Sometimes God Has To Write It In The Sky

Our first (and only) time to go to Disney as a family, we had talked to all of our friends who were Disney fanatics. They told us how to make reservations to the resort and to the best dinner places around the parks, about the Disney dining plan, about how to ride all the best rides, how to make your dollar go further, what days to do the park hopper, where to see the fireworks and parades, transportation to the park, how to stay late, how to see the characters. These people knew everything. So, with much fear and trepidation I said, “okay Anita make the reservation.”

My wife did all her homework and made reservations for us. Of course, for the McGinnis clan we have to have enough room to sleep 6. So, Anita gets a really great Disney representative on the phone who set us up with adjoining rooms, a reasonable meal plan and park passes for 4 days for a reasonable price.

We always try to stay positive for our kids. When they are anxious we try to remind them of Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV), which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” However, God usually has to remind me too.

 On the long drive to Orlando, I start getting anxious. I’m thinking, “We are going to get there and the plans are going to fall apart.” I was thinking “Wow, I am so Disney ignorant. What happens if we have a terrible time? I will have wasted all this money and all this time and we didn’t get any closer as a family.”

 We get to “the happiest place on earth” the night before our first park day. I get a few hours of restless sleep at the All-star Value Resort and the next morning I get up and go poolside to do my regular quiet time. So, in my journal I talk to God about my worries and anxieties about us going to the Disney parks for 4 days with 4 kids. Finally, in desperation I write, “Okay God, if this is all going to work out, You are just going to have to write it in the sky.”

 So, we get in the Safari van and head to the park. As we are driving into the parking lot, the kids say, “Hey dad, that airplane is writing letters in the sky.” It says, T.R.U.S.T and under it is says, J.E.S.U.S.” So, the rest of the week, I did. I had that peace that guards your hearts and minds. I didn’t need secret insider knowledge of Disney. All I needed was Jesus. Now, whenever I get anxious about anything, my wife and kids say, “hey dad, that airplane is writing words in the sky.”

This article appeared on page 24 of the GoodNews Chattanooga Magazine in May 2018, click here to see it.

PS.  My oldest daughter later returned to Disney for the Disney College Program.  She loved it and she was "friends with" Pluto, Cinderella, the Easter Bunny, and Rafiki.  She too had many opportunities to TRUST JESUS while she lived and worked at the Happiest Place on Earth.