Nothing Generic About This Dinosaur

From the small preview edition book, giving a first glance at Animal Kingdom. The Disney executives were not lying when they told us Countdown to Extinction would be a thrill ride of epic proportions.

The track layout may be the same as the Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland, but its landscape couldn't be more different. But there is nothing subtle about this attraction. The start-of-the-art vehicles pound familiar terrain: dark ride spookhouses done Disney style and filled with terrifying creatures of prehistoric worlds. Every ride through convinces me I'll never do it again- yet I continue to get in line. Quite an accomplishment.

(Tomorrow, I take a look at Space Mountains all over the world with photos and concept art!)

A Little Dinner Music, Please...

Michael Bublé. This dude can sing- and write! Home has to be one of the classics of the new century. Great vocals without the attitude and the Mafia ties. New music coming soon. Enough said.

Le Traffic Jam

Until the recent transformations and additions, Walt Disney Studios Paris was the poorest excuse for a Disney theme park. There is still much work to do to completely transform this Ford Pinto into a Mercedes Benz, but this small attraction for children, featuring the lead characters from the Disney/Pixar hit Cars, was a good beginning.

In person, the Race Rally ride is very small, but it packs a good amount of visual punch in a park that lacks much charm. The next attraction to come was Crush's Coaster, another solid add. With minimal outdoor theming much in the vein of what was there when the park first opened, Crush succeeds because of its high fun factor (in addition to bringing the park its first audio animatronic character). Finally making its debut, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror brings the final punch before the next round of park improvements begin. This has been enough to bring in the crowds- and enough to convince Disney that this park can change from the lemon it once was.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Peace to Calm a Painful Memory

In honor of our nation, the heroes who served at a time of crisis- and those who continue to serve us:

I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison,that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.(Psalm 142)

Getting Wise Counsel Right from the Source

Continuing on with our earlier question of how to discern God's will regarding a decision we have to make, let's discuss point number three: Considering Wise Counsel.

Just to recap and set up point three, remember that an attitude of humility forms the foundation when we want to inquire of God. What's the purpose of wanting to hear from God if you don't want to really know what He says or don't intend to follow through with it? Next, we can usually find most of what God wants from us as we read the Bible. Some questions God may choose to leave a mystery, but almost all others He will answer from His written word. (Now honestly, if we think we can figure everything out, then we reduce God to human size, and He is limited to our brainpower and understanding. Who wants a god who is only as big and powerful as we are? I'd prefer a God who is not limited by what man thinks. But that's another discussion for a later time.) Point two, we can hear God's voice to us by talking to Him. That is what prayer is. The reason God desires our prayer is important and foundational to faith: God wants a personal relationship with the people He created. It may be hard to fathom, but God loves us that much! It really is all about relationship. Next point in hearing God's voice...

Wise counsel. Let's put this in perspective, if we were going to undertake a complex home improvement project, we'd want to talk with someone who had already successfully completed a similar job. You might talk to the proper medical specialist if you were diagnosed with a particular illness you knew little about. See a skilled mechanic to work on your car, etc. You get the point. The same principle works with discovering God's will. After setting the right heart attitude in place, seeking God out in reading the Bible and in talking to Him through prayer, we can also seek out the wise counsel of others as a way of hearing God.

One of the best and wisest parts of seeking out the counsel of others is that we get to hear an outsider's perspective on our life. It can give us an objectivity we may not have otherwise. Wise counsel can potentially alert us to flaws in our logic, remind us of hard lessons from the past, correct faulty beliefs about God, and ultimately protect us from hasty decision making.

The other side benefit of seeking counsel from others is building relationship. We can build friendships, learn more about each other, and be available to serve each other. Since men and women are created in God's image, we get the opportunity to reflect God's heart to each other as we communicate. It's a chance to encourage and love each other. Christianity is at its core a relational faith- the central message is God's great and redeeming love toward man. We do not serve a distant God if we love Jesus. And Jesus modeled love for the people around him as our example as to how we are to treat others.

How do we evaluate the counsel we receive? First, nothing said will ever contradict God's written word if it is really Him speaking through someone else. All wisdom is God-inspired. Right from the source. There will be no contradiction if what we hear is from His heart to ours. Not our prayer, not other's counsel, not human wisdom or logic, not circumstance. They are all secondary to God's written word. But each these individual pieces should work together, revealing a common thread on which to base His answer to our question.

Next time, we'll talk about circumstance and the pros and cons of using that as a measuring tool to discover God's will for us. Stay tuned!

Mess in the Backlot

Only the most die hard, stars-in-their-eyes Disney park fan would think that California Adventure is a wonderfully executed idea for a theme park. Sure, there is some fun to be had, and things will be getting better, but at opening. the park was abysmal at best.

The worst of the mess was the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Under the guise of reflecting "reality", this area screamed bland, boring, and useless. If the backlot was to be a slice of Disney's Studio park in Florida, well someone forget to take a good look at what makes that park slightly successful! A decade old rehashing of Muppets 3D, an improved copy of the Animation exhibit, and the amazingly foolish Superstar Limo were all set in a concrete jungle or placed behind cheaply built and blatantly exposed fascades. The live entertainment fared better, but let's not be fooled. Guests come to Disney theme parks for grand adventures like Tower of Terror (which was sorely missed at opening), or Pirates of the Caribbean. In other words, attractions that make Disney unique.

The excellent Aladdin musical and the Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue dark ride were great beginnings to transforming the area. Extra theming and greenery look great and bring a bit of warmth and charm. Turtle Talk with Crush is terrific but the numbers haven't grown to what Disney wants. New plans were formed.

With all the planning to bring the park guests in, emphasis is being placed on new lands, nighttime shows, and the first true "E" ticket attraction, Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Embellishing the weak and ugly Paradise Pier was a very good move as well. One day soon, the park's mall like entry will be gone as well. In all these plans, let's hope Disney doesn't forget the Backlot. This area holds great potential. Here's hoping Disney delivers.

(Artwork copyright The Walt Disney Company)

Plugging the Muppets

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the Muppets, although I have a soft spot for Kermit. Here's proof positive that Disney had been trying for years to get Muppets into Disneyland: the Mickeyland (Toontown) Opera House presents Muppetvision. Conceived many, many years ago.

Now Eisner succeeded in doing the trick at Disney-MGM Studios. Although it is a hit in Florida, Muppetvision 3-D is a huge flop in California Adventure. Is the franchise irrelevant? Maybe. Has Disney given up? No. From Muppet Mobile Labs on to some new film projects, you can bet the suits are doing their best to make sure Kermit and Miss Piggy reach a whole new generation. Even though it works for Shrek, in the cartoon world, it isn't easy being green!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Character Invasion at Tokyo DisneySea

Word is leaking out that the elegant and wonderful Tokyo DisneySea is going to be invaded. A toon invasion. First up, Crush moves into the American Waterfront. Is Turtle Talk a magnificent combination of story, fun, and technology? You bet! My initial visit with him remains one of my favorite Epcot experiences of all time.

However, first and foremost, at DisneySea, Crush is entirely out of theme on the wrong continent. What does Australia really have to do with an elegantly realized turn-of-the -century American seaport? Absolutely nothing.

This is a uniquely Disney attraction. Unfortunately, it has given birth to some pale and mediocre imitations- and a rush to place what works in one environment and bring it anywhere and everywhere else. No pun intended, but decisions like this water down the awe factor and ultimately the entire themed experience. Dig deeper, Oriental Land Company!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Heart to Heart

One of the things I value most about my friends is their ability to share their heart with me. I enjoy really knowing my friends and what they think and how they feel about their lives and our world. I learn alot from their experience and their wisdom. As we get to know each other, the more I value them and trust them.

This is exactly how it is with prayer and our relationship with the wonderful Creator who loves us! This is also method number two in how we can hear from God. The first and primary way we hear God is through His desires as expressed in the Bible.

It is not only possible to have this friendship, this kind of intimacy with the One who designed the entire world, it is His desire to have that with us. In fact, because our brokenness, failure, and yes, sin, separated us from a perfect and pure God, He sent Jesus to earth paying the price for us. This action on God's part restores our relationship with Him if we accept this godly gift. It's really pretty simple. Those barriers between us and God are broken through Jesus' work on the cross. It's not just the sacrifice of dying for us that renews the relationship, it is also the power of God displayed through Jesus' resurrection that makes it all come together. Our part? Believe that what He did is true- and choose to follow Him in the way we live our life.

Figuring out what God wants for us can be as simple as asking Him. Really! In God's love letter to us, He tells us that those who earnestly follow Him can hear his voice. As our Heavenly Father, He wants us to come to Him with our needs. Remember the Lord's Prayer? "Give us this day our daily bread." What a great model to follow. He wants to give us what it is as we pursue honoring and loving Him, caring about our needs and our wants. How does He know we love Him? Jesus tells us. "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Pretty straightforward and easy to understand. Even though we sometimes want to make it complicated, God makes it simple for us to know Him, love Him, and hear from Him. It's just our choice to follow Him or not. That is what complicates matters! Next time, we'll talk about hearing God through input from other folks and how to tell if there is truth and wisdom in what they tell us.

Keeping the World on the Move

Here's something I really miss from Disneyland and thoroughly enjoy while visiting the Magic Kingdom in Florida: the Peoplemover. This great old piece of concept art comes from back in the day when Imagineering was really interested in keeping Tomorrowland about tomorrow. I still have alot of faith in the Disney Imagineers. Can't wait to see what is up next!

(Artwork copyright The Walt Disney Company)

Little (Porn) Shop of Horrors

Ran into a pleasant surprise this last week: the local porn shop in our neighborhood went out of business. Have to say I am glad! But then, I get to hear the horror stories of guys who get addicted to this stuff. They never expect to, yet eventually they get drawn in farther than they ever intended. Thinking it brings or expresses freedom, instead it creates bondage, ruins lives, marriages, and rips families apart. Porn degrades humans and reduces men to animals, leaving us unable to have healthy sexual relationships with our partners. An ugly story all around. If you find that you need help, go here before you get in way over your head. It is never too late to choose real health and true freedom!

Best Beatles Remakes

Any music fan will have their own list, but here's mine, in no particular order:

"You Wont See Me" – Anne Murray.

Playful and fun. Better than the original!

"Got to Get You into My Life"- Earth Wind and Fire.

Snappy R&B, great guitar solo. I never get sick of hearing this one.

"Ticket to Ride"- Carpenters.

Karen and Richard's 1973 version is amazing, turning this upbeat pop smash into a slow boil heartbreaker. Another testimony to Richard's arranging skills and Karen's vocal power.

"We Can Work it Out"- Chaka Khan.

Searing vocals, red hot instrumentals. Makes Stevie Wonder's cover version look like warm milk.

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - Elton John.

As freaky as the original.

Radiant!

Here's a bit of encouragement for those of you (and me!) who are feeling a little low today... I have always loved this verse from the Bible. It reminds me that our hope in Jesus produces a brightness in us even when we fall flat on our faces, fail, or disobey. When we turn to God and seek Him, he smiles upon us.

"Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces."
(Psalm 34:3-5, New Living Translation)

Disneyland's Alien Encounter

During a 1999 visit to Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom's very un-Disney Alien Encounter quickly became one of my favorites. I remember laughing as well as enjoying the suspense the Imagineers created. In fact, the entire new Tomorrowland was terrific.

As I was going through some pieces of concept art, I happened upon this version of the attraction set for Disneyland with a very different entrance than its Florida sibling. Can't remember where I first found it, but the caption tells us Disneyland guests will get to experience this new kind of sensory thrill during the Disney Decade of the 1990s. Sure wish it would have happened!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Making a Difference in Montana

Helping folks has always been a hallmark of a true follower of Jesus. And the great thing is, there is no age limit in who can participate, no gender discrimination, no racial barriers. A group of teens and a few adults working with them, left from our church for a weeklong service project on one of the reservations in Montana. This was quite a different project from previous years at Juarez, Mexico, or serving meals all day at the Los Angeles Rescue Mission.

Playing with the kids and enjoying the beautiful creation was only part of the week. Painting and repairing houses and other tribal buildings was also part of serving the community. Our group worked with a wonderful service organization called Youth Works. This group encourages and organizes groups of teens to go make a practical difference in their world and the world around them.

Of course, as with anytime we work helping others, there are always moments we enjoy! Fun and work can go hand in hand. Or "hands in hands", as you can see below.

In the quiet and restful peace of the evening, our team had a chance to enjoy some time recharging their batteries through prayer, Bible study, and reflective worship music. They know God is the one who gives them strength!

In the New Testament, the book of James reminds us that faith without service to others is worthless. Of course, Jesus demonstrated this same principle. He always took care of people's needs as he ministered to their spiritual needs. Service should always accompany our words, and we should always look for opportunities to bless and encourage others with our words as we serve. It's passing on Jesus' heart. Loving people with practical truth. In other words, Christianity 101! 

(Pictures courtesy TK.)