Rich in history, Istanbul is one city where East meets West, Europe blends with the Middle East and Asia, and Christianity and Islam live side by side. The famous Grand Bazaar is a popular tourist site- a truly must-see destination, but it is the Hagia Sophia mosque that is the spiritual heartbeat of the city.
For centuries, this was a Christian basilica built 1500 years ago. This Greek Orthodox church is a magnificent structure! Massive yet delicate pillars support large domes decorated with inlaid tile, all beautifully illuminated by equally impressive chandeliers.
Nowadays, it is an Islamic mosque, to the delight of some and the dismay of others. Prayer towers, known as minarets, were added during the time of the Ottoman empire.
In modern days, any Christian elements found in the building were wisely not destroyed but only covered up with Islamic symbols. The historical nature of the building and the political climate of the city and country lent itself to this cultural sensitivity. If you look closely, you still still find crosses, angels, and other images that reflect the mosque's Christian origins.
There's a huge and fascinating world beyond the Disney park borders, and a visit to Istanbul is a once charming, startling, and fascinating. Very much worth your time.
The Plaza Point store looks nice! In my culture, we celebrate Christmas and especially Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus. I'd love to see some ornaments that reflect my culture and not just Santa or the Easter Bunny. Can we have that at Disneyland, Imagineer Kim Irvine?
Quite the eye opener! Here's a fascinating 5 minute interview with a Muslim imam explaining why and how Radical Islamists can and should be stopped- including what is getting in the way of that happening.
The author of The Tragedy of Islam, Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, writes from quite a personal place as a practicing Muslim and leader fo his religion. He is a third-generation Iranian-born Australian and is a publicly ordained imam. He also comes from a prominent Islamic family line, so he is certainly worth listening to and evaluating his words. The five minute interview is not able to be embedded, but it is available for viewing here. Well worth your time.
The Iraqi government declared December 25th a day where believers in Jesus Christ could celebrate their relationship with their God. That my friends, in a land where Christians have been killed for their faith, is a true miracle.
"America's Pastor" Billy Graham has passed at age 99. It's a sad day for American Christians and many around the world, but he is resting in the arms of Jesus. I love this quote from him, "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” That said, what's far more important is that he focused on the message of Jesus Christ and him alone. For years, he has been faithful to proclaim that Jesus is the only way to God, the only way to eternal rest in heaven, and that the ways of man and any other religion are useless. Billy never swayed from calling sin for what it was and reminding people that Jesus' death on the cross was the only payment for our sin, moving us from a place of shame to a place of honor as part of God's family. All because of God's great love for the human race, Jesus was straightforward and plain about it. (See the book of John chapter 14.) Billy never forgot that. It was due to God's love Jesus was sent and His death and resurrection only proved He was who he said he was. Here's Billy's final prayer for the world given on his 99th birthday last November: ""I've been praying that we might have a spiritual awakening," Graham said. "I think that becomes possible only as individuals surrender their lives afresh and anew to Christ." There's a reason why American Presidents during his lifetime requested an audience with him to provide prayer and counsel. The man was not perfect, but he was wise, focused, and attempted to live a life of integrity. I, for one, will miss his influence on our nation and its leaders.
Jesus the refugee. I knew this, and it all made sense, but to see his birth in a fresh light in fresh words was certainly eye opening. Wow! Perhaps this applies to our current political discussion surrounding the plight of refugees and immigrants all over the world. Read this short article for yourself. God does show up in all the wrong places... and I'm so thankful He does go where humans dare not. Such a reflection of God's heart for us as lost and broken people. It's this kind of love and this sacrifice of His Son for my sin which makes Him irresistible.
Remember this day. Even as we find ourselves on the brink of getting involved more than some of us ever thought. And definitely more than any of us would like. It was a day of tragedy, but also a day for heroes- not cowards! Radical Islam extremists decided to attack us, the United States of America on September 11, 2001, not the other way around. We as a people rallied together. People of all faiths and backgrounds. We came together to grieve together and pray together. Let us remember. Pray for our nation, remembering the sacrifices of those serving, the loss of family and friends. Let us preserve our freedoms- but do it with wisdom. Let us honor those who gave their lives instead of honoring and defending those who killed others. Christians overseas are being slaughtered. Children, infants, women and men alike. And we stand by or so it seems. Did we not learn anything from Hitler and World War II? What other country in the world would care about the rights of terrorists when fighting a war? We have a right to defend our people, our land, and to come together with those of other nations experiencing the violent and deadly attacks that come against them.
So the leader of the local mosque in California asks Allah to "annihilate the Jews"? (See article here.) This is unacceptable. This is religious tolerance from the extreme side of Islam? Watch it for yourself below.
I have Muslim friends. They do not act or talk like this. And yet this imam with authority of the local people speaks out in this manner? Where is the ACLU now? Why aren't they protesting hate speech such as this? I do not understand the liberal media's fascination and acceptance of radical Islam. If you look into it yourself, you will not stand behind hate talk such as this or those who do.
Here is a first hand report from some friends who recently traveled overseas to work with refugees. I didn't truly understand what was happening there. It's worth a read if not for the individual stories told towards the end of it.
-----------------------------------------------
In the past few years nearly a million refugees have risked the sea between Turkey and the Greece, most to the island of Lesvos. We hate to think of how many didn't make it. As we walked around the rank mounds of lifejackets and shredded dinghies, the air hung heavy with desperation, loss and hope.
Empty of the bodies they once buoyed: shouting victory “They made it!” and haunting whispers of thousands of other lifejackets at the bottom of the strait.
Crushed one atop the other: a picture of the refugees’ immediate future - cramped, squalid conditions of the camp to which they’d be assigned.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Not their photo. From an official website.
Each jacket telling a story of a life precious to our God; individuals some for whom we now have names. Halima, Aminen, Vicki, Pepe, Shefy, Hamed, Immanuel, Mustafa, Hamid, Moshun, Mariam… their lifejackets were somewhere in the debris.
VICKI
It took 9 months for her to make her way from Eritrea in NW Africa to Greece - the door she dreamed would lead to a safe life. Her journey included a 5-month stay in a Syrian prison, because she was undocumented.
MOSHUN
When the group of refugees protested that the dinghy was too small for their size group, the smugglers pulled out knives and a gun and started beating Moshun. He and his wife, Mariam, had no choice but to climb in the boat with their 2 boys. The engine failed, but thank God, they’d already made it into Greek waters and were discovered by a rescue boat. HAMID
He’d fled from Burma nearly a year ago. “I’m here alone. My mother, father, brothers, sisters, alive? dead? I don’t know. I have not heard from them.” Then he showed me pictures of horrific violence against his Rohingyan people. I forced myself to glance. These people have lived through these atrocities, though my stomach turned, I could not look away from their pain.
RESILIENCE
As a special tactics officer in Mosul, Ari was captured and tortured by ISIS until the Kurdish militia rescued him. He often wakes up crying thinking he is still in captivity, yet goes to the shores to help translate for new arrivals whenever he can. During our last weekend in camp, several boats arrived from Turkey. One of the dinghies with 8 passengers capsized in the middle of the night and after hours in the cold water, only 2 survived by the time a rescue crew showed up. Ari was asked to come translate. In so doing he missed one of his asylum interviews. It will be rescheduled... but that could take weeks or months. Ari wants to give back.
RESURRECTION And then it caught my eye – daisies growing in this desolate life-jacket graveyard. LIFE. Such a sweet picture of the Gospel – of Jesus bringing beauty out of ashes and hope in the desperation.
Working in the camp in Lesvos was emotionally and physically exhausting. None of us were able to have any deeply spiritual conversations with anyone – but the roles we and the others on our team played picking up trash, fixing broken doors, cleaning bathrooms, manning gates, distributing food and clothes, playing with children… those acts on a day-to-day day basis help keep the tinder-box nature of the camp from erupting into chaos, help honor their dignity, reflect the love of Jesus (Euro-Relief, with whom we partnered, is known as a Christian group) AND create space for those volunteers who are there longer to have deep conversations about Jesus that lead to resurrection stories like this from a group who we overlapped with.
Mohammed, from Iraq, invited his new friends to go fishing. These guys from Texas had been encouraging him in his young faith in Christ and speaking outside of the camp was safer. While they were fishing, an older Syrian man from another nearby camp joined them. “I’m considering changing my religion,” he said rather abruptly. After much gentle question answering, the Iraqi young man sharing his story of following Jesus, more questions and sharing, the older Syrian said, “I want to do this now.” God obviously had been preparing him for this divine appointment and he chose to put his trust in Jesus there along the beach.
Please pray for the believers who are in the camps – for their protection and for opportunities for them to share their faith. Pray for peace to reign in the camp. Pray for a constant flow of volunteers to fill these critical positions. Pray that those seeking refuge would experience the truth of Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, you people, pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” ------------------------- Thank you to my sweet, Jesus loving friends, for allowing me to share their story and photos.
These photographs are incredible! What you're seeing is a worship service in Pakistan, where people are worshiping Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The only perfect payment for my sin and for yours. The only way to heaven.
The First Orthodox Church in Pakistan.
This is what heaven will be like! People from every nation, even tribe, every culture all over the earth- believers from every corner- worshiping Him as the One True God and enjoying friendship together for eternity.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Today, November 6th is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Yes, it may not sound like much interest to many folks, but the reality is that women, children, and the men who are to take care of them are beaten and killed all the time in the name of religion. Mostly in the name of radical Islam. America and her politicians have largely turned a blind eye to this in favor of being politically correct. Sounds like Nazi times all over again.
The short video above gives the statistics. If you want to see what persecution looks like in the different regions of the world, go to this website and hear from folks who live in each region: Open Doors. I have traveled to some of these areas for myself doing humanitarian work, and I can tell you from personal experience this is happening.
Take a chance, and take a look. You could be involved in saving someone's life by getting involved.
I'm in the middle of reading this fascinating book, The Next Christendom, by Philip Jenkins. Well written and objective, it removes the hyperbole often associated with the topic of faith in this nation increasingly hostile to it, taking a look at growth in faith communities the world over. Do you think the average Christian is a older man in North America? You'd be wrong. I won't give the finer points of the information away, but instead, I encourage you to read this for yourself. Historic, Biblical, Christ-centered Christianity is alive and well- just not where you think.
A friend of mine recently returned from a trip to Cyprus. He was there to minister to the refugees fleeing Syria and the surrounding areas affected by the war and the state of politics in their lands.
Amidst all the people, though he mostly served Muslims, he also found many, many Christians with stories of great persecution and torture they endured for not denying their faith in Jesus Christ. He was shaken, deeply touched and ultimately blessed by hearing this. It was a great encouragement that suffering people would not walk away from the One who gave His Life for them just because they were under great pressure.
This trip, one among many for him, will probably be burned into his memory. Being bold and being loving for the cause of Christ sometimes means sacrifice in ways we as American believers have yet to understand. But my friend has learned much now, hasn't he?
"A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity". The tagline says it all. But in a world of hype on all ends of the spectrum, this book by Nabeel Qureshi is worth far more than the paper and ink used. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus tells the very personal story of a man raised in a loving, gentle Muslim home and how he slowly began investigating the truth of what he believed, much moreso after 9-11. It's a compelling and compassionate narrative, describing truths about Islam straight from its earliest sources and where it differs from Christianity. Absolutely breathtaking, balanced, and heartfelt.
Our much loved nephew asked me to officiate his wedding to a lovely Christian girl- the only believer in a Persian family made up of both practicing and non-practicing Muslims- and including some who have even denounced Islam altogether. Since anyone can perform a wedding in their state, and because I would be going to it anyway, I nervously agreed to take on the honored job.
Their heart was for a fully Christian wedding without compromise, and I was happy to bless them- knowing all too well it came with an inherent challenge whenever you blend two families of differing faiths. I began to ask God for just the right scriptures and words, desiring a way to build bridges between families without any compromise to our mutual Christian faith. They did not want that either and believed it was important to stand for what they believe- but to do it as graciously as possible.
I really prayed hard and felt God directed me to Song of Solomon 2:10-13 where the lovers are thrilled that the winter is past and flowers have returned to blanket the earth. I quietly chewed on these verses for awhile, and one day, I felt led to look up the meaning of her Persian name. It meant “The one who brings the Spring”. This was a confirmation the Old Testament passage was a perfect choice… but it was only the beginning.
How could I possibly perform a wedding ceremony that would build bridges between the Christian and Muslim guests without compromising the fact that we all do not worship the same God?
The bottom line was that I could not. The media, the school system, and the Pope, would have you believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God, but the work of solid Biblical scholars from centuries ago forward -as well as a thorough reading of the Bible itself- reveals something quite the opposite to be true. (Read the book of Acts 4:8-12. Salvation is found in no other name but Jesus Christ.) How the wedding ceremony and reception all played out taught me some very important lessons…
As the rest of the wedding story also tells, we will have many more opportunities as our own society continues to change. But that's a topic for another time. About half an hour before the ceremony is due to begin, the videographer attaches the microphone to my lapel and asks “What kind of religious ceremony is this?” I explain the situation, and he laughs loudly, exclaiming “This will be fun to watch!”
I immediately get nervous, realizing anew the potential powder keg of the event. I like her father and mother, want to respect them and build bridges for the newlyweds, and I want to do this well. All without compromise. Nerves, nerves, nerves. I stand outside the room waiting for the bride and groom to come downstairs to begin the wedding proceedings.
Inevitably by default, I become a greeter. So I take my unassigned duties pretty seriously, welcoming people, starting small talk, and helping with directions to the ceremony in this posh, extremely high end hotel. A little baby boy comes in on his father's shoulder, so I talk with he and his two relatives about the little guy, and things get a bit easier.
Standing with the groom, the doors open, and his beautiful bride slowly walks down the aisle on the arm of her father. They come to the front and, I welcome the guests. Explaining that this is not just a civil duty that’s being performed, I remind them that in God’s eyes, the joining of each man and woman is a very holy thing, no less special than the very first marriage in the Garden of Eden. Her father speaks the words of giving his daughter to this man, and I ask them to join me in prayer. I ask for blessing, ending with the words “In Jesus’ Name”- and all is good.
Then the Persian part of the ceremony begins. As I explain it, the couple sits down on low benches before the table. A shawl is lifted over the them. Mothers and sisters rub sugared loaves together over the bride and groom. They are lightly dusted, symbolizing a sweet blessing over the couple. Afterwards, similar to a cake slicing, the bride and groom dip their finger in honey and feed the other. It’s a very tender moment. While they sit, I begin with Scripture. Sharing the verses, I speak that God is a god of love and that He created marriage and is not embarrassed by romance.
The Sofreh Aghd, a Persian - not Muslim- wedding tradition, as I was boldly told. This beautiful table is spread before the bride and groom at the front of the ceremony, symbolizing the family’s wishes for the marriage.
Admonishing the bride and groom to fulfill their duties wisely and as unto God, I remind them that marriage is also an example of how deeply and sacrificially Jesus loves the people He has created, etc. Vows are said, rings are exchanged,“I Do”s are spoken. The wedding blessing takes place, and I ask God Himself to join them together and that no man would separate them. Jesus is again acknowledged. I joyously pronounce them man and wife. It’s over. Now the fun begins…
What kind of response would I be given at the reception?
Surprisingly warm, it turns out. Honestly, I was quite nervous. Not so much for me but more so for the bride and groom who had to live with the consequences of the clearly Christian ceremony. We are asked to take part in a large both families together photograph. Her brother comes over and throws his arm around my shoulder. The bride’s parents made a point to come over and thank me for such a warm ceremony… as does the bride’s absolutely wonderful brother- who turns out to be a Scientologist! Later I would tell him how much I wanted to honor and respect his parents as well as the wishes of his sister. He smiles and thanks me for doing well. Another hug. I easily hug him back.
The dinner and party begin. We all eat, drink, talk, and take lots of pictures. Mostly Farsi and some English. Steak, salad, potatoes, and saffron rice with vegetables. Candied rose and lavender petals as mints. Home made baklava and delicious nuts from the bridal table. Luscious cake with vanilla cream. Members of her family come by and introduce themselves.
The music is strictly American Standards while we eat, but it’s almost totally ethnic when its time to dance, save Uptown Funk and a Michael Jackson tune. The young bridal party jumps for the chance to dance. The bride’s father comes directly to our table and enthusiastically encourages us all to dance with his family to the Persian songs playing. We get up, and join in. Everyone’s loud, laughing, holding hands while dancing, people hugging each other. After several hours, it’s time to go, so we gather our things and thank our hosts, hug the bride and groom. “Thank you for making the ceremony PERFECT!” they say. We walk out into the lobby as we leave.
I never did find out the meaning behind the Wedding Knife dance.
One woman thanks me for my introduction of the Sofreh Aghd as well, telling me how much it means to her and her family that it was identified as a Persian tradition. “It is NOT Muslim”, she states emphatically. One of the eldest men quietly approaches me and thanks me in broken English, “The service was lovely. Prior to tonight, I did not have much understanding of Christianity - thank you.” One of the bridesmaids approaches us- “ Did you enjoy yourselves? Were you comfortable? I want you to know that 50% of my family really is ok with Jesus and God and everything!” We smile and thank her, both wishing the percentage was higher!
Was everything said what I wanted to hear? Not entirely, but it was pretty positive overall. Doors to deeper conversation were opened, and I learned and relearned some important lessons, just like I do with much of life:
1- People respond to genuine love and kindness.
2- A man’s culture and his religion are not the same thing.
3- I have much to learn, and God is still working on me.
4- Some people are more open to Jesus than you would think.
I was far away visiting family when I saw the news. Paris, my beloved city, attacked by infidels associated with radical Islam. Mourning at so many levels now for the people of France, those whose lives were lost, their families and friends, and for all of us who live in a crazy, crazy world.
Shanghai Disneyland is coming. A new Pandora for Animal Kingdom, Star Wars Land for Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's pretty impressive line up of new experiences and fantastic worlds to explore. And yet, a whole different group of people are awaiting the arrival of a totally different kingdom. This gripping article puts life into perspective a bit. Let me encourage you to read it...
"At several steps on their path to
death by beheading and crucifixion last month, 11 indigenous Christian workers
near Aleppo, Syria, had the option to leave the area and live. The 12-year-old
son of a ministry team leader also could have spared his life by denying
Christ.
The indigenous missionaries were not
required to stay at their ministry base in a village near Aleppo, Syria;
rather, the ministry director who trained them had entreated them to leave. As
the Islamic State (ISIS), other rebel groups and Syrian government forces
turned Aleppo into a war zone of carnage and destruction, ISIS took over
several outlying villages. The Syrian ministry workers in those villages chose
to stay in order to provide aid in the name of Christ to survivors.
"I asked them to leave, but I
gave them the freedom to choose," said the ministry director, his voice
tremulous as he recalled their horrific deaths. "As their leader, I should
have insisted that they leave." They stayed because they believed
they were called to share Christ with those caught in the crossfire, he said.
"Every time we talked to
them," the director said, "they were always saying, 'We want to stay
here—this is what God has told us to do. This is what we want to do.' They just
wanted to stay and share the gospel."
Those who chose to stay could have
scattered and hid in other areas, as their surviving family members did. On a
visit to the surviving relatives in hiding, the ministry director learned of
the cruel executions.
The relatives said ISIS militants on
Aug. 7 captured the Christian workers in a village whose name is withheld for
security reasons. On Aug. 28, the militants asked if they had renounced Islam
for Christianity. When the Christians said that they had, the rebels asked if
they wanted to return to Islam. The Christians said they would never renounce
Christ.
The 41-year-old team leader, his
young son and two ministry members in their 20s were questioned at one village
site where ISIS militants had summoned a crowd. The team leader presided over
nine house churches he had helped to establish. His son was two months away
from his 13th birthday.
"All were badly brutalized and
then crucified," the ministry leader said. "They were left on their
crosses for two days. No one was allowed to remove them."
The martyrs died beside signs the
ISIS militants had put up identifying them as "infidels."
Eight other ministry team members,
including two women, were taken to another site in the village that day (Aug.
28) and were asked the same questions before a crowd. The women, ages 29 and
33, tried to tell the ISIS militants they were only sharing the peace and love
of Christ and asked what they had done wrong to deserve the abuse. The Islamic
extremists then publicly raped the women, who continued to pray during the
ordeal, leading the ISIS militants to beat them all the more furiously.
As the two women and the six men
knelt before they were beheaded, they were all praying.
"Villagers said some were
praying in the name of Jesus, others said some were praying the Lord's prayer,
and others said some of them lifted their heads to commend their spirits to
Jesus," the ministry director said. "One of the women looked up and
seemed to be almost smiling as she said, 'Jesus!'"
After they were beheaded, their
bodies were hung on crosses, the ministry director said, his voice breaking. He
had trained all of the workers for their evangelistic ministry, and he had
baptized the team leader and some of the others.
Hundreds of former Muslims in Syrian
villages are in danger of being captured and killed by ISIS, which is fighting
to establish a caliphate in which apostasy is punishable by death. The
underground church in the region has mushroomed since June 2014, when ISIS
began terrorizing those who do not swear allegiance to its caliphate, both
non-Muslims and Muslims. Consequently, the potential for large-scale executions
has grown along with the gains in ISIS-controlled territory.
The ministry assisted by Christian
Aid Mission is providing resources and trying to find ways to evacuate these
families by other routes. Many of the ministry's teams also
remain in Syria. Christian Aid Mission assists those who do not or cannot leave
with the means to survive.
Even those who leave, however, may encounter
ISIS militants and other criminals in refugee camps, said the leader of another
ministry that Christian Aid Mission assists. He spoke of a Muslim from northern
Syria who, like all men in areas that ISIS takes over, was coerced into joining
the caliphate or being killed.
Recruited into ISIS, he fled the
country after his brother was killed in the fighting. Disillusioned with ISIS
but still adhering to Islam and its teaching that Christians and Jews are
unclean "pigs," he went to Amman, Jordan, as he had learned that
relatives there were receiving aid from Christians.
The Muslim, whose name is withheld
for security reasons, went to a Christian meeting with the intention of killing
the aid workers gathered there. Something kept him from following through on
his plan, though, and that night he saw Jesus in a dream, the ministry director
said.
"The next day he came back and
said, 'I came to kill you, but last night I saw Jesus, and I want to know what
are you teaching—who is this One who held me up from killing you?'" the
director said. "He received Christ with tears, and today he's actually
helping in the church, helping out other people. We're praying for lots of such
Sauls to change to Pauls."
The sorrow of the ministry team
leader who lost 11 workers and one of their children last month has been deep,
but he takes heart that their faithfulness could help change the hearts of
persecutors.
"They kept on praying loudly and
sharing Jesus until their last breath," he said. "They did this in
front of the villagers as a testimony for others."
He asked for prayer for surviving
family members and for himself.
"These things have been very
hard on me," he said. "What wrong did those people do to deserve to
die? What is happening is more and more people are being saved. The ministry is
growing and growing—in the past we used to pray to have one person from a
Muslim background come to the Lord. Now there are so many we can barely handle
all the work among them."
It's been good to take a break from posting on the Insights blog and actually, from visiting many websites too. But it is time to return as there is too much news to talk about and much too much going on in the Disney world and our world to ignore.
What have I been doing on my break? Home repair projects, working in the yard, resting, thinking about what's important, what's eternal, serving at church, and taking a bit of time to visit our son and his family. Busy times at work too- and you know in this economy, that's a good thing! I've also been updating the blog, making it easier to find the articles you like and making them easier to read. I've added some things as well. Enough about me and the work of the blog! On to the fun stuff...
You have to love the photo above. It's an untouched screen shot from the incredible WDWMagic site and their equally incredible video of the recently refurbished Pirates of the Caribbean. You can give it a look below.
Video from WDW Magic.
As you can easily tell, when the budgets given are decent and the Imagineers have the right amount of time, the final results can be breathtaking. In all our visits to the Magic Kingdom, I do not recall the attraction looking this good in decades. Really. When I stop and think this through, I must say it is unfortunate that refurbishments seem only to come when attractions seems to be in the absolute very worst state possible. It's a business model that seemed by be embraced by Robert Iger and the Board of Directors for much too long.
Perhaps as the competition from Universal Orlando continues to increase, the old school methods of keeping things in top shape will return. Guests pay big bucks and invest their precious time to go to Walt Disney World, and they expect and deserve the best show possible. We'll return to the World in a few paragraphs.
Watch at your own risk. More horrifying than the Haunted Mansion.
Video from the Center for Medical Progress.
The real world continues to be a mess. It seems to get worse as time goes by. What a barbaric mindset we've embraced when we find ourselves defending the decision to dissect and sell off body parts of babies both aborted or even killed first on the table! Are our consciences so seared that we do not see a problem with this? There's too much proof to ignore the overwhelming evidence that this is happening. Even my liberal friends who support choice are wondering what the hell happened to common sense and decency. We will be judged by the Lord for such atrocities and calling evil good and good evil.
On that note, take a look at the world politics around us. From a personal email I received, I can tell you ISIS is going crazy in the Middle East. What did I read from my friend? Christians are being pulled from their homes in small villages. Their children being beheaded in front of their poor terrified parents- who are sometimes left to live with the horror they have just witnessed.
Once again, this administration turns a blind eye to it all, but our president invites a Muslim kid to the White House who brings a clock that looks like a bomb to school. The school did it's job and according to the safety standards set by the district. No racial profiling here.
I wonder though- would the kid be given an invitation by the President if he were a Jew? Let's think about it. This president has done more to favorably bring Islam to the forefront of our country than any other. This is all too strange and something to be thought about beyond political preferences. It's ongoing getting worse.
Noble goals. Is there a nasty dark side beneath it all?
Let's take a minute and talk about recent declarations by the United Nations. On September 25th, they set 17 very ambitious goals known as The 2030 Agenda. It includes very nobles aspects like ending world hunger, fixing the climate, and more. Unfortunately, to make this happen, every nation must comply with and adhere to their standards.
They've even set up a glitzy website and campaign, a star studded plan that includes a video with endorsements by everyone from Jennifer Lopez, Robert Redford, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bono, Meryl Streep, Stephen Hawking, Daniel Craig, Charlize Theron, and Jennifer Lawrence. Under the leadership of the United Nations, make no mistake- a one world government is on the way. Maybe not today and maybe not in a couple of years, but I think the writing is on the wall. I'm not ready to give up the uniqueness, character, and self-governing of my country to a small group of politicians. Are you?
China- In a stunning piece of rare concept art.
Click on it for the largest size and look at all the details!
How about all those blood moons? Just science or is something else going on? Coupled with the current state of political affairs in the world and the aligning of major powers intervening in the Middle East, (China in the Mediterranean and Russia in Syria?) all this news reads like something out of the book of Revelation. Or Jesus' warnings to his followers in Matthew 24 and 25. Or in the book of Daniel chapter 12.
What's coming next? At some point in the future- again maybe not right now but it will come- a required marking placed on our right hands or forehead so we will be able to buy and sell food and other goods. (See Revelation 13:16-18.) Accepting this signifies our reliance on this one world government versus God- but accepting this also comes at the highest price possible- eternal separation from God and endless torment in Hell. (See Revelation 14:9-11 and Jesus' own words: "Depart from me you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41 ).
Beautiful Red Square recreation.
Never built along with so many others.
There's good news here- Jesus has come to save those who are lost from being drenched in their sin; those who are willing to give up their lives and turn from their humanistic ways, devoting their life to Him and His Ways- regardless of the cost. Let me ask you- Do you believe Jesus died to pay the price for your sin and that He rose again from the dead? If so, pray and ask Him to take over your life, giving up this one for life eternal to come. As I've told you many, many, times and in many different ways- Jesus said He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. No one comes to God the Father but by Him. (John 14:6). He states it clearly because of His great love for man, not because of his sometimes perceived hatred or bigotry or narrow-mindedness. Everyone- regardless of what they have done- who calls out to Jesus and trusts him will not be put to shame.
Ah, Pandora!
"Can we please go somewhere peaceful?"
I'm hearing you say. OK, let's talk Pandora! It is becoming a very impressive project. Very, very, impressive- and this is from someone who was not all that sure he wanted it to be built. Is it true to the original theme? Maybe not. Is it enough to get me to book a trip to Walt Disney World in 2017? Probably not, unless the boat ride is stellar- but I may have been very wrong about this project. It happens from time to time.
I'd say all of Animal Kingdom is looking pretty darn good, and the future looks very bright. Whether or not Rivers of Light will be great versus "good enough" will be seen soon enough. The test images that have leaked out do look impressive. Regardless, both projects mean the most gorgeous of Florida Disney parks will begin staying open regularly after dark.(It's one giantAdventureland- I love it and write about it constantly! A seven part series on the park can be found here.) Maybe, just maybe, Universal's astounding success with Harry Potter has brought the Mouse roaring back. Time will tell.
What surprises will the boat ride bring?
You know the Imagineers have something up their sleeves.
What a beautiful environment to wander in the evening hours with its lovely lighting! Wouldn't it be great if each of the attractions were refurbished back to their opening day glory before the nighttime safaris begin? Perhaps that's a project on the drawing boards. The new eateries look pretty great though!
All those little projects are certainly bringing detail to the park. Unfortunately, there's still one big and very hairy detail that needs to be addressed. You all know what it is. I don't have to tell you.
Soon to be hiding behind the forests of Frontierland at Disneyland.
In preparation for Star Wars Land- or whatever they will call it- both coasts are slowly taking the steps necessary to make this a reality, and sooner than later. The most surprising news comes from Disneyland, however. Walt's park is in for some big and perhaps some very controversial changes to bring Star Wars to life in a new way. Those fans of the Disneyland Historical Preservation Society will not be pleased by what the suits and Imagineers are working on... but maybe they should be. Or maybe they have it right.
At Disneyland, major work is beginning in January. The Rivers of America will be forever changed. It will be a shorter ride on the watercraft which ply the river, be it in the Mark Twain Steamboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia or the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.
Goodbye Tom, Huck, and Becky!
The northernmost piece of Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into a creative use of existing space, making the most of the 14 acre plans for the expansion. The newest rumor is that access to the island by guests may not be returning at all. If it's true, at least that incredibly ugly stage can disappear from view, and the Disney suits can approve some planting of new trees and shrubs. A bit of a warning and a question here: Carnation Plaza and Gardens went first, then Club 33 as we knew it. After changing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, which other iconic attractions will be considered fair game to remove in the years ahead?
The iconic Disneyland Railroad will be rerouted with travelers now rounding the bend by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Should make for some nice photographs as the speeding trains zip past. If the Imagineers do something to add more scenes, it will make the shorter trip more interesting than the previous one. Disneyland has it good, though. There's even less to really see from the railroad in Florida.
At first, I was troubled that Robert Iger and his suits would mess with something Walt personally had a hand in creating. However, if these changes will 1- Spread out the crowds as guests will now be able to walk all the way around the river, 2- Help keep the river and all its watercraft, and 3- Bring two major E Tickets to an area of the park that is underutilized, it will be well worth it.
In spite of the fact that Star Wars at best belongs in a third park altogether or at the very least, in our out of date and multi-focused Tomorrowland. The public is fickle, and the investors demand the company make as good a use as possible for maximum returns. Especially difficult in Anaheim, where available land is already scarce and diminishing by the year. Guest experience should be improved, and Disneyland will remain the Magic Kingdom styled park for die hard fans. After all, it is chock-full of most major attractions and plenty of charming smaller ones that have Walt's touch all over them. (And Tony Baxter!) There's some slight changes that could improve the guest experience and satisfaction, but that is a topic for a separate post.
Coming to Anaheim.
Apparently, Toontown is spared but the nearby Fantasyland Theater is on its way out. It's a pretty ugly building, but it has brought in some pretty good shows in its time. In place of the theater (once dubbed the "Wonder Bra" theater) and using the available space next door, it is a certain bet that Frozen attractions are on the way. Elsa, Anna, and company are the new superhero princesses of the Disney film library. Let's just hope the plans involve attractions that look more like what is planned for Tokyo Disney Sea rather than the poor man's version set for Norway's Maelstrom redo at Epcot. (Poor Epcot! Left in the dust with plans for all the other Florida parks. How the great have fallen!)
The Disney Company loves synergy and rarely misses a chance to make a buck. Happily, this will guarantee younger guests pull in their obliging parents to Walt's original park for the latest offerings. The mesmerizing one-two punch of Star Wars Land and Frozen will make Disneyland the place to go for decades to come. That's a good thing! It forces the suits to keep adding to the Disneyland Resort. Now about that space formerly occupied by the Motor Boat Cruise...
Once planned for Paris, now headed to Tokyo.
And you thought eating in Beast's castle was the best experience...
To the credit of the Company we love to follow,there's been quite a few major announcements made for our Stateside parks, and there's more on the way, specifically Avengers attractions for California Adventure. (They had to save something for D23 in 2017! And Frozen replacing the brilliant Aladdin performance? It's long overdue.) The real fun will begin when Disney hosts its D23 expo in Japan later this year. Then we can begin comparing plans and complaining about how the Asian parks get the best versions of the attractions Imagineering can dream up. Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland and more. That's not all. Get ready to repeat the process when Shanghai Disneyland opens its doors in the Spring of next year.
Well, that's it for this first post back. Enjoy it, reread it, think about it. Very good to have you along for the ride. See you real soon!
