Once upon a time, in a small village nestled at the edge of a magical woodland, there lived a man named Uncle Nick. Uncle Nick was known throughout the village for his kind heart and adventurous spirit. Every child in the village adored him, for he always had the most fascinating stories to tell. One sunny afternoon, Uncle Nick gathered all the children under a towering oak tree in the village square. He spoke of a hidden entrance to a magical woodland, where fairies danced and unicorns roamed freely. The children listened mesmerized, their eyes filled with wonder.
When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur (that is, an enchanter, one who looks for and uses omens), or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord; and because of these abominable practices the Lord your God is driving them out before you.
For example, when the king of Moab sent to Balaam money for divination, as it says in Numbers 22 7, his aim was not merely to find out if Israel was going to conquer his land; his aim was to have Balaam pronounce a curse on Israel by his magic arts. I am assuming that the church makes a grave mistake when it says that supra-natural phenomena are restricted to another age or that only godly people can work miracles.
The children listened mesmerized, their eyes filled with wonder. Inspired by Uncle Nick's tales, the children banded together to explore the magical woodland. With each step, the air grew thicker and the colors more vibrant.
The Warren's Occult Museum
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren operated for decades as the preeminent voices in the believer community, and their strange career of ghost-hunting and demon-busting is on display in their very own Occult Museum.
Open since 1952, when the Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research, the ever-expanding collection of knick-knacks and artifacts that had been touched by evil is kept in the basement of their own home. When they weren’t delving into high-profile cases of demonic mischief as the Amityville haunting (the murderer who claimed demonic possession as his defense) and the exorcism of the witch Bathsheba (a case which was most recently portrayed in the film, The Conjuring, which also featured a version of the museum), the Warrens were popular lecturers in their day. Throughout these cases, the Warrens collected trinkets and totems they claimed were defiled by evil, locking them in the museum to keep them safe from the public.
The eccentric collection contains everything from an alleged vampire’s coffin to a child’s tombstone used as a satanic altar. Death curses, demon masks, and psychic photographs line the museum’s walls accented by a Halloween store’s bounty of plastic props (assumedly for mood). However, the most prevalent item seems to be the cursed Raggedy Ann doll by the name of Annabelle, which was said to have killed a man. Annabelle sits in her glass case, backlit by a haunting red light.
Looking at the Warrens’ collection, one might begin to think that Hell has a thing for dolls.
Unfortunately, Ed Warren passed away in 2006, but Lorraine Warren and their son still attend the museum. Whether or not one believes in the paranormal, the Warrens’ Occult Museum may be one of the preeminent chronicles of modern culture’s obsession with the supernatural. Of course, it could also be just a spooky collection of stuff in an older woman’s basement.
Update March 2018: The museum is currently closed while looking for a new location due to zoning issues.
Update June 2019: Lorraine Warren died April 18, 2019, and the museum has closed.
Know Before You Go
You cannot tour in person. There are special events and you can purchase or rent a video tour of the collection.
Therefore, it seems to me to be a clear teaching of Scripture that God's people should not be involved in any practices of the occult—practices which involve dealings with the world of spirits or supra-normal forces which are not oriented on Jesus as he is revealed in the Bible.
The children soon found themselves in a world straight out of their wildest dreams. Flowers grew taller than houses, their petals shimmering in every hue imaginable. Butterflies with wings as big as a child's arm fluttered gracefully through the air. The woodland was indeed a magical place. As they ventured deeper into the woodland, the children encountered creatures they had only ever read about in storybooks. A mischievous gnome jumped out from behind a mushroom, causing laughter to ripple through the group. A graceful sprite darted through the trees, leaving a trail of glowing dust in its wake. The children couldn't believe their eyes - the magic was real. Uncle Nick, his eyes twinkling with delight, led the children to a clearing at the heart of the woodland. There, a sparkling blue lake stretched out before them. Its surface shimmered under the gentle rays of the sun. Uncle Nick announced that this was the most magical part of the woodland – a place where dreams came true. With a wave of his hand, Uncle Nick whispered a secret spell that unlocked the lake's special powers. Suddenly, the lake came alive with dancing water sprites and floating lily pads. The most courageous of the children took a leap of faith and dived into the lake, finding themselves surrounded by underwater wonders. They swam alongside colorful fish and played with dolphins, relishing in the pure joy of this enchanted world. As the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, the children bid farewell to the magical woodland. Grateful for the unforgettable adventure, they thanked Uncle Nick for sharing his enchanting stories and leading them on this extraordinary journey. From that day forward, the children treasured their memories of the magical woodland, knowing that hidden within their seemingly ordinary village was a world of wonder waiting to be discovered. Uncle Nick's tales continued to inspire their imaginations and remind them that with a sense of curiosity and an open heart, the magic of the woodland would always be within reach..
Reviews for "Finding Hidden Treasures in Uncle Nick's Magical Forest"
1. John - 1/5 stars - "Uncle Nick and the Magical Woodland was a major disappointment for me. The storyline was weak and predictable, and the characters were flat and uninteresting. The magical elements felt forced and out of place, and overall, I found it difficult to connect with the story. The writing style lacked depth and creativity, and I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book. I had high hopes for this novel, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations."
2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - "I had heard great things about Uncle Nick and the Magical Woodland, but I found it to be quite underwhelming. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked excitement. I was expecting a magical adventure, but instead, I found myself bored and uninterested. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to connect with them. While the concept had potential, I felt that it wasn't executed effectively. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it."
3. Emily - 2.5/5 stars - "Uncle Nick and the Magical Woodland had an interesting concept, but it failed to live up to its potential. The story felt disjointed, and I found it hard to follow at times. The dialogue was unrealistic and forced, and the characterization was weak. There were moments of magic and wonder, but they were overshadowed by the lackluster writing and pacing issues. The book had its moments, but overall, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me."
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - "Unfortunately, Uncle Nick and the Magical Woodland fell short for me. The story lacked originality and felt like a recycled version of other fantasy books I've read before. The writing style was average, and the characters weren't memorable. The pacing was uneven, with slow parts that dragged on and moments of rushed storytelling. While it had some redeeming qualities, they weren't enough to make up for the overall mediocrity of the book. I wouldn't recommend it to fans of the genre."