One of the things that I learned years ago was from author John Maxwell, he says that “Leadership is Influence.” And he is 100% correct.  So when I made the decision to step away from my occupational ministry life and step fully back into the secular world, questions began to arise as to what my influence would be.  And in a shocking way, God answered that question in of all places, Walt Disney World.

Frequent readers to this blog will know that my wife and I are full-on Disney Geeks.  We accept that and all the ridicule and judgment that comes with being in love with a place built by a mouse, but that is beside the point.  Being as passionate about Walt Disney World as we are, Sarah and I began to discern how we could still DO ministry in my post “occupational” ministry life.  The answer came at an after dinner gathering at the “Top of the World Club” at Bay Lake Tower, next to the Contemporary resort, near the Magic Kingdom.

Walking away from “the church” also meant that we lost a LOT of our friends.  Of course you COULD make the argument that just because we left the church doesn’t mean that we coouldn’t keep our friends..“  But that was not how it happened for us.  When we left the church, we DID lose our friends.  But that’s not ALWAYS the case.

But on this special night, we were surrounded by a group of people who accepted us for who we are, support and encourage us, and seek us out to spend time with and invest in our lives.  And some of these people, we have had real, difficult discussions with. God brought us a new group of people that we can HAVE influence on and also BE influenced by! And it all made sense.

In the immortal words of my favorite Disney character Stitch, “This is my family, it is small, and broken, but still good…yeah, still good.” These are some of the people who I have to lean on and be a solid for them to lean on.  These are people who I can confide in and be a confidence to.  I have been blessed with some amazing relationships and I value each and every one.  Much like some of our other great friendships, these people are AWESOME, and they are there for us.

The focus of my leadership may have shifted, but my call and my desire to serve is still strong and passionate today.  I feel very blessed and humbled to allow these people to have influence on my life.  And I hope to one day have some influence on theirs.  I know that loving God and loving others makes God very happy, but I also think that Uncle Walt would be happy too.

Who has influence on YOUR life?  Who are YOU influencing?

I spend a lot of time in the Magic Kingdom.  It’s the “Happiest Place on Earth.” And at Christmas, there is no better place to be…it truly is magical.

At Christmas, Disney goes ALL OUT and decorates every inch of the 4 parks and numerous resorts.  It’s unbelievable.  And I could spend every day of my life in that magical place…

But today is about the birth a a child, in a far away place.  Born to a poor family.  And He would be the Savior of this world.  Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God.  He would live a perfect, sinless life, giving and serving those who He came to save.  And they, in turn, would nail Him to a tree, to die a sinner’s death.

And He died to save each and every one of us.  And He went to prepare a place for us…in His kingdom.  And as AMAZING as any kingdom that Walt Disney can make…  Can you imagine what God can do you?  Merry Christmas.

Tonight was a truly amazing evening.  I spent time with my wife, a good friend, and two new friends I met a few weeks ago.  I was filmed for a video segment for a Disney Blogger I respect and admire.  We had an amazing meal at a truly unique restaurant.  We missed a Disney Legend by 5 minutes.  And we watched some holiday fireworks over Cinderella Castle.  But it was the simple, little things that made this tremendous night special.  But I am getting a little ahead of myself.

I met Rick Howard a few weeks ago at a Meet and Greet at Disney World.  I had been to his website a few times and always admired his blog and his company.  It was humbling to meet Rick and even more so to be asked to film a video with him for his website.

So today was the afternoon we were scheduled to shoot.  We met up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and spent 30 minutes talking about the Christmas Trees in and around Disney property.  And I asked Rick to dinner with me and Sarah.  He agreed and we decided on the restaurant.  We landed at the Celebration Town Tavern in Celebration, FL…the town that Disney built…

Dinner was off-the-chain.  They don’t do anything small or simple.  Good food, and lots of it, with a great vibe and cheap beer.  After dessert Sarah and I were invited by Rick to watch the fireworks over Magic Kingdom from high atop the Bay Lake Tower Resort in the Top of the World Club.  It’s a restaurant/bar that you can only get into if you are a Disney Vacation Club member or invited by a DVC member.  Sid and I have never been to Bay Lake Tower, let alone the Top of the World Club…how could we resist?

Once we were in the club, we met the bartender who told us that we have just missed Bob Gurr….  Who is Bob Gurr?  Have you ever ridden a Monorail, Doombuggy, Autopia car, or Matterhorn Bobsled?  Then you have ridden on a Bob Gurr creation…in simplest terms, Bob Gurr is a Disney Legend….  And we have JUST missed him.

But the Holiday fireworks were about to start and Disney magic is hard to pass on, no matter how disappointed you might be, so we popped outside and got our spots, and the show was amazing!  It was even better than I had remembered from last year!  And after they were over, we left the club, and then the resort, and parted ways.

The whole day was filled with special moments: unique little miracles of time and coincidence.  A conversation at dinner, a drink with friends, watching spectacular explosions fill the night sky, a stolen kiss in an elevator.  Moments that make life worth the time and energy of living.  I love Walt Disney World and the special moments it helps facilitate.

I have a truly blessed life – I am humbled and grateful for those moments that I am allowed to have.  It’s a privilege and a miracle.  And I am left in awe.

Anyone who knows me, reads my blog, my Twitter, or my FaceBook, KNOWS I am in love with all things Disney.  Well, not so much anything Disney that ends with ‘Montana’, ‘Jonas’, or ‘Pherb’.  But most anything that relates to the Magic Kingdom, has me at ‘Hello’.  So, when I got a copy of Mousejunkies!: Tips, Tales, and Tricks for a Disney World Fix, I knew that I had to read it.

And I did, cover to cover, in about 2 1/2 hours.  In fact, I read it on a really bad day for me, and as always, ‘The Mouse” made me feel better.  It was magic.

And don’t we all need a little magic every now and again?

Mousejunkies! is a fun, enjoyable read.  It is full of great ideas and tips on how to spend an amazing time at the “Happiest Place on Earth.”  It’s written by a group of people who call themselves “Mousejunkies”, people who have spent their time, money, and loves absorbing everything Disney.

They are knowledgeable and wise in all ways ‘Mickey Mouse.’  The book is written as guide to the 4 kingdoms, all the resorts, restaurants, and shopping areas.  If you are planning on a trip to Orlando, you need to read this book.  As a Florida resident, and someone who has been the the parks numerous times, There weren’t a lot of new secrets revealed, and they spent a lot of time talking about the heat and weather.  Trust me, I KNOW when Florida is hot…really hot.  And no, not even Disney is fun when the temp is 101…

But I did learn how to really enjoy my Disney trips, whether multi-day or for just a few hours.  There are also several times when the different ‘MouseJunkies’ put their 2 cents in.  Bill, the main author is a man after my own heart.  His perfect day at Disney is an early lunch at the ESPN Zone at Disney Boarkwalk, watch a football game (or two), and then end the day at Illuminations at EPCOT.

If you can’t be at Disney, I always suggest that you read about Disney.  And I HIGHLY recommend Mousejunkies! to you!  If for no other reason, for Chapter 12, Why We Go…it sums up my love for Disney and for the World of it’s creator.