Your Wholesale Source for Toys & Diecast model cars

Toy Wonders New Arrivals

December 30, 2011

Dear Customers,

A few shipments arrived this week. If you log into your account at www.toywonders.com, before clicking on any of the links below, approved wholesale accounts will see wholesale pricing.

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DIECAST Collectible Model Cars And More

Image	Item#	Description	Stock Status
	V7439/9964	Mattel Hot Wheels Elite 20th Century Fox - GMC "The A-Team Van" (1:18, Black) V7439/9964	New
	W1073/9964	Mattel Hot Wheels Racing - Ferrari 150° Italia F1 F. Alonso #5 (2011, 1:18, Red) W1073/9964	New
	W1194/9964	Mattel Hot Wheels Elite - Ghostbusters Ecto-1 Ambulance (1:43, White) W1194/9964	New
	40200/25	Castline M2 Machines Auto-Dreams Premium - Chevy 210 Hard Top & Chevy Camaro Hard Top (1957/ 1969, 1:24, Black) 40200/25	New
	40200/27	Castline M2 Machines - Ford Pickup & Ford Mustang Boss 429 (1956/ 1970, 1:24, Asstd.) 40200/27	New
	73219R/6	Showcasts - Lamborghini Countach Hard Top (1:24, Red) 73219	New
	73224BK/6	Showcasts - Chevy Corvette Convertible (1967, 1:24, Black) 73224	New
	73232BL/6	Showcasts - Pontiac Firebird (1999, 1:24, Blue) 73232	New
	73233GN/6	Showcasts - Ford Pick Up Truck (1937, 1:24, Asstd.) 73233	New
	73247BG/6	Showcasts - Chevy Coupe Hard Top (1939, 1:24, Burgundy) 73247	New
	73272BU/6	Showcasts - Pagani Zonda C12 (1:24, Asstd.) 73272	New
	73298BK/6	Showcasts - Chevy Corvette Convertible (1986, 1:24, Black) 73298	New
	73321SV/6	Showcasts - Aston Martin DB9 Coupe Hard Top (1:24, Asstd.) 73321	New
	73331ST/6	Showcasts - Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country (1979, 1:24, Sable Tan) 73331	New
	73346YL/6	Showcasts - Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Hard Top (1:24, Yellow) 73346	New
	2106BKG	International Busted Knuckle Garage & Police Rollback Tow Truck (5.25", Asstd.) 2106BKG	Restock
	2106D	International Rollback Tow Truck (5.25", Asstd.) 2106D	Restock
	2112SD	International Delivery Truck (5.25", Asstd.) 2112SD	Restock
	2113D	International Delivery Truck (5", Asstd.) 2113D	Restock
	9661D	Farm Tractor (4", Asstd.) 9661D	Restock
	9808D	Tour Bus (5", Asstd.) 9808D	Restock
	9911DG	Garbage Truck (6", Asstd.) 9911DG	Restock
	9915D	Snow Plow Truck (5.75", Asstd.) 9915D	Restock
	9998D	Super Bike (4", Asstd.) 9998D	Restock

Decals for 1:24 Scale Vehicles

Image	Item#	Description	Stock Status
	GR11001	Decals - License Plates Sheet for 1:24 Scale Vehicles GR11001	New
	GR11002	Decals - Old School Flames Sheet for 1:24 Scale Vehicles GR11002	New
	GR11003	Decals - New Flames Sheet for 1:24 Scale Vehicles GR11003	New
	GR11004	Decals - Pinstriping Sheet for 1:24 Scale Vehicles GR11004	New
	GR11005	Decals - Race Car Numbers Sheet for 1:24 Scale Racing Vehicles GR11005	New
	GR11006	Decals - Sponsor Sheet for 1:24 Scale Vehicles GR11006	New
	GR11007	Decals - Stuff Sheet for 1:24 Scale Vehicles GR11007	New
	GR11008	Decals - Race Sheet for 1:24 Scale Racing Vehicles GR11008	New

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Thank you

Lu Su
Toy Wonders, Inc.
www.toywonders.com
201-229-1700

 

God and the Art of Toy and Diecast Marketing
God's Radical Ways in Preserving Man (part 2)
By Lu Su

A few weeks back, Winnie asks me, "Any newsletter from you today?" She prepares all the new product arrival information and every Friday she'll ask if I have anything to add.

After yet another negative reply, she said with a smirking grin, "What about your fans?"

"Fans?" I thought to myself. Her comment reminds me of a scene from the movie Good Morning Vietnam.

If you recall Robin Williams played this hip and progressive radio DJ. He played music and did comedy routines that really entertained the troops. But if you recall there was this more experienced DJ who was on the scene before this young sensation hit the air waves; This veteran DJ who was kind of dumpy looking, wasn't into rock n roll, but preferred polka music. One day after seeing the ratings, the station manager called them both in and basically told the more experienced DJ that he was out of a job and that Robin was going to take his time slot.

The DJ with seniority complained and said something to the effect of "What about the silent masses out there that enjoy polka music?"

So with that said, let me get out an ancient book that far exceeds the age of vinyl records with polka music on it and reach out to the silent masses out there.

So the topic is God's radical ways in preserving man. Last week we looked at the very radical thing God did. God comes to Earth, becomes a man (he was fully God and fully man at the same time), taught and demonstrated love, and then pays the penalty of our sins by forfeiting His life. Jesus Christ was tortured, hung on a cross, and physically died. God's blood was shed. Because the penalty of sin (rebellion or lawlessness against God) is death, God through a perfect sacrifice pays the penalty for death on our behalf. But just like winning the lottery, it's not yours until you claim it. .

I realize for those that do not believe in God, sin, and sacrifice, the above paragraph is just way weird. I totally understand. In most of our literature books, when God (or the Gods) come down to Earth it's to have a good time: eat, drink, be merry and sometimes even go kick some butt in battle. However, the Christian has a God whose main purpose was to die (on his first trip). What kind of God is this? And why is the penalty of sin death?

The Bible mentions several ways God intervened in order to preserve man (His people) from extinction. The Bible is full of them. But let's look at earliest occurrence which took place in the Garden of Eden. God did something pretty radical, which preserved Adam and Eve's lives a little longer. Without the both of them living longer in order to have more offspring and to raise and protect them, probably none of us would probably be around. Do you recall? This event occurred shortly after both Adam and Eve disobeyed (sinned against) God.

I've been asked before on whether I though the Garden of Eden story should be taken literally or figuratively. At the university I had attended in my youth, I took a course called the Bible as Literature and the professor who taught the course was a strong advocate that the creation story along with Adam and Eve, should be taken figuratively (like a fable). But my answer is that I believe the Garden of Eden really did exist. I believe the first man on Earth created by God was Adam and he hung out with this gal named Eve. Even if you don't believe in God and say believe in Evolutionism, at some point in history there had to be a first man and a first woman right? Couldn't their names have been Adam and Eve?

Contrary to what the serpent said that they wouldn't die if they ate from a particular tree, both Adam and Eve did die. A series of events, like falling dominos, occurred after their disobedience. And even today, we see the effects of the harmed that was done by a single bad decision. You could say that their problems started after Adam and Eve was banished from the garden. But what's the big deal about getting kicked out of the garden? For one, they lost their personal relationship with God. When they lost that, they loss access to the garden. But what was in the garden that was so important to their longevity?

And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever. ”So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. -Genesis 3:21

Remember the "east side". I believe it's significant and foreshadows a big event to come; it's not an accident that this sentry was posted there. Many people remember only one tree in the Garden of Eden story, but there are actually two very important trees in this garden: 1) The tree of life and 2) The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. -Genesis 2:8-9

Adam and Eve were allowed to eat from any tree in the garden, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now a lot of questions pop into my mind here. If God didn't want Adam and Eve to eat from that tree, why plant that tree in the garden in the first place? Isn't the knowledge of good and evil a good thing? Why plant it so close to the tree of life? Or if you are going to leave that tree in the garden, why give it such a tempting name? Why not call it the tree of utter despair? Calling it the tree of knowledge of good and evil is probably right up there in desirability of calling it the tree of pleasure. If it was called that, I think most of us men would have failed the first day we were put in the garden (I got to try some of this!).

I don't have the answer to those questions, but I do know that the Bible starts with mankind flourishing garden (first book in the Bible called Genesis) and ends with mankind flourishing in a city (last book of the Bible called Revelations). Common to both locations is that mankind in relationship with God AND access to this tree of life. Do you understand the ramifications of that? Our bodies were not originally designed to grow old, feeble, and wrinkly. God had originally designed to last forever and all we have to do in order to maintain that Slimfast figure is to eat from the tree of life.

I've given this analogy before. So I apologize to the silent masses out there, who may or may not enjoy polka music, for the repeat analogy. Whenever I see bodies that are not in a state that they should be (either through old age, infirmity, or a genetic reasons), I'm reminded of this local zoo near my house. This zoo contains an exhibit with eagles that have missing or damaged wing. I believe most of them got there by poachers or a high voltage power line that zapped one of their wings. Because they cannot fly, their cage has no roof. These magnificent creatures that should be soaring through the sky now sit huddled in a corner in the dirt. Instead of doing what they were originally designed to do, they hop around and do their best to stay away from the gawkers.

I bet some of the eagles lost a wing very early in life and probably have no memory of flight or soaring through the air. So for them this is how life has always been. To sit huddled in the dirt, no place to go, and wait for the zoo keeper to occasionally throw them a freeze dried rat for their nourishment. I wonder if any of these eagles are capable of looking at their life, broken wing, their food and conclude, "Something is terribly wrong here. This is NOT how it was suppose to be."

I wonder many of us who sit huddled in some cubical (or confined local) and eat some processed food that was prepared for us, are capable of looking at our broken bodies and relationships (as broken as these eagles wings) and conclude "Something is terribly wrong here. This is NOT how it was suppose to be."

Though we have no experience and no memory of life in a perfect body and life with a perfect relationship with God, we still long for both. Many people don't realize that what they long for is God, but they do not realize, so they channel their energy into something that only provides a fleeting satisfaction. I also wonder how much we spend each year on products and services to make us look and feel more youthful. When I look at these magnificent flighless eagles, I know they were originally designed for something greater. When I look at man, who has a design even more magnificently than eagles, I conclude the same.

Now would you believe me if I were to tell you that God originally designed our bodies to last forever? We were designed to reach our prime and never decline. But what messed up this all up was this little thing called sin. Sin separates us from God. Sin has a consequence. Sin's consequence is death. Now with no access the tree of life or garden, they had brave a difficult and more hostile environment.

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them -Genesis 3:21

Why skin? Was it because Adam and Eve wound not have thought of killing an animal for its pelt? Surely God could have made one of those puffy jackets that seem to be the fashion these days. Or God could have made their garments out of Gortex or some other synthetic fiber, but he didn't. God does a very radical thing here. On their behalf, God sacrifices an animal in order to provide clothing that would help them brave the elements, stay warmer, and provide something that would last much longer than sewn leaves. Blood was shed (the life blood of an animal) in order for this covering to be given to Adam and Eve. But spiritually speaking, God takes the initiative to address the problem of sin here and does so by shedding the blood of an innocent animal.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. -Hebrews 9:22

Next time, let's look at very radical event that occurred right after Jesus' death.

 

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