alone. He cries out:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42 )
The Father doesn’t change the situation, but He was strengthened. In this case, an angel appeared to Him. We may not get an angel, but we may not be asked to die on a cross either! Jesus continues on… to fulfill the Father’s plan.
Practically, when we get no answer, we can follow Jesus' model.
1-Keep Praying, 2- Wait and Watch for God, 3- Do the Last Thing He Told You
When the Answer Brings Pain
Our life's circumstances can come because of our sin, the sin of other people, or other’s sin against us. But, as we have just seen in the example of Jesus at the cross, it can also come because we are obedient to what God has asked. God works in ways and in time that we may never understand. Or it may take years before we can look at our life, look backwards, and then say to ourselves, "Now I understand."
What about the times we pray and do not get what we feel we have been promised?
Interestingly, the Bible does not ignore the fact that sometimes we do not get what God has promised. The book of Hebrews in the New Testament speaks of all the great "heroes of the faith". You know, the guys like King David, etc. The guys of Sunday School Bible stories.
Hebrews 11:39: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised."
All the great heroes of the faith didn’t get what was promised!
We are in good company! Of course, this also brings a challenge to our minds when we do not receive our promised from God. What do we do when we think the promises of God don’t come- when it seems God is contradicting Himself?
Will we rely on our own understanding to bring us peace?
Will we trust Him, knowing His character and love for us?
Will we wait on Him even if it’s hard?
Again, will we trust in God even when it looks as if He is certainly contradicting Himself?
Looking at the topic of prayer from God's perspective always helps us. We can either choose to believe things about God that are not true, or we can believe He is unchanging, all-knowing, that He always cares and that He is always good.
The Complete and Biblical Purpose of Prayer is for Relationship with God, Transformation into the image of Jesus, and for Instruction from Him.
He wants Relationship with Us, Wants to Make us More like Jesus, Wants to Give Us Hope, and Wants to Use Us for His Purposes. As you follow Jesus, you'll find yourself doing things you thought you could never do. People will be amazed- and God will get the glory because people will know He worked within you to accomplish the very things that seemed impossible for you to do.
God allows the seasons so he can show his power to us, his wisdom, his goodness. Whether or not we get the answer we want or ever understand, He is still God! This we know: He does love and care for us. And His plan for us is incredible.
I'll end here with a piece of truth from the book of Romans. (Romans 8:28-30) Through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD, HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
March 2, 2026
Carpenters Decade Book
Today, beloved singer Karen Carpenter would have turned 76 years old. Incredible how time goes by! One of the most sought after souvenirs / pieces of memorabilia is the "Carpenters Decade" book that celebrated their ten years of having music on the charts.
Their first modest hit was a remake of the Beatles Ticket to Ride, but it was their next single that catapulted she and brother Richard Carpenter to international stardom. That song? (They Long To Be) Close To You. Thanks to some kind soul years ago, I received scans of the Decades book, and now I'd like share them with you. Click on each page for the largest image possible.
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This is part of a continuing series on the albums of Karen and Richard Carpenter. There are so many stand alone posts highlighting different aspects of their career, recordings, rare photographs, and life that I've lost count.
Below is the list of my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews and then my initial ones a decade earlier. Each have different photos and clippings.
My Revisited / Fresh Look at the albums:
Made in America (coming June 16!)
My Initial Reviews of the albums:
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