Lessons from Disney

Do you remember Pinocchio? I do. I loved watching the Disney's 1940 film as I grew up. It's a pretty solid story. 

(I mean...there's smoking, drinking and vandalism

...but it's not painted in a good light...)

I can sing Jiminy Cricket's song to this day....

Give a little whistle! 

Give a little whistle!

And always let your conscience be your guide....

...okay, maybe I can only sing the end. It's a catchy tune though.

Last week I was with Claudia as we were picking up her brother from the airport. We got separated from her parents and we started looking for them.

I heard a faint whistle...and Claudia's face lit up "My dad is over there."
"What? How do you...I don't see him...Did he just WHISTLE?"
"Yeah!" She responds with a returning whistle. "That's my dad's whistle."

This happened a few times, even with my other friend Luisa and her dad. Each of their fathers have a whistle that identifies his location to his children.

My dad has one too :)

Maybe there is some international class that teaches fathers to teach his children a whistle. Maybe the hospitals teach it to the dads as the moms learn to breastfeed...
Is there an ongoing inventory of the whistle tunes? Which father has which? Interpol must take a census every few years one for quality control, and two for recycling tunes.

Well, at any rate...I know my father's whistle. And I pray to know my Father's voice.

John 10 (NIV)

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

The strangest thing to me: I can't tell you right now what my daddy's whistle sounds like.

I haven't heard it in so long. But I know that if I was picked up from the airport solely by my father's whistle, I'd make it home. I have spent enough time with him that I know his whistle, his smile, his handwriting, and his cough.

If I want to know my Heavenly Father that well...I need to spend the time with Him. It's simple.

When you get in trouble and you don't know right from wrong, 

Give a little whistle!

Give a little whistle!

When you meet temptation and the urge is very strong,

Give a little whistle!

Give a little whistle!

Not just a little squeak,

Pucker up and blow!

And if your whistle is weak, yell "Jiminy Cricket!"

Take the straight and narrow path

And if you start to slide,

Give a little whistle!

Give a little whistle!

And always let your conscience be your guide.

I have a Guide that my Shepherd gave to me...sometimes my whistle is too weak, and I have to flail my arms in the air and call out to the Lord to help me.

That's okay :) As long as you know His voice enough to keep you from Pleasure Island. 

Spend time with your Daddy, learn His whistle.