Magical Moments

Disney World specializes in magical moments. It's a motto for the company and is encouraged, even taught, to its employees (called "the cast"). The cast is told to make the visits of their guests memoriable and to do whatever it takes to make it so. If a child drops an ice cream, run over with a new one. If a person has food allergies, create an entire delicious meal they can eat without worries. If a person has a disability, provide whatever comforts they need so they can participate in any possible attraction. And it's worked for the company. People come back year after year paying top dollar (Disney is not cheap) to visit. But you leave that place with a sunny disposition, smiles and a cheerful heart. And many a parent of children with special needs has said Disney is the only place they can truly be "on vacation."

My daughter, who is currently a member of the Disney cast through its college program, told me about the mandate for magical moments. I got to see it in action first-hand while on a visit to see her recently. Ayla told me you could ask any restaurant for a tall glass of ice water and they'd hand it over for free. However, the streetside stands don't have the same policy. Only soft drinks and bottled water are offered there. I didn't know this at the time and went up to ask for a glass of water at one of these stands. The gal behind the counter said, "I can't offer that at this stand, but here (she handed me two cold bottles of water) ... have a magical day." Another time while getting two T-shirt designed as gifts, I noticed the wait time was such that would cut into precious and highly needed sleep time before my long drive home. I said to the cast member at the cash register ... "I need you to make a magical moment happen for me here. Is there anything you can do to speed this wait time up." I had my T-shirts in half the time. And I watched as my daughter congratulated every newly married couple wearing "Just Married" buttons or couples wearing "Happy Anniversary" buttons, wished a Happy Birthday to those celebrating, and ask countless children if they were having a good time. It was fun for me to watch.

Now imagine a world outside of Disney where this was the motto. You know, where people love without expecting anything in return. Where people do things to make others' lives easier. Where people genuinely care if you are celebrating something important in your life. A world where people followed, say, Leviticus 19:18: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," what Jesus called the second greatest commandment. It would be Heaven, wouldn't it?

This expression of agape (a Greek term for "unconditional love" expecting nothing in return) is not a difficult thing to do. In actually, it's quite fun! And while bringing joy to the one the love is given, will actually bring you even more joy.

Make a day of it. Take a day where your goal is, not to make a magical moment, but to make agape moments. The stories you will have to share later with others will be priceless.

We joked often while walking around Disney World that we were having a "Hap, hap, happy day" or even "It's another magical day at Disney" because of the efforts made to see to it we did.

I pray your days are hap, hap, happy and filled with moments of unconditional love. I believe that is what God intended for us from the very beginning. And all the instruction we need to accomplish this, after our failure in disobeying Him as early as the Garden of Eden, is written in Scripture. First Corinthians 13 is filled with guidance on how to love. So does 1 John 3 and 4. Let's give it a whirl, shall we?

It's those little glimpses into Heaven that give us just the encouragement we need while living in this world ... the wonderful world of our Almighty, Loving, Creator God.

Flashing By

Lying across the street recently I noticed a cable. I've seen these kinds of cables before. They are placed there by the city to count the number of cars that drive by. It's the city's way of finding how how well traveled a road is. I'm assuming if they find a high figure, they maybe add a lane or create an alternative route to give traffic another flow pattern. Whatever the reason, the city is taking count of the cars that drive by.

On another road I saw a sign flashing the speed limit. As you go by, it flashes the miles per hour you are driving ... only if you are over the speed limit posted in the area. In this area, the speed limit was 25 mph, so when I reached 30, the sign started flashing. My son said, "You're at 30!" So I slowed down immediately.

One device counts the number of people that go by. Another warns them when they've gone by way too fast.

Most recently, I have been preoccupied. It started with the days leading up to our move to a new home from our apartment. We began having guests arrive to help us with our relocation and repairs on the new home. Then came the move. Then all the work involved with unpacking, moving furniture, fixing additional items, sorting, cleaning, etc. In the midst of that, we moved a second load to the house and began the process all over again. As a result, I found myself pushing my devotion time with God away. I'll do it after this ... I'll do it after that... I'll get to it in a little bit, etc. And of course, I wouldn't. My important private time with my Father was taking a backseat to the craziness of the day, over and over again. Were the Lord a cable on the road, He would have seen me pass by countless times. But it wasn't that I needed additional time or an alternative time, I just needed to prioritize it. The warning signs were definitely flashing. I found my stress level increasing. I found my focus skewed. I became irritable, lost, confused, all the time continuing to zip on by.

While attending my first Reunion Group meeting (a Christian accountability group) here in Alabama, I finally noticed the flashing sign. I realized that I needed to discipline myself to be sure to set aside time for the important - the most important - things in my life. My time with God. My husband. My children.

I caught it early, and I'm grateful. Just like my son reminding me about my speed, this group meeting was a reminder to get myself back on track as a Christian. Praise God for other Christians to remind us of our obligations as Jesus explained in Matthew 22:37-40. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The cable's count of me passing by is about to slow down ... just like the signs warned me to. I've got some prioritizing to do.