Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!" So reads Psalm 33:12 in the Bible. As you watch the Hall of Presidents, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln or the American Adventure at the Disney parks, listen with an open mind and heart. You'll hear the story of how God was so involved in the creation of our nation. Do we still believe that? I do. 

No, we're not perfect- but you cannot take away our heritage. Many try, but it's evil to remove what God has done and his role in our story. I'll be very curious to see what stories historian Ken Burns uncovers with the new documentary on PBS, The American Revolution.

Personally, as we celebrate 4th of July, our Independence Day, we should stop and ask ourselves if we are truly living a free and vicarious life.  God's Word shows us the truth once again: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17) How we gain this real freedom is through turning our lives over to Jesus, holding nothing back- holding absolutely nothing back- and letting him transform us into what He intends for us to be. It may be painful at times, but pleasing God begins to be the priority of those He calls his children. His Spirit is always present when we submit to God and His ways. Every day is a new opportunity and a choice. What will you choose?

Disneyland Honors America's Bicentennial

In honor of America today, here is the 1976 Bicentennial Railroad poster for Disneyland's beloved trains. This attraction poster has all the charm of the earlier ones in a brilliant red, white, and blue color scheme. 

Just like Walt Disney, our is a Land of Liberty that I love! Yes, I'm a citizen of the United States of America, and although I am not always happy with the decisions of our governing body, I still maintain that we are the most free country on earth. We can worship freely, speak freely, and lives our lives according to our own values. You can't do this everywhere. Travel the world and you'll see this to be a fact.

This blog has one of the largest collections of attraction posters on the net. Why? I love the attraction posters, especially the original Disneyland ones, so I started collecting them years ago. You'll find them here for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland and more. Enjoy the search!

(Image copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

A Unique Fourth of July

Am I ashamed of the United States of America? We have taken a lot of punches lately- and deservedly so! We've been exposed for our racism, our consumer mindset, and our division due to political beliefs. No, I'm not ashamed, but I am saddened. We should be so much more than we are.

We have our problems, no doubt. But so do those of every other countries. I've traveled enough of the world and made enough friends to tell you that racism, hatred, pride, selfishness, political division, and more exists everywhere. There's the murdering of innocent children (both inside and outside the womb), genocide, politically motivated famine, persecution and execution of religious minorities, greed, power struggles and more. Man is the same everywhere. Our sin nature guarantees it! We've fallen far from the honor God offers us.

Yet, in the midst of our problems, we too as Americans try to fix ourselves and do better. For that reason, I'm happy to call myself a citizen. My true home, my true citizenship, my first identification, is that of a Christian- but my temporary home is here, and I am blessed. Happy Independence Day, United States of America!

Congress Declares Bible "The Word of God"

Here's an amazing affirmation of the Truth. Take a look at this document while you pause to reflect on this great country of ours! Do we have our problems? Most assuredly! Which great nation hasn't struggled? Yet, we have a faithful God to follow. He will never disappoint. This does not mean we understand everything He allows. It does mean He is always good, always loving, and always takes care of those who follow Jesus Christ. The year 1982 was the one Congress declared the Bible the Word of God. They got it right then, and it still holds true today. Happy Independence Day!

A Blessed Nation

The rarely sung last stanza from Scott Francis Key's classic song of America:

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace,may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
-------

God blessed the United States of America from the very beginning when brave Christian men and women sought freedom to practice their faith in a new land. It wasn't freedom from faith, as we are so prone to believe today. It was freedom to love God with all their hearts and live it out without the bounds of the government determining what it should look like- which was the norm in Europe when politicians and too many ministers worked hand in hand to control the actions of the people.

Now we find ourselves in a position where we as a nation are moving farther and farther away from God. It's mockery of God, which is a very foolish thing in which to engage. May God have mercy on us even as we prepare for His judgment. His judgment which comes out of His righteousness and love. He longs for us to return to Him. And so we should.

God Bless America!

Happy Independence Day! The United States of America is truly the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Thank you to all the men and women of the military- past and present- who fight for our freedoms, including our right to vocally agree or disagree with our government. And thank you, Walt Disney and the Walt Disney Company, for putting so much of your respect and love for our nation into the parks. From Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln to The Hall of Presidents to The American Adventure, you've given us opportunity to be reminded of how good we have it here and how blessed we are by God.