Halloween's fun and Thanksgiving a blast. But at Christmas, we pause to remember our past. A past filled with wonder, and visions, and secrets. At times it did leave us a little bit sleepless.
So join with me now while regaling the shows. That covered our TVs like grounds with the snows. "Rudolph" and "Frosty", "Charlie Brown" and his friends were seen 'round the world from its end to its ends. But the movies and broadcasts that had us up nights, were the ones that included a bit of a fright. Live-action films with some tension in stages from Nazi betrayal to kid catchers with cages. Witches and wizards in colors like green. Were featured alive on our video screens. Shown at this time filled with wonder and awe, these films fit the bill as we all dropped our jaw. The Hills were alive and the car went Bang Bang. "I'll get you my pretty, her cackle it rang. Both Garland and Andrews did sing with delight, even Christopher Plummer sang out, what a sight!
The show that we feature we'll tell you right now, was the one with Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes. Not specifically Christmas, not like Hallmark you see. But it always came on when we had up our tree. Most likely on Sunday, its songs would infect. From church, we would scurry, the channel select. And then our minds would race like the car. We wanted to travel to those lands of afar.
We'd better get started. We're paragraphs in! The Notes we must start, The Notes we begin!!! So open your mind and feel wonder anew, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we bring now to you!!!
It's ok. It'll be our secret, but I heard you singing along!!! Me too!!! I love a movie that features cars (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Love Bug (Herbie's Theme)") But there is something really special when a car movie (yes we concede that there are other "goings-on" in the movie, it's not JUST about the car!), comes to us in the form of a musical!
The 1968 movie was loosely based on the 1964 Ian Fleming novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car. The music for the movie was written by Disney veterans The Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins and just about everything else from that time for Disney). The music made such an impact that the title song was nominated for a 1969 Best Song Academy Award. ("Windmills Of Your Mind" from The Thomas Crown Affair written by Michael Legrand was the winner, hmmm...that's the music that sing-a-longs are made of!) The song, as was the musical score, was also nominated for Golden Globes in their respective categories. (The score from The Shoes of the Fisherman by Alex North won, as did the aforementioned "Windmill" song. Ummm what were they thinking?)
Wait. What? Ian Fleming? The James Bond author? That's right friend, the Aston Martin wasn't the only car that was a movie fascination in the late 60s. " The name is Potts, Caractacus Potts". Nope! Just not quite the right ring to it. The connections to the super spy continue as other Bond folks came over for a ride in our fine four-fendered friend. Richard Maibaum (writer, Dr. No, From Russia With Love, et. al), Roald Dahl (writer, You Only Live Twice), Albert R. Broccoli (producer, Dr. No - Goldeneye), Gert Frobe (actor, as Goldfinger), Ken Adam (set design Goldfinger-Moonraker) who actually designed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as well as other of the usual production team suspects from the James Bond films, worked on the picture.
So why are we using a non-Christmas song to introduce the kick-off to Christmas blogs you may ask? As we eluded to in the opening, several major motion picture musicals of the late 60s became Christmastime staples on television in the early 70s. The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang became Christmas movies in my eyes and those of my television-watching compatriots. These movies featured super imaginative storylines reminiscent of the wonder and excitement of the season. Escapes through the mountains, lollipop kids, flying monkeys, and child catchers all added to the awe and fascination of a certain red-nosed reindeer and a snowman who traipsed through town. The writer's visions and the interpretations of those visions provided a means of enhancing an already spectacular time of the year for a 6-10 year old child as the actors carried out their colorful roles in their colorful attire. It seems that these writers were following in the footsteps of those throughout history who saw visions and needed the aid of others to interpret them.
The Book of Daniel in the Bible could very well be read around Christmas time as a prologue to my nonChristmas, Christmas movies. It has a fantasmagorical aspect in virtually every chapter and features moments that infuse the story with enough tension to draw the reader to the ending climax.
Last week we saw Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego find favor in the eyes of the leadership of the Babylonian kingdom. They flourished during the food challenge so much that their advice was considered ten times better than those of the natural-born Chaldean soothsayers and magicians (or magi, put a pin here, we're coming back in a later Note) in the king's court. Because of this, Daniel proceeds to the "interpreting of dreams" round.
The narrative today primarily involves Daniel and the king, Nebuchadnezzar. Reminiscent of Joseph's time with Pharoah, the king has a vision that causes insomnia. His first consultants were the Chaldeans magicians of his land. It seems these guys were sycophants that Nebuchadnezzar saw through quickly. He told them to interpret his dream correctly or else he would have them torn limb from limb and turn their homes into rubble (v. 5). They stalled and the king challenged them further. He told them that they had to tell him what the dream was and then interpret it or the same fate would await them. (v. 8-9) They replied that no one on the planet could meet Nebuchadnezzar's request. The king is so angry that he sends out the order for every wise man in the kingdom to be executed. This includes Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego.
Daniel makes some inquiries regarding the harshness of the order and then requests an opportunity to visit with the king about the vision and its interpretation. (v. 14-16) The request is granted and Daniel has his friends pray fervently that God would provide the dream and its interpretation. Are we ever this vulnerable with our friends? Do we confide our troubles to our friends and ask them to partner with us in prayer?
Daniel receives everything he and his friends had prayed for in a vision and immediately has a worship service in honor of God's answer to the prayers. Daniel has his moment with Nebuchadnezzar and not only provides the king with the right answers, but saves all the magicians, soothsayers, and wise men as well. Needless to say, Daniel turned everybody's head today!!! It's probably a good thing, we may need some wise men later...again, more on that to come.
So what were the dream and its interpretation? Daniel's initial reply must have been a cause for concern amongst the soothsayer union as Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come..." (V. 27-28) After his testimony service, Daniel tells the king the dream as well as its interpretation. It begins with a statue. This statue represents the world powers of the future beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's rule and going forward to the Roman empire.
Daniel continues past the rule of the Romans into the Divine Kingdom of God that will last for an eternity and never be destroyed. (v. 44-45) While Daniel couldn't understand the complexities of the Kingdom on his side of Messiah, he describes a kingdom for those who are children of God, adopted by God through the blood sacrifice of Jesus. This kingdom is for those who have been transformed by Holy Spirit into the likeness of Jesus and are no longer seen as sinners by God. This is a transformation that is similar but so much better than the one created by Caractacus...
If the created can perform this kind of transformation, just imagine what the Creator can do...
You see friend, that final Kingdom told about by Daniel is one where you can live, if you believe.
Commercial media affirms to us that this is the season to believe. Macy's Believe Commercial While this ideology holds regarding many good things, its best interpretation surrounds why we celebrate the season now upon us. A Savior is born as a child, raised as a man, crucified as a criminal, raised to life as a beloved son, arbiter, and victorious King. This King will rid the world of EVERY child catcher, bad king, evil military empire, and green witch, to enjoy a kingdom with His brothers and sisters as they worship God the Father throughout eternity future. "...what a happy time we'll spend!!!..."
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM and loving You,
randy
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