Night to Shine Goes to the Dark Side

Wanna be a hero? Want to make a difference? The sex industry is big money, and people of all ages and backgrounds are bought and sold to provide sexual satisfaction. Not just overseas but in the USA as well. In fact, most customers of this trade come from the States and the West where money is most abundant. Sadly, the metro area in which I live has one of the highest trafficked routes in our country. 

Maybe you don't care about this. Maybe other things are on your heart. If so, that's great! Go and do the things that bless God and support others. But if you haven't figured out what you are for, try watching this short video by Tim Tebow and his wife Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters. Not only is the captain of Night to Shine involved here as well, he's calling others to step up and step out. Bring some hope and light into a dark and evil world.

Calling All Kings and Queens

It's time to party! This one is bigger and better than anything you can get at Disneyland or even at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World! It's 2020's Night to Shine, a truly magical evening put together by folks who want to show love to a very special group of people. Check out this video:

How could you make a difference in your community? How could you invest in someone else? We all have a role to play.

Notable and Quotable: Tim Tebow

"We’re not called to have fun. We’re called to have lives of meaning, purpose and significance. Together we can change the world!"

                                                Tim Tebow

Perhaps Harry Connick Jr.'s Most Important Interview

Besides being a great musician, Harry Connick Jr. seems to be a good man with a solid head on his shoulders. His talk show has featured some incredible guests and some some stirring interviews. This may be one of the most important ones ever.

Take a look at this!

Winning At Life

Tim Tebow may not have a career in the Major Leagues coming his way anytime soon, but it doesn't matter. In a world where too many sports heroes are world class jerks if not felons, Tebow stands out as being a winner in the game of life. Way more important for this world and the next. Go Tim!

(Photograph from Jason Vinlove, USA Today.)

Tebow Stands for Orlando

Victims of the Orlando shooting may have been shocked by the latest person to come and show some love: Tim Tebow. One of his old friends, Rodney Sumter Jr., a bartender at the Pulse nightclub, was shot several times and ended up in the hospital. Once Tim heard the news, he cut his vacation short and took off for a visit. Once again, the light of the love of Jesus shines through the way this man lives his life. 

(Photograph copyright Instagram.)

Home Free

Modern day heroes are few and far between. If it isn't actors running amok, singers losing their decency, athletes acting as if they are above the law, or normal everyday people like you and me living for ourselves instead of something greater, it's our society and government pushing us to the lowest common denominator.

Tim Tebow stands out. And the man need our prayer support.
Here's a great article from CBN News:

"Tim Tebow has tasted success on and off the football field, but it was an experience in a village in the Philippines that made a huge impact on his life.

He spoke about his experience on the Church Boys Podcast, which was written up in a story by The Blaze.

"It's not about how much you have in your bank account. It's about the lives that you've changed, so that's what I want my life to be about," said Tebow.

Life is lived through a dash, Tebow said. "When we die, there's going to be a dash in between the date we were born and the date that we died, and that dash is going to represent everything we did in our life."

The college football star said that his life was changed in an experience he had as a teenager on a mission trip to the Philippines.

He came across a child during the trip whose feet were backwards, which is considered a curse. Tebow said he had the opportunity to carry the boy and tell the village that he was not cursed, but loved by God.

The experience led Tebow to open a hospital called CURE in the Philippines that helps children specifically with orthopedic needs.

He has continued to use his fame to help those in need on a new television show he is co-hosting, called "Home Free." He described the show as having an overarching theme of love and sacrifice. "We have a chance to change people's lives," he said.

The show gives nine deserving couples the chance to win their dream house. They are challenged to revive one run-down home each week, and do the best job they can to stay in the competition and move forward.

"Every single one of them will get a home. They will be playing for their personal heroes who have done amazing things," said Tebow.

"One of our contestants was a hero in Afghanistan and got blown up, and the man he's playing for was the person who came back in battle and picked him up and carried him off the battlefield and saved his life. Another one of our contestants is playing for a woman who randomly donated her kidney to her father when he was on dialysis," said Tebow.

Tebow says that he is grateful for the platform God has given him to reach others through playing football and he says humility is central to living a life of faith.

"The only thing that we've been called to brag about is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because He's the one that did everything for us and He overcame death and hell and everything else and He's the reason that we get to stand in victory, because we know Him and we love Him."

"Home Free" will debut on the Fox Network on June 16."

(Photograph and text copyright CBN News.)

We Could Do Much Worse

Would Tim Tebow really consider a career in politics? This USA Today article sure sounds like it could be under consideration- one day. 

Regardless of what you think of his football skill or his religious beliefs, one thing is certain: The guy has integrity and is pretty honest. That's more than you can say for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump. I'd certainly vote for the guy!

Shine, Shine, Shine

What a Night to Shine! One of my closest friends worked with his church to host a prom for special needs folks of all ages on Friday February 12. With 200 or so churches sponsoring the events, attendees were treated to an evening of music, gifts, games, making it all a night fit for a king or queen. The Tim Tebow Foundation also helped pay for some of it. 

In my friend's church, over 500 volunteers blessed their local communities by loving on the kids and their caretakers. Say what you will, but it says much about this football hero's heart that his foundation would present this event. A real man of God who lives his life for Christ! What a c interest to so many on the field who serve themselves often at the expense of the people around them. What to go, Tebow! And thank you, Professor...

Best and Worst of 2014

A mix of the important, the personal, and the fluff related to entertainment-

The Worst: 

• The killing of young black men all over America, both by the police and by black on black violence
• Young black men (and all people) choosing to break the law, placing themselves in the position of having to encounter police
• Meryl Streep's ridiculous swipe at Walt Disney
• Losing my job
• The continued move of American business operations to overseas locations at the cost of jobs for our citizens
• Disney's continued characterization of Epcot. Losing Norway to Frozen
• Maroon 5's latest album
• Lame plans for Disneyland's 60th Anniversary
• Middle Eastern thugs terrorizing the nations and beheading innocent civilians
• Joel Osteen and his brand of "Christian" wealth and prosperity doctrine. Sure worked for Jesus and certainly works for most of the Christians suffering all over the world- yeah, right!
• Americas continued reliance on abortion as birth control
• Hollywood's seeming emphasis on dumb, over the top, sex fueled entertainment
• Continued genocide all over the world
• The state of disrepair at Disneyland Paris
• High prices for cars and high fees to use public transportation
• Texting when a conversation deserves face to face communication
• The continued high price of airline tickets
• Frontier Airlines' website
• Too many reality television shows
• Remaking Disney animation classics into Live Action films
• Over the top greed in the business world. CEO salaries out of control
• When friends disappoint and show their true colors
• No Friends movie in the future
• Thugs posing as athletes in professional sports
• Sports leadership making excuses for such behavior and being slow to respond appropriately
• "Naked" television
• Excessive awards shows on television
• Putin's moves toward a new Soviet Union
• The new Polynesian Village Resort Lobby at Disney World
• The number of broken effects at Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and all over the park in places you'd never expect
• The high cost of health insurance and the mess of Obamacare. When will our government understand its never better or cheap to add even government layers of oversight to a social service?
• News stations that interpret the news versus delivering it
• Kim Kardashian's exposed butt. Niki Minaj's too. Should I add Miley Cyrus' self-degradation to this list?
• Musical artists that have to swear and use highly crude sexual language to sell their music
• Parents not disciplining their kids in public and giving into their every whim
• Big Hero 6 not being the breakout hit it deserves to be
• Suits at Disney refusing to give Frozen an E Ticket attraction in the Magic Kingdom where it belongs
• The price of Disney one day park hopper tickets
• The legalization of marijuana in Colorado
• School shootings continue on
• The infiltration of humanism in the Christian church 
• The devolution of Epcot
• Fewer Caribou Coffee locations
• The French air traffic controllers strike during our vacation
• The lack of an Avengers film this year
• Having to book attraction and meal times far in advance at the Florida Disney parks
• No new original, non-IP based attractions at the Disney parks
• A wet and green summer
• Losing Shakira on The Voice
• Seeing friends lose their children and their parents
• Not enough time to give this blog the attention it deserves
• Shoddy concept art by Disney for new additions
• Disney's focus on more retail and restaurants than creating groundbreaking attractions in its parks
• The overall dumbing down of America by bringing culture to the lowest common denominator

The Best:

• Everyday heroes serving in their communities
• The announcement of Incredibles 2
• More grandchildren
• Cleaner air
• Films that value family, such as the Thousand Foot Journey
• The addition of Ratatouille to Disney Studios Paris
• The return of old school R&B music
• The continued excellent maintenance of the exterior of the show buildings at Disneyland
• A hot cup of coffee and a quiet morning to read and pray
• Picking apples with my grandsons
• The transformation of California Adventure and the hope of the suits finishing the job in the original areas of the park
• The new and overdue investment into the Africa section of Disney's Animal Kingdom
• Adam Levine and Blake Shelton bromance on The Voice
• Watching my son in law get baptized
• Alain Littaye and the Disney and More website
• God's continued faithfulness even when I do not understand what He allows
• The excellent refurbishment of Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• A trip to Switzerland- almost free
• A supportive wife and family
• Having more than enough to be able to give to others
• Tim Tebow on Good Morning America. A great match of human interest stories and good-hearted host.
• A new job
• Seeing Christians boldly live out their beliefs by following Jesus at all costs
• Longer movie previews
• Finding personal joy and fulfillment even while making less money
• Chipotle and their barbacoa tacos
• Better treatment of immigrants
• Lower gasoline prices
• Aging gracefully and without plastic surgery
• Rumer and Harriet making new music
• The overall good sportsmanship at the World Cup
• Old albums finally coming to compact disc
• The generosity of friends and family at unexpected times
• Removal of the Hat at Disney's Hollywood Studios
• George Benson
• Watching our favorite local Chinese restaurant survive the economic downturn
• Visiting our son, daughter in law and grandson in Kansas City during game six of the World Series
• Universal's new Harry Potter attractions and the transformation of both the Studios and Islands of Adventure
• Having four living parents, especially as we are grandparents ourselves
• Walking along the beach in Laguna
• Praying for physical headings that would take God doing a miracle- and seeing it happen
• The forums at A&M Corner and WDW Magic
• H&M comes to Denver
• The return of Downton Abbey
• A night of Ticket to Ride with family and friends
• Great Reads by David Platt and Francis Chan
• Five Guys' french fries
• The new Union Station in Downtown Denver
• Discovering great BBQ in Orange County
• Finding new friends when you least expect it
• The upcoming details for the remake of Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Having faithful and wonderful readers of this blog!
• ...and so much more

When You Wish Upon A Star

A brand new year sounds like a great time to put together a wish list, doesn't it? Does to me! So, in no particular order, here are some things I wish for in 2014:

• People to say what they mean and mean what they say. So tired of sarcasm and innuendo. Show some integrity and say and do what you say you will.
• I'd like the suits at The Walt Disney Company to really go toe to toe with their theme park competitors. What would be even better would be if they would view their parks as works of art to be enhanced and added to due to the love of the place and not just the financials. Walt Disney loved his park. It showed, and folks flocked to see his living work of art.
• A change in focus in how news is reported. If you're like me, you'd probably enjoy the news facts being reported and not interpreted for the reader or listener. We are grown up enough to understand what you are telling us. Stop treating us as if we need you to explain events to us. 
• World Peace. Sure, Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality and all the women of pageants clamor for it, convinced it will make them memorable. I want it, but I do not want to have to sacrifice my morals for it. God bless our military men and women for standing up for freedom and humane treatment of others. Yes, someone has to do it. 
• Less Miley Cyrus more Danielle Bradbery. Our culture is prone to produce young women who feel like they have to flaunt their sexuality to sell and make a point. Yes, this includes you, Lady Gaga. Let's give it up instead for some good old-fashioned music made for real people and not Hollywood and their wannabes. Madonna has shown more class throughout most of her career.
• Sports figures you act like good sportsmen. I'm a bit tired of entitled NFL players and the like who act as if they can break the law and get away with it. Say what you will, but men the likes of Tim Tebow are good role models for our youth.
• Politicians that truly care about America and what she stands for. I'm sick of 99% of our politicians, including our current president. Time for something new.
• The church. And I do not mean just the Roman Catholic Church. May we be the light on the hill that Jesus spoke about. We can and must speak the truth in love or who will listen to the only true message that calls us to The One who can save us from ourselves?
• Lastly, I'd like to be a better me. More like the Lord I follow and more like the man He created me to be. Oh God, please change my heart and empower my life.

Tebow Upsets Critics From Both Sides

Just heard Tim Tebow did a photo shoot for Vogue that will cause a stir. (Not this photo, above, taken years ago and touched up). This newest photo shoot is with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. 

You know, people can complain about him all they want- and he's not perfect- but you have to applaud his willingness to be open about his love for Jesus. Too many people who profess Christianity decide to not be open about it where they work. And I don't mean "obnoxious" either, just real about their lives. Time to move on, people.

Philosophy Lesson

Submission to the authority of the Bible and the Spirit of God moving in our lives. Obedience is highly underrated. But following Jesus at all costs is what will keep us on track as a people, as a church, as a nation. Everything else falls apart and becomes a philosophy of man- which amounts to empty positive thinking and will not save us from our sin. In Christ Jesus, it is all or nothing. Thanks for letting me rant. :)

Way to Go Tebow!

Not a football fan naturally, but even I was mesmerized by the Denver Broncos performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tim Tebow, love him or leave him, is shaping up to be quite an exciting reason to watch the sport.

(Photograph by Chris Humphries)

Notable and Quotable: Tim Tebow

"If you're married, and you have a wife, and you really love your wife, is it good enough to only say to your wife 'I love her' the day you get married? Or should you tell her every single day when you wake up and every opportunity?

"And that's how I feel about my relationship with Jesus Christ is that it is the most important thing in my life. So any time I get an opportunity to tell him that I love him or given an opportunity to shout him out on national TV, I'm gonna take that opportunity. And so I look at it as a relationship that I have with him that I want to give him the honor and glory anytime I have the opportunity. And then right after I give him the honor and glory, I always try to give my teammates the honor and glory."


Tim Tebow on ESPN, in response to Jake Plummer

I say, right on, Tim! Right on!

Created for Good Works

The National Day of Prayer is today- and prayer is always a good thing!

The newest Denver Broncos player Tim Tebow, above, is ending the National Prayer Breakfast by closing it in prayer.

On the pro ball front, in the National Football League, it seems the NFL acronym often stands for "National Felons League". Lurid tales of extra marital sex, domestic abuse and violence are almost daily news items. Yet, Tim Tebow is taking flack for doing something good? Let's get a grip! Instead of making heroes out of thugs, let's uphold someone who is imperfect but seemingly trying to do right.

By the way, ever wonder what the "Eph 2:8-10" means as seen on Tim's face here? It's a verse from the Apostle Paul to the church:
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10
(Photo By Bill Haber, AP)