God's ominpresents

Gates of Discovery.

The Gates of Discovery.

The very beginning of my life.
A time for my parents to understand and discover how to unlock my soul.

to get it to sing and bring Glory to our creator.
Times on the floor with the wooden puzzle pieces. To engage my mind into action.

A time when I was nine, when I was enrolled in the discovery center, the new wing at the Henry Viscardi School
to learn and gain some wings.
Time for slow progress, a time for life to emerge from my soul.

A time of exit and transition to the real world.

A time of conscious awareness of myself to emerge from that cocoon.
Times to struggle against that cocoon...
breaking free from the confines of the handicapped world.
Yet struggling to be accepted into the new world of normality.


Now, as I constantly enter through the gates to discover who I am.
To be free to be myself. To be free to be in love with Jesus and the world around me.

Discoveries bring advancement to mankind to make it a better place.
Which emerge from virgin territory. A world with plants and animals and artifacts.
To fashion into skyscrapers and nobel peace prizes.

Yet sometimes eluding our grasp as well.

I survived being the mad scientist

This week, I learned to trust and rely on friends of mine who helped me get from my work to my bus and from the bus to the church. I am thankful for Mark and Todd for their faithfulness in making the time at Vacation Bible School going seamlessly and bring me out of my comfort zone and more into the arena of action in Christian service.


This week, I was pushed to the limit being a mad scientist before fifty children at our annual VBS party at church. We did all kinds of experiments which ranged from mixing various combinations of water, rubbing alcohol, oil and food coloring and salt. All with the beach theme to teach the children five beach be-attitudes. To be obedient, kind, forgiving, bold and believing.
This mad scientist performed 5 experiments hands-on. I placed a balled piece of paper inside a cup and submerged it in water. and it came up dry inside. I also did an experiment where I added food coloring to cold and warm water. Then I simulated erosion on a beach set up in a tray.
The fourth night was my favorite since I was sitting in front of the children in a small yellow chair. The 4 an 5 year-olds gathered and swarmed around me and watched as I explained the magnet drawing the paper clip around in the sand. During this experiment, I almost felt like Jesus with the children who surrounded Him.
On the fifth night, I poured a lot of salt to move a hydrometer higher up in the cup.

These were all simple experiments, but they gave me the opportunity to share Christ with the future generation of the church and make me more comfortable being a member of a team.

When commenting about the week at the famous men's breakfast club at Andro's diner, one of our members asked, "hey, did you inject anything into the kids." I replied, "sorry, I did not. But we did inject them with lots of love and christian be-attitudes. "

Let's go and gear up in 2009 VBS!!!!

Walking in the shadows of life.

on a Bright and sunny summer afternoon
walking along side me is my shadow.
comforting me as I walk ahead of it and showing that it is present with me in this life.

Looming large over the side walk
being careful not to be stepped upon.

It is the presence of ourselves and of our character in this life.

A symbol of how we are to walk in the spirit and
not let the flesh get in control of us each and every
time a temptation draws near to us.

more on temptations and their effect on us at www.thefleshfight.blogspot.com

The Growth of plants.

Many times in our lives, we are like plants that become very dirty. Yet, at the base of the plant, there is a cluster of roots that when pulled up out of the ground, there are strings and fillaments that clutch onto a rooted ball.

When reflecting on the hurts that some individuals face, the rooted ball sometimes needs to be shaken and at times, it can feel good and refreshing when the soil loosens and falls around our fingers. The armoma of that is very soothing and identifies oneself with the soil in an intimate sense.

We are told in the Holy Bible to abide in Him. Just as the roots abide to the base of the plant. The roots must go down deep. This way we will become well rooted and able to withstand the storms that the enemy will throw our way. We need the stability to withstand them. Whether they are a grade 9 storm or just one that barely hits the surface.

We also need to be flexible as many plants need to bend and go with the flow. We need to be prepared for whatever comes our way. When i left for work, I was not expecting a longer than usual time at my bible study location. But I became flexible and grateful that I had the chance to spend some time writing and encouraging others. And adding to my blog as well. So one never knows what is going to be thrown his or her way when one puts his or her feet to the floor.

Just hoping that a good forest will result as I live out my life.

Growth admist the raindrops.

God causes us many times to be full of grace. At times, in our lives, we have many storms. Raindrops fall into our laps at times which cause us to get a little wet. But during those times, when wet, we may get somewhat cranky. But an hour later, we become dried off and become more thankful.

The Family Man

I was at work today and heard the shocking news over the news that Tim Russert had died. He was such a man of journalism and words and had so many insights into how to live their lives in the world. Now he is gone.

Tributes poured in on the news stations from which he did his work. Music played against the backdrop of the testimonies of others. With the parameter of his dates between two dashes ;1950 to 2008,

On this Friday the 13th bookmarked on the weekend of Father's day, he was sandwiched between his own dad, Big Russ, and his own son, Luke. Testimonies let others know how he is a family man, a man with a strong work ethic and a man with a tremendous faith.

Losses of those who lose their lives lay before us each day. Yet, to see it as someone you have heard or known, it makes the template of death a little too real. I will have to face the number at the other end of the dash. Life is a lot like the 1000 yard dash striving to get ahead and to make something of oneself. But at the end, people will speak of the greatness of the one who lived. Or not. All depending on how they lived their lives.

So to the NBC family and to the world, that is my tribute to the man who I enjoyed listening to when he was on some of the nightly talk shows.

Let me be like him in how I relate to Gary and to my own pop as well. The spitting image of my dad.

THE PULPIT AND THE PRIZE

OUR LIVES ARE TO BE LED WITH THE PRIZE OR CROWN AS I MENTIONED EARLIER IN OUR VIEW.

When we walk and talk through life, people are watching behind our podium to see how we are going to behave and live.

Prizes are often awarded during the academy awards. In the audience are many people who are dressed very well. And there is anticipation during the ceremonies and afterwards.

Yet, in the christian faith, we will all have some form of award in the form of a crown. It will be handed out by Christ Himself when He says to His followers, "well done, good and faithful servant."

So, let us live out our lives so that when we get to heaven, the academy will award us the best crowns which we can lay before the feet of the Lord. May He get the ultimate glory in this all.

Let's go for the triple crown.

Today was a glorious day for pilgrims who follow Jesus in that one of the tres dias disciples was feted with a going away celebrating his life. Craig Mengel was a follower of Jesus and he followed Him. Keeping God first in his life and all the struggles that he faced. So as many said of Chester, the name given by the disease that he faced with courage.

It is a sad day for horse racing fans who hoped that Big Brown was going to win a triple crown. He lost and finished last. No triple crown for him.

As I was chatting with my friend and brother in Christ, Ted, I linked the triple crown of hope and joy and peace. As I was reminded, we are called by Timothy to run the race that is set before us and to do so with perserverence and determination. We all get hoof splits in our life. Enamel and glue may not always make them better. We may limp through life, but it is great to have a wide body of believers to connect to.

This morning as I was sharing with my friend. Dan who is off to Israel this evening to study in seminary of Jesus and architecture. It is an exciting time for him. And to be able to connect with Bill who is involved in local men's ministry and to chat of a possible speaking engagement at my local church.

And I connected with a man who is the son of one of our former pastors and who had my senior pastor when he was our youth pastor. So, it is a small world connected by many believers in our midst.


Henry Nouwen had words of encouragement in one of his devotionals of how people strive for external beauty and acceptance. But we all face our limitations. That indeed takes real courage.. We do have to face our mortality, but the great thing is that God is immortal and we can cloak ourselves with that immortality. So when we are swallowed up by death, its sting is not felt. It becomes our release into the next life. And that is what happened to Craig. He was given a one way ticket to heaven. With its price already paid for. As Bill Carlucici shared this morning, we all must take the bullet for Christ. Being willing to stand up for Him against what the culture pits against us.

At a celebratory service of a christian brother, Craig mengel who faced a terminal disease and even lymphona, he accepted it. He had a strong faith and knew when his time was up. And he smiled through the end. As the children;s song states, we can smile in the storm with Jesus in our boat.

So, get ready to row your boat to help others cross the shore to eternal life. equipping them with the tools they will need.


ANCHORS AWAY. RAISE UP THE ANCHORS AND CROSS SAFELY TO THE SHORE. FOR ONE'S TIME ON LIFE IS UP AND THE LOVE AND TESTIMONY OF OTHERS ARE THE REPLACEMENT FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND.


And I was blessed to spend time sharing my story with one of Craig's friends as I got a ride up to the service and shared of my struggles and triumphs. And was blessed to have a chat with pastors of a local church in Bridgeport on the way home. All with the confidence and no anxiety that God provides. Jehovah Jirah.

So back to the main point of the encouraging word for the day. Let us throw off all that hinders us from winning the triple crown which will be our rewards in heaven. Let us cast our crowns at the feet of Him as we walk this path of our earthly sufferings ,

De colores to Craig and Amazing grace to all who read these words of comfort and praise.

For Thine is the Kingdom

I got to thinking of the Lord's prayer a little too late this morning. part of it says, "Lead me not into temptation. Deliver me from evil. For thine is the Kingdom. These are not random thoughts at all. It is all about guidance from the Holy Spirit. I need to be constantly aware of the evil one, Satan, who wants to direct me off the path that I am on and onto a slippery slope. I need to someone have my sense of sight opened as it says in the song, Open the Eyes of my Heart.
If I do the first in asking not to be led into temptation, then God can hold my hand as I travel my life with Him and then I will be able to see and sense the Kingdom of God.

For Jesus states in the Gospel of Mark, that the Kingdom of God is at hand. I promised myself that I would read some scripture and if I did that and followed the above sequence, I might have had a more peaceful night and not one that I fought against you, Jesus. And I am very sorry, Lord, for the disappointment that I caused you and your angels in my behavior not to follow you but instead the flesh which is corrupted. So, let me look to the nails in your hands and feet instead.

On the Road to Heaven.

Tonight, we saw several speeches from the candidates looking for their next employment=to govern our free world. On the Road to the White House. Yet, that task will never be easy. And to grasp at that power for a promise of change is a very lofty goal to reach towards.
Yet, in life, we are promised a carrot at times , something to make our lives better. Let us hope that what is being promised to us in the campaigns will get delivered. But there are always temptations that will shortchange what happens when compromise and debate are brought onto the table.

In the back story of the lives of the pilgrims that have graced our earth in the search for ultimate truth, a battle has been waged of how to gain ultimate satisfaction.

I agree that entropy or the law of diminishing returns is a tool that the devil uses since we have that fleeting glimpse of satisfaction this one and only time. Yet, as the source of satisfaction draws near, the ultimate target is yanked away. To be chased again. As Solomon said, life is chasing after the wind. He should know since he experienced it first hand.

For being like a child, it is fun for me to exult in simple things in life like going to a listening meeting for the buses=to talk and be around people that experience what I do in riding buses.

And as christians, getting together to identify with life and with one who risked His life so we may live beyond our finite existence on earth. Doing simple things together like coffee hour and communion and blogging and praying.

So let us not forget to get together and exult in the very simple and yet profound of things. Getting to know ourselves, our God and our human potential. Let's go Jesus!!!!!!

Our ultimate ruler on earth and in Heaven. So let us celebrate with open hearts and hands and a pure mind.

Which is the only way to gain satisfaction in this life. Otherwise, we are going to be chasin after the wind, baby.