TWA (33): Getting Onboard With The Rise of the Resistance

There’s a new ride at Hollywood Studios for Star Wars enthusiasts called “The Rise of the Resistance.” Rumor rates it as the best-ever ride at a Disney theme park, and we were all hoping to experience it! However, it’s so popular you can only see it IF you have a pass, and to get a ticket, you have to have reservations for Hollywood Studios for your desired day, and then you have to call at exactly 7:00 am on that morning and be one of the first ?? people to call.

Alan, Kathryn, and Carl all had their phones poised for action by about 6:55 am, and all three started calling between 6:58 and 7:00 hoping to be one of the first people to get through. There seemed to be some sort of glitch in all the phones so they couldn’t actually get passes though. 😦 By 7:05 am all the tickets were gone, and we hadn’t gotten any of them. It was then we discovered we not only had to have tickets for the park, we actually had to be physically present at the park and through security by 7:00 am (although the rides don’t even open until 8:00 am).

With three small youngsters, that would have been a cruel and unusually punishing way to begin their day, so we accepted defeat on that count but dressed and took off for Hollywood Studios.

We learned there would be another opportunity at 1:00 pm, so we spent the morning delighting in all the fun family rides. (Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad was our kids’ favorite.)

There were colorful visuals every where, so just walking around the park was a pleasure.

I hope it’s not true for too much longer, but everyone was required to wear a face mask at all times, which was an excellent precaution for protecting people from Covid, but it was very difficult on a hot day. The kids were amazingly patient, and I really admired their ability to hang tough. Drops of perspiration were dripping down my face at one point, and I found it challenging to keep up!

Thankfully, Carl and Kathryn know how to pace things for their kids. We stopped for an early lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant with some “Wookie Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches” for dessert. Just so you know, Wookie Cookies are big enough to feed one Wookie or about three humans! Each “sandwich” is two huge cookies with cream filling inside. The seven of us couldn’t finish three.

After lunch, most of us got in line for the Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run. (Kathryn stayed out with our youngest galactic racer.) But, all three tech-savvy cosmos operators kept a close eye on their watches. As we inched closer to being inside, we wondered if our phones would still have cell reception when we needed it!

Just before 1:00 pm, Alan, Carl, and Kathryn started the race to see if any of them could snag us tickets. Would it work?

Yes! Kathryn got us a pass! As you can see, by 1:01 pm (one minute after opening) we got tickets for Group 115, with an estimated return time of almost 6 hours later. Hollywood Studios closes at 8:00 pm. The kids go to bed at 8:00 pm usually. We were forewarned that our return time might be later and we might never be able to board the ride. Wow!

We thought about the possibilities: #1. Give up altogether and forget it. Carl had to be back in the area in a couple of weeks for a Film Festival (related to his work); he could go then, but Kathryn would miss out. #2. Alan and I could watch the kids and let Carl and Kathryn return after dinner. But, tired as the kids were, they wanted to see it . . . and frankly, so did Alan and I!

#3. Go home for a break and return all together after dinner. Bingo! We knew it was going to be a lot of work, and we’d be super hot and tired, but at least we’d all be together and we’d all get to experience the “highlight” ride of Disney creativity.

So, we went home, had a swim to cool off, ate some dinner, and hustled back in the early evening hours despite our all being quite weary from the big day already!

Meanwhile, they’d had to shut the ride down temporarily, and Carl wasn’t even sure if it would be up and running before the park shut at 8:00 pm. But, both Carl’s boss and his closest co-worker said it was THE BEST Disney ride they’ve ever been on, so we thought we’d tough it out and see. We ended up being in group #115.

They texted us shortly before 8:00 pm to let us know we could start waiting in line (smiling personnel kept people from joining the line before they could prove they had text approval), but it was past 9:00 pm by the time we were finished waiting in the line, enjoying the experience, and wandering our way out.

The ride was extremely complex, interactive, “scary,” and charming. My grand daughter and I went in together, and although neither of us complained to the other person at the time, we were both thinking, “Oh, no! Are we going to have to stand up for 22 minutes?” (the length of the ride).

Because, the first thing you do is stand as if you’re flying on the Millennium Falcon. (Thankfully, you don’t have to stand for 22 minutes; most of the time you’re moving or sitting.)

The Rise of the Resistance was an interactive experience with real staff impersonating Empire personnel who captured us and threw us in jail.

However, there were also were holograms, audio-animatrons, and troops of invaders.

The ride was visually captivating, filled with action, lots of explosions and flying objects, and always with an urgent sense for the need to conquer the bad guys and escape before being incinerated!

I’m sure this ride would be worth the wait for Star Wars fans, although I felt pretty old and out of it because it didn’t thrill me as much as one of the travelogues from Epcot. (Should I admit this??) 🙂

However, I’ve had lots of time to consider spiritual parallels since! What lengths are we willing to go to in order to get “passes” to make it possible for our children and ourselves to embark on the spiritual journey to heaven? Are we willing to attempt the pilgrimage? Wake up early? Tough it out in the heat? Provide sustenance for ourselves and our little ones? Pace ourselves? Take rests as needed? Count the cost? Allow everybody to voice their opinion? Consider everyone’s needs and capacities? Let each person make their own decision? Leave no one behind who wants to go? Not be put off by system failures? Accept the risks? Come back again? Never give up? Stay up late? Face the dark?

A trip to Disney is fun, but a trip to heaven is of eternal value and everlastingly important. Are you making the effort to lead your family to Jesus? I pray so! Getting onboard with the Rise to Heaven is more exhilarating than anything this world has to offer . . . even Disney World!! 🙂

Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

TWA (30): Disney Dreamin’

Fort Wilderness Campground has been our family’s “home away from home” pretty much for the duration of our marriage. Alan absolutely loves it, and I think the kids do too. I’m more of a national parks fan, myself. While attending the Southeastern Christian Teachers’ Conference back in 1972, I passed up my first opportunity to visit Disney, preferring to stay on the beach at Daytona and memorize the Book of Romans. (Oh yes, definitely a dusty theologian! 🙂 )

One year when the kids were little, the arguments between Alan and me became so heated that Alan promised to let the kids vote:

“Okay, kids, would you rather go to some national park, or to DISNEY WORLD? Anybody who votes for Disney World gets a free chocolate bar.”

It was a unanimous decision (except for me), and no amount of explanation about God’s great earth, experiencing “real” beauty, hiking, growth, or learning could persuade even one of my youngsters to vote for a national park. It was a closed case. To me, it was a disaster. To Alan and the kids, it was the beginning of a long love affair with Mickey Mouse. Forty-five years later, I’m okay with it, but I still wouldn’t trade Disney for a national park. (Although, over the years we did travel to many of the greatest national parks in America too, so no one was deprived.)

We’ve been taking the kids camping at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground since our two oldest were 3 and 1, and over the years the kids became so familiar with everything that they felt very much at home there.

As the family grew, so did the number of tents and chairs, and our compound was surrounded by rope lines for drying towels and wet swim suits.

One of the biggest advantages of Disney was the sense of safety and freedom. Apart from avoiding the rare, unseen alligator or rumored bear, the kids felt safe to play volleyball and tennis. We swam daily, attended the campfires, and took long walks along the wooded trails.

In the early days, we could swim at the pools or in Bay Lake, and there were plenty of hammocks for resting under the shady trees. Alligators and snakes have ended that bliss, but there is still a wonderful transportation system available to all resort guests (including campers), and we took full advantage of the freedom to take a boat ride or bus ride to visit other resorts.

Wilderness Lodge was just a short hike through the woods away,

and one of our favorite walks was the stretch between the Polynesian and Grand Floridian resorts.

If we got sunburned, tired, and footsore by evening, we could always catch a boat back home!

Year by year, the kids got older, but even as teenagers they enjoyed our annual camping trip!

After the kids started getting married, we were able to bring some of our new in-law kids along (or meet the couples there).

During those years, I would often see grandparents with their adult offspring and grandchildren, and I’d wonder how they managed to keep up with them, and if we’d ever be able to afford to do something like that with our kids.

By 2010, we only had our two youngest left to travel with us. They were both single and had enough “free time” to be available. We had so much fun traveling together and went lots of places, including Disney sometimes during their spring breaks!

And then it happened! Our oldest sons eventually had enough time and money to meet us at Disney. Here we are with our oldest son’s four boys at Disney Land. (They moved to California.)

Our second son and his family have lived overseas for the past 10 years, but they were able to meet us at Disney World a few years ago in conjunction with a family wedding.

Three years ago, our third son and his family moved back from Washington State, and we were able to visit Disney with their familly (and our seventh-born, who was still single then) in 2019 (before Covid struck).

We skipped for the first time ever in 2020 due to Covid concerns, but now, on our trip through the Southeast, we were going to be able to meet up with our fourth-born for a week with her family! We were super excited and anticipating all the joy of being together, eating together, sleeping together, and having fun together. Furthermore, after enduring sweeping rains for a week, the weather was a glorious 84° with just a few puffy clouds around the perimeter of the horizon under a bright, blue dome! Thank you, not “Mother Nature,” but Father God!! We were relieved and delighted.

Alan and I arrived just in time to get everything in order for the kids’ arrival. We rented a golf cart (an unaffordable luxury when our kids were small, but it’s a huge source of ease and fun for everybody).

We unpacked the tent and sleeping bags, and air mattresses, and pillows, and chairs. We were having a wonderful time preparing for the kids . . . except—

Except our daughter called to say they’d missed their flight! 😦

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12).

Five+Star Meals from Scraps

How do you handle all the leftovers when you have lots of summer company? My son Jon’s family was visiting recently, and he taught me a couple of tricks to make using up the leftovers fun! Whenever the fridge was getting crammed with bits and pieces from this and that, we’d pull them all out and have a smorgasbord of leftovers. Now, most people would consider this a rather lack-luster excuse for a lunch, and in my family growing up, each leftover tidbit was called a “scrap.” About once a week (usually on Saturday), my mother would clean out the refrigerator and serve a meal of “scraps.” It was part of being responsible for not wasting any food, but we never thought of it as special.

Jon took a totally different tack! For a starter, he’d say we were going to eat at Trail’s End. For those of you who don’t know our family’s lore (or don’t happen to love camping at Disney World yourselves), let me explain: Trail’s End is a wonderful country-style buffet at Disney’s Wilderness Campground (where we took our annual family camping trip for about 45 years). We didn’t go to Trail’s End often (not even once per year), but we all adored their fabulous salads, entrees, sides, desserts, and drinks—all for one (extravagant) price. It is one restaurant that no matter how young or old, every person can find an abundance of their personal favorite things to eat and drink, and nobody in our family ever whined about not liking the food! (Actually, my kids were great eaters, and eating out was a rare luxury, so they really didn’t whine much no matter where we went, but you get the idea.)

So, the first thing Jon did was elevate each paltry smorgasbord by likening it to our favorite buffet! Second, at this meal, there were no rules about choosing a balanced diet. (I did set apart the desserts for later.) If it was on the counter, it was fair game (although politeness would sometimes require asking how many people wanted some of whatever). We’d try to organize the meats, veggies, fruits, and starches in groups so that people could see all their options in various categories, but kids could still choose whatever, including just one protein and three fruits if they wanted (for example). That got the kids excited about picking out their favorites, and before long, the leftovers were flying off the counter!

What makes it a five-star meal? According to Jon, the meal deserves one star for each scrap that is totally devoured! The blueberries and cantaloupe disappeared? Hey, that’s a good beginning! Two stars! What about the day we finished off the green beans, tossed salad, rice, chicken, and watermelon? That was a five-star meal! Oh, but then somebody polished off the last biscuit and the sausage gravy left over from yesterday’s breakfast, and now the coleslaw is gone too . . . that’s an eight-star meal!

I mean really, does it get any more fun than that? Sometimes we get so full at lunch that we have to wait until tea time to finish off our “scrap” desserts. But, since we all have sweet teeth, it doesn’t take a game to make the last bites of desserts disappear!

“He [God] gives food in abundance” (Job 36:31).

Impressions of Étretat . . . and of Life

Images of Étretat, France have been playing in my brain for 38 years—this image in particular! Do you recognize it? It’s from Epcot’s utterly captivating Impressions de France movie, which began playing on opening day back in 1982 (when our family was young) and now holds the Guinness World Record for the “longest running daily screening of a film in the same theater.” There was always something wistfully romantic about this elderly couple meandering along the cliffs beneath a stormy sky . . . the spire of an old stone church above them and the immortal beauty of Monet’s chalky cliffs below. It made me think of my parents, who were about that age, and conjured up images of peace and endurance . . . God, man, and nature in harmony despite the looming clouds and darkness coming on.

L’Aiguille (The Needle) and Porte d’Aval Arch. Cliffs of Étretat France

So, when we toured France with our two youngest sons a few years ago, Étretat made it into the list of “must sees”. . . and has remained in my heart as one of our “best sees!”

Étretat is a tiny “commune” (French, but we’d call it a village in English) of fewer than 1,300 people.

Étretat is best known for the 300-foot chalk cliffs, graceful arches, and magnificent hiking path. The area was made especially famous by Claude Monet (and other prominent french painters and authors) and retains the atmosphere of a quaint beach resort.

Le monument Nungesser et Coli (Monument to The White Bird)

Étretat’s other claim to fame is as the last place in France where “The White Bird” (a 1927 biplane) was last seen. Two World War I war heroes were attempting the first ever non-stop from Paris to New York City, but the plane disappeared over the Atlantic and was never recovered—continuing as one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

Étretat with Chapelle Notre Dame de la Garde (Stone Church) and the Monument to The White Bird atop the far distant hill above the village

The morning we arrived was as overcast and grey as the evening scene in The Impressions of France.

The cliffs were enshrouded with low-hanging clouds of mist.

We explored the beaches and walkways above and through the cliffs.

Remains from World War II German Occupation

Although we knew that the coast of Normandy had been occupied by the Nazis during World War II, I hadn’t realized that their fortifications extended to Étretat.

How many of their sons lost their lives during the raging wars?

I couldn’t help but consider that the elderly couple in The Impressions de France movie would most likely have lived through both World War I and World War II, just like my own parents.

Our sons coming to meet us at the top of Étretat.
They were able to hike faster and longer than we could!

Although our sons kindly refused to acknowledge that Alan and I have become that elderly couple in The Impressions de France, I couldn’t help but sense that in 38 years, we’ve gone from being a young couple in the midst of having children . . . to an elderly couple on the verge of retirement! We haven’t had to live through nearly as much heartache and world destruction as our parents did, but we are heading into a storm during the twilight years of our life— a world war of disease. As of this morning, there are 4,387,438 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally with 298,392 deaths, and I think before the year is out, these numbers may seem insignificantly small.

Still, my hope and prayer is that our beautiful world will come through the storms intact. May the Lord have mercy on us and heal us. May we find peace to endure and harmony with God and nature as we pilgrim on. May our heavenly father cause his son’s shine to burn off the misty shrouds of death! And, for those who can’t walk along the mountain top but are forced to walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, may the Lord cast long golden beams of light to brighten your way.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:1-4).

Traveling with Togo

Want to snuggle up and watch a heart-warming true story about an incredible dog who was named the most heroic dog in history by Time magazine in 2011? This cold winter weather is perfect for staying inside and being glad we’re not actually out in the blizzards of Alaska back in the winter of 1925, when the event actually occurred.

Togo was released at the end of 2019 and has all the dog prints of a true Disney classic: a PG rating, 8.2 on IMDb, great acting, stunning cinematography from Alaska, and full of suspense, courage, and love.

It’s a remarkable story about Togo, a sickly, undersized husky pup with an oversized ability to get into mischief, the heart of a true survivor, and a passion for his master. Willem Dafoe does a masterful job portraying Leonhard Seppala, the stubborn Norwegian who had to balance love for his wife with his professional wisdom as a musher, where wrong decisions can end in death for both the master and his dogs.

The challenge? To bring serum from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska during the worst winter in twenty years during weather too dangerous for flights. Why? Because a diphtheria epidemic was threatening to wipe out most of the area’s people.

Leonard Seppela and his team of huskies crossing Norton Sound of the Bering Sea

Nome, Alaska, is just 2 degrees south of the Arctic Circle and is located on the southern coast of Seward Peninsula at Norton Sound along the Bering Sea. Today, there are fewer than 4,000 living in Nome, but due to people lingering after the gold rush at the turn of the century, in 1925 the little outpost of Nome was the largest town in Northern Alaska.

In order to carry the serum across 674 miles from Nenana (where the serum had been transported via train from Anchorage) to Nome, more than twenty teams using over 100 huskies were organized, and the event was widely broadcast as the “Great Race of Mercy.”

Many of us have watched the movie Balto. This movie immortalized the lead dog who ran the last 31 miles to bring the serum into Nome, but Leonhard (which means “lion-heart”) Seppala and his faithful dog Togo ran the penultimate race: 264 miles, sometimes enduring temperatures of —30°F. with wind chills making it feel like —85°F.!! Until this movie came out, Leonhard and Togo were pretty much the unsung and forgotten heroes.

Julianne Nicholson as Constance Seppela in Togo

The race was not for glory, it was for good, and the most magnificent message for me was watching the love, resolve, and reward for the couple who risked everything to save their community. It was unbelievable to me that they didn’t get the praise and glory they deserved, but I think that is more often true in this life than we will ever know. I am reminded of Solomon’s wisdom in Ecclesiastes 9:11, where he laments: “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”

In our personal pilgrimages through life, few of us are asked to do terribly dangerous and risky things, but all of us are asked to run our race faithfully, for good, and not for glory! But, there is a promise in the example of Jesus, who ran the race before us for joy and for love of God.

May we run our races as doggedly as Togo . . . and like Togo, to please the One we love!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).

(Disney’s version of the story runs very close to the reality, although they had a somewhat abbreviated, “happily-ever-after” style ending. If you want to read more of the thrilling [scary] details, there’s an excellent Wikipedia article listed below.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonhard_Seppala

Iguazú (“Iguaçu”) Falls: The World’s Largest Waterfall System

Although there are higher, deeper, and wider waterfalls around the world, Iguazú is the largest waterfall system in the world.

Magnificent Iguazú Falls!

“Iguaçu” means “big water” in the native language.

Viewing the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls from the Brazilian side

This gorgeous system of falls forms part of the boundary between Brazil and Argentina in South America, and both countries have national parks to protect the pristine beauty “just as it had been created by God” (—André Roboucas, 1876).

Aerial view of the area before we landed at Iguazú Falls

Both national parks are also now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

A rainbow of hope near the bottom of one of Iguazú’s 275 (+) falls

If you’re into native legends, it seems the falls were created when a deity plotted to marry a beautiful human named Naipí. However, Naipí attempted to escape in a canoe with her mortal lover, Tarobá. In a fury of unrequited love, the deity sliced the river in front of them, condemning them to an eternal fall.

Of course, I believe Iguazú Falls were created by the hand of the Lord God, maker of heaven and earth, who is eternal Love and creates beauty to be enjoyed, not out of spite! 🙂

View of Iguazú Falls from Viewing Tower, Brazilian Side

However you slice it, it’s one of the most breath-taking wonders of the world!

View of Iguazú Falls from the Trail on the Argentine side

In fact, it’s so majestic that Disney’s imagineers have featured it in Epcot’s simulated flight ride around the world called “Soarin.'”

Watch Tower and Rainbows at Iguazú Falls on the Brazilian side

(“Soarin'” is our family’s personal favorite ride and a “must see” if you ever go to Disney and might not ever go to South America).

Iguazú Falls from walkway on Brazilian side

The entire falls system is 1.7 miles long and fashioned from super hard igneous basalt columns that are part of the 3,300-foot thick Serra Geral Formation, so there’s only minuscule erosion each year.

(Only about 1.5 cm per year, versus 30 cm for Niagara!!)

Our guide, Jose, said there were 275 falls,

but the water level was so low that it looked more like “hundreds” to me!

Walkway to second level of Iguazú Falls on Brazilian side

The weather was perfect, and Jose also mentioned that it was ideal for actually seeing the falls, since when the river is really full, there’s so much mist that it’s hard to see much of anything in the canyon!

Half the river’s flow is through a long, narrow chasm called the “Devil’s Throat,”

Double Rainbow over Devil’s Throat

where the highest and deepest falls disappear into billows of rainbowed spray.

If you want, you can take a boat ride
that challenges the outer edges of the turbulence,

Panoramic View ofIguazú Falls

but I didn’t know that was an option before we signed up for our tour.

Capybara feeding on grasses along bank of Iguazu River

Ultimately, I was completely satisfied with how we spent our time,

Iguana at Iguazú National Park

because our guide was a local Brazilian who spotted all sorts of wildlife

in the distance

Caiman swimming in Iguazú River

that we would never have noticed had he not pointed things out!

Jose spent two days hiking us over twelve miles
along trails on both sides of the falls.

Great white heron fishing at Iguazú Falls. Argentine side

He was an expert in the natural, historical,
and even personal aspects of living with the falls.

“Black Fish” (excellent eating!) and minnows in the Iguazu River

Jose could tell all sorts of stories,
including how his father used to fish the falls fifty years ago!

Jungle Train!

On the Argentine side, a rainforest ecological train
transports you through the jungle to three access points:

The upper and lower falls, and the Devil’s Throat.

We arrived early, but the line for the train was already an hour long, so Jose had us walk through the jungle path to the Devil’s Throat.

Although it was a little early in the season for jaguars and pumas (which I was ambivalent about confronting face-to-face anyway), we enjoyed watching the antics of monkeys

Iguana ambling across the path at Iguazú Falls

and the bumbling progress of iguanas and various lizards of all sizes.

Coati walking past me on one of the trails at Iguazu Falls, Argentina

We also had many opportunities to observe what they called “raccoons,” although we call them “coatis” in America.

The coatis seemed completely nonchalant about interacting with people, although they can bite your fingers off or give you nasty scratches,

so there are signs everywhere warning people to stay out of their way.

In fact, they are so aggressive about looking for food that there are cages—not for the coatis, but for the tourists, if you prefer eating in peace without being challenged!

(We ate inside a lovely “cage” that kept the coatis at bay!)

By comparison to the world’s others greatest waterfall systems, I think overall the Iguaçu Falls are the most beautiful I’ve personally seen! The largest by volume of water is Boyoma Falls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (600,000 cu ft/s versus Niagara in second place at 85,000cu ft/s). However, none of the seven cataracts of Boyoma Falls are more than 16 feet high, so they might not be as dramatic to view (although I’ve never been there, so it may be more the remoteness of the Congo and the civil unrest that keeps it from being a big tourist attraction).

Angel Falls in Venezuela

The highest falls in the world are Angel Falls in Venezuela (3,212 ft), although they’re so far into an isolated jungle that it’s very difficult to actually get to see them, so I’ve not attempted to visit them either.

Victoria Falls as seen from Zambezi National Park

The largest “curtain” of water is at Victoria Falls between Zambia and Zimbabwe (5,604 ft wide with an over 354-foot drop).

We visited Victoria Falls a couple of years ago, where we went swimming in the Zambezi River and cozied up in the Devil’s Pool for a bit, so we could look over the edge into the misty abyss below the falls.

American and Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls

Last but not least (among the world’s great falls), is our very own Niagara Falls between the United States and Canada. Although it isn’t “first” at anything, among the highest waterfalls in the world it does have the greatest mean annual flow rate because the Niagara River is typically so much deeper than the Iguazú River system.

Shallow water, just a few inches deep, coursing over Iguazú Falls

Hope this wasn’t statistical overload, and I hope you enjoy numbers. However, I think you’d love visiting Iguazú Falls if you’ve not gone yet, and meanwhile, I hope you’ve enjoyed sharing a little bit of our adventure! It always makes me happy to be able to share!

“Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

(Photo Credits: *Aerial view of entire falls system by Claudio Elias – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1517981.
** Angel Falls: Used by permission; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SaltoAngel4.jpg)

The rest are mine, taken a few weeks ago while visiting in Brazil and Argentina. 🙂

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Nachos

One day while we were in Disney, we stopped at Captain Cooke’s in the Polynesian Resort for lunch. My son-in-law ordered something I’d never heard of before. For one thing, they were served with kettle chips instead of tortilla chips, and for another, they were made with pineapple and pulled pork. I wasn’t sure what I’d think of it, but it was actually quite delicious, so if you’re looking for a little twist on standard nachos, you might enjoy trying this!

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Nachos on Kettle Chips
(Serves 4-6)

In a saucepan, add:
2 cups shredded pork
1/2 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 cup crushed, canned pineapple (with the juice)
1 cup shredded cheese (or your favorite nacho spread)
Salt and pepper to taste (after everything else has melded)

Simmer until most of the moisture has been absorbed and it’s thick enough to serve on a bun. (Come to think of it, I think this would make excellent pulled pork sandwiches too. 🙂 )

Serve over crispy kettle chips with lime wedges. (I bought some barbecue kettle chips for this recipe, and they are good, but I personally think they taste just as good with regular corn tortilla chips too, so suit yourself.)

Add a little guacamole, salsa, and sour cream, then serve with a some fresh fruit and veggies, and you have a mouth-watering lunch, snack, or supper!

“I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will shew forth all thy marvellous works” (Psalm 9:1).

Tolkien Visits Disney

“May the wind under your wings bear you
where the sun sails and the moon walks” (J.R.R. Tolkien).

Recently, Alan and I visited Disney World with some of our kids and grandchildren. The richness of sights, sounds, tastes . . . experiences of surprise, laughter, excitement, and layered memories always makes our trips memorable. I was thinking about all the spiritual symbolism in J.R.R. Tolkien’s wild imagination, and how his wisdom and wit could be inscribed on some of our experiences at the parks. Tolkien would have loved a day wandering through the world of Disney, I’m sure. So, in his memory, I’m going to combine a few of my favorite Tolkien quotes with a few of my favorite photos from traveling to Disney!

“The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus means that one day
everything sad will come untrue.”

“How do you move on? You move on when your heart
finally understands that there is no turning back.”

“It simply isn’t an adventure worth telling if there aren’t any dragons.”

“Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.”

(From Psalm 91:13-16, KJV Bible. You see, even the Bible has dragon stories!) “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet^. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation”

“Above all shadows rides the sun.”

“You can only come to morning through the shadows.”

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold,
it would be a merrier world.”

“The world is not in your books and maps, it’s out there.”

“True education is a kind of never ending story—a matter of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.”

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

“The world changes, and all that once was strong now proves unsure.”
(Speaking more of this beautiful 1919 corvette [soon to be outdated by the 2020’s coming out] rather than my beloved husband!)

“For still there are so many things that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring there is a different green.”

“There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.”

“Living by faith includes the call to something greater
than cowardly self-preservation.”

“In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory.”

“There is a place called ‘heaven’ where the good here unfinished is complete; and where the stories unwritten, and the hopes unfulfilled, are continued. We may laugh together yet.”

“The chief purpose of life, for any of us, is to increase according to our capacity our knowledge of God by all means we have, and to be moved by it to praise and thanks.” . . . Amen? To know, to love, to trust, to praise! As we are taught in Psalm 100:3-5, “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

“Walt, The Man Behind the Myth”

Family Vacation to Walt Disney’s “EPCOT.”

Trips camping down at Fort Wilderness in Disney World was the stuff of dreams for our kids growing up, so it was with great pleasure that Alan, Joel, and I were able to spend a week down there this spring with our son Jon’s young family, who’d never been there before.

Jon and Linda have three little girls, and everything was new, fun, and fascinating!

Jon is one of the most innovative people I know, and The Magic Kingdom has always been a source of inspiration to him because there’s such strong encouragement for people to pursue those sparks of imagination that come to each of us—if we’ll only stop to pay attention!

Epcot Center: Spring Garden Colors

Every park is creative, clean, and colorful.

Watching “Movies Under the Stars” at Fort Wilderness Campground

No matter where you look, there’s likely to be something delightful—and often surprising—right beside you!

Great White Heron perched on top of a table umbrella

If you’ve been to “the happiest place on earth,” you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Disney: The Man Behind the Myth

Although Jon is a theologian with a heart for spiritual life more than “fun,” there’s a lot to be learned from the life of Walt Disney.

He was without a doubt one of the world’s most influential innovators of the twentieth century.

If you’re ever looking for some insight into this legendary man, his daughter told Walt’s story in a warm and honoring biographical documentary back in 2001 (although we just watched it recently!).

Walt, the Man Behind the Myth is G-rated, family friendly, and well worth watching!

One of the most helpful things I’ve learned from Disney comes from his
“Five Lessons on staying motivated and bouncing back from failure:”

*Follow your heart
*Be grateful for failure and move forward
*Go all in
*Invest in knowledge
*Embrace self-delusion (because) delusion and extraordinary success go together

As a Christian, I might modify these a little, to say such things as “Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading” and “Embrace your calling,” but the ideas can all find roots in the Bible:

*Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” You have to know what’s in your heart, so don’t ignore it!

*Psalms 32, 51, and 138 (for instance), David praise God for his help to move forward in times of failure and need.

*Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” If that isn’t going “all in” I don’t know what is!

*Proverbs 18:15, “The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

*Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Are you inspired? I am! 🙂

How to Get Selected to Open Disneyland

How would you like to be able to open Disneyland Park? On the day we went to Disneyland, we got selected to open the park! Would you like to know how?

Well, let me tell you. I’ve been to Disneyland four times in the past 60 years:  1.) 60 years ago, in 1958, when I was only 8 (like my grandson Reid),
and the park was only 3 years old.  2.) 30 years ago, in 1988, when our oldest son, Aaron was 13
and I was 38 (like my daughter-in-law, Carleen is now).   3.) 25 years ago, in 1993, when our youngest son was a toddler.   4.) Last week, when our oldest son’s oldest son (Reuben, on left) was almost 13.

In addition, Alan and I have been to Disney World 50+ times in the past 45 years. So, we are definitely Disney fans (or at least, Alan is!).                                Talk about fun through the generations!  However, it wasn’t our devotion to Disney that got us selected, and it wasn’t through some application process. Also, it wasn’t because we were first in line (although I gather people do attempt to be first in line for that reason).  Actually, Alan and Aaron had dropped us off at the gate and gone back to our apartment to park (and then walk back) while Carleen and I were waiting in line with our four kiddos.  We were singing a song together about the states and capitals, when a man walked up and invited us to open the park. We were totally surprised. In all my years of going to Disney, I’d never tried to figure out how to get to open the park or even thought about wanting to open the park. BUT, presented with the opportunity, the answer was YES!  So, our patron led us through the crowds to the front gate, took us in, and let us be the ones to lead the count down and yell, “Let the magic begin!”Now, I know this might seem disappointing to you, because as humans we’d think it might be more “fair” if we could somehow be selected based on merit or hard work . . . because we were such devoted fans or got up the earliest and were the very first people in line, or because we had submitted an application explaining why we were the most deserving of candidates. But human wisdom is not God’s wisdom, and for whatever reason, He allowed us to be randomly selected for the privilege of opening Disneyland last week!    Thank you, Father, for that totally undeserved and surprising opportunity! I wonder, are there any of you reading this who believe in God but feel like you’re just waiting in line, hoping to get into heaven someday? You may be real “fans” of religious things . . . go to church faithfully and try to live right. You may even believe the “fair” way to get into heaven is by being good . . . by working very hard, disciplining yourself to be an exemplary student, employee, or parent, or by loving others enough to deserve getting into heaven. Maybe . . .Hopefully . . . ?Disney may be “the happiest place on earth,” but heaven is incomparably better than Disney, and God actually wants all of us to be shouting together, “Let the joys begin!” However, God knows that no matter how hard we try, we’re not going to be “good enough” on our own even to pay our way into the park (so to speak), so He sent Jesus to make it possible!  We don’t have to be in the right place at the right time, and we don’t have to attempt to earn our way into heaven. All we have to do is say “YES!” to Jesus, who like our kindly guide, has the power to get us through the gates: “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you . . .⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture . . .¹⁰I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (excerpts from John 10:7-11).  Are you ready to begin your best and greatest adventure yet . . . something infinitely more exciting than getting to open Disneyland?“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).