Category: War

Happy Friendship Day!!

Happy Friendship Day!!

I was unaware until Facebook told me this morning that today is Friendship Day!! I see that as a day that should be celebrated every day! 

We need to realize that relationships is why we are here. A relationship with Our Creator, God, followed by relationships with everyone else. No one is disconnected, but we as human beings try to disconnect people. ‘You are different and I don’t like it!’ We say. Why do we do that? 

We are all one version of human being. We are all trying to do the best we can with the gifts we have and we throw away one of the greatest gifts we have ever been given every single day; friendship!! Why??! 

Make new friends and connect with as many of the old and current friends as possible today. It’s Friendship Day! Extend an olive branch of peace and be friends, even if only for a day. 

The Natural Progression Of Life. 

The Natural Progression Of Life. 

Tell us about the most exciting big night out you had recently.

The biggest night out I have had recently would be my second viewing of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens. A local friend and his wife and another friend of mine had not seen the film yet. So, as a Christmas gift to me my friend and his wife decided to take me. As it turns out another friend of mine, who used to work with me, had not seen it either and her husband was working that night, so sure, come along! 

I had no idea my other friends were going to pay for me, so I paid for my friend. It was a great night out with friends. If you have been following my blog for a while, or if you are a reader who knows me in real life, you are probably asking, ‘Where was your wife?’ Well, here’s the thing, I married a woman who has not seen five seconds of any Star Wars film!! I know! Doesn’t seem right, does it? Star Wars blasphemy!! 

No, it is okay. I love my wife dearly, Star Wars or no Star Wars. A film series cannot make or break a relationship. She has her interests and I have mine. And in this small town I need to really get out and search to find mine, so when a night at the movies comes along, I jump at it no matter whom it is with. 

My first time seeing the film was opening night with my long time friend and his girlfriend and another friend of mine who wanted to see it but didn’t have the funds. I took them all out that evening, because, why not?! After that viewing we all went to Subway to grab a bite to eat and then we went our separate ways. When you get to be in your late 30’s life isn’t as much of a party scene as it used to be. Last night I slept for 11 hours! Knocking on the door of 40 and my energy is not like it once was. 

If I was to go to a night out before that, I think it would have been all the way back in November. My long time friend I saw Star Wars with that time is in a band. His band at the time was playing in a town 40 miles from here. It was the same night as a band playing here in Montevideo that I had been promoting on the radio station I work for, KKRM, KRAM 96.7fm. They are on Facebook and are aired online, check them out at http://www.kram967.com. 

I used to be a go out every night, karaoke until 2am type of guy, but age catches up with all of us. Now a good night is a night in with my wife watching Netflix. And we actually watch Netflix, not this ‘Netflix and chill’ stuff kids are talking about these days. Nights out are few and far between, but that’s okay. It is the natural progression of life. 

Actions Speak Louder Than Words.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words.

I always seem to run across people in need of prayer. We all need prayer. We need humanity to step up and raise us all up to Our Heavenly Father. 

So often on Facebook I see people say, ‘I am praying for you.’ Or, ‘My/Our prayers are with you.’. I admit, before I really, truly, deeply came to know Jesus I SAID THE SAME THING!!! And then I never actually hit my knees in intercessory prayer! I was a hypocrite! 

We can say the words, I am praying for you, to as many people as we like, but until we actually hit our prayer chamber in communication with God it does absolutely no good!! 

I prayed for a friend of mine on Facebook this morning who has been going through months and months of health problems and no answers have been found. There has to have been someone somewhere who has experienced these same pains somewhere! But they can’t find the answers. So, this morning I put my money where my mouth is and wrote a prayer on her page. I asked God to lead the doctors in her care. I asked God to give her comfort and love as they go through this process. And I asked God to give us peace for His Time, not ours. 

Action! Prayer. Written out. Committed to God. He already knows what all we need. But we are human. We don’t like discomfort. We don’t like not getting what we think we need. But we need to be at peace at all times. And the only way to do that is to be in His Presence. 

I have started a daily devotional time this year and I gotta admit, at first I was really shakey about it. It didn’t seem to help. I got demoted at work. I got frustrated at home. But then, literally after three days of committing to the journey, God opened my heart. The drop in pay at work means I can be around people who need to see The Light of Jesus in their life more. The time with devotions every day automatically sets my focus on God and His Son to know I am not rolling this world alone. I have supernatural support! 

I have actually committed to doing the praying and on Facebook I will actually type out the prayer so people can see actions are being taken. I will not just offer lip service to the power of prayer any longer. Thy will be done in my life as it is in Heaven. Amen. 

  

The Way It Was, The Way It Should Be Again.

The Way It Was, The Way It Should Be Again.

Sorry, I’m BusyTell us about a time when you should have helped someone… but didn’t.

Yesterday here in The United States was the 74th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1941, as we slept, we were attacked by a Japanese Force. When the first moment of the attack occurred our nation went into action, as we had many times before. We helped each other. Fast forward to September 11, 2001. It was a Tuesday morning, but again, we were attacked. We banded together once again. 

For centuries, we here in the United States have banded together to help one another and help other nations as we saw we could. Then, somewhere we disconnected. We switched off. I know there are those who will disagree with me on this post, and please, go ahead and let me know in the comments. But, we are now selfish. We are now a nation that wants to protect “most” of our own. We live in a society that says, ‘help these over here, but this group? No, forget them!’ It is sad, but it is true. 

We are ALL guilty of not helping others when we can. There are those who have more than enough, those who take more than enough and there are those who will never have enough. Well, I am using this post to say, ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!’ I am really trying to keep my anger at humanity at bay because as Yoda said in Empire Strikes Back,  

 
I truly love all of humanity and I truly believe God has orchestrated all of this to be perfect, but our human selfish desires come in and screw up His perfect plan. God does not create pain or suffering, Evil does. God allows it to bring us closer to Him and not many of us do that. We allow Fear to drive us to anger, and our anger only causes us to hate and hate is a tool used by Satan to cause worldwide suffering. 

There IS enough and we were all created with special skills, tools and talents and experiences so no one should ever go without. But we have become too busy. Too busy chasing money, or success, or the almighty prestige and titles associated with worldly success. While we do that, others suffer because we run out of time to help. 

I am guilty of it too!! My disability allows me to work a certain number of hours so I can continue to get my assistance I need with my disability. There are more than one instance per week during this time of year that I have to tell my job I can’t stay and help because I would lose money and assistance. Why am I so dependent on that??! It truly bothers me. God has given me, you, those people over there, and these people here enough. But, we NEED to look out for one another. Share resources, help our neighbors, give when we have more than enough, use our God-given talents for others! We live in a world that continues to say No, when we should be saying, “YES! I will help! I have more than enough and will help my fellow man!” That’s the way it once was, that’s the way it should be again. That’s the truth and it would help create life! And when you have the way, the truth and the life you have a real Jesus in a real world who NEEDS HIM!

Undetermined Time

Undetermined Time

We all are going to leave this Earth one day. All of us will die. We have no clue when that will be. 

On this day in 2001, a great attack took place in New York City. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives that day. Two planes hit The World Trade Centers and the towers burned for over an hour before falling. Very few survivors. 

The people in the towers did not know if or when the towers would fall. What did they do? They called their loved ones. 

If you knew, or believed, that you were in a situation you would not survive, who would you call? Guess what. We are all in a situation we will not survive. It’s called life. Why wait to make those calls? I know, I am just as guilty. I have family that I have not spoken to in years! I have friends with whom I have lost serious touch. Life happens. But death happens too. 

On this day in America we will never forget the victims of 9/11. And if we are honest, the victims are us all. But there are those we lost for this life on that day and we will never get a chance to say that last I Love You or whatever we thought we would have a chance to say. Don’t relive those mistakes. Say what you need to say today. Tomorrow could be too late. 

West Enders East Enders, all people!!

West Enders East Enders, all people!!

No, this will not be a post devoted to the awesomeness of The Pet Shop Boys. Yes, I am one of those who during the late 1980’s went through a phase of Pet Shop Boy awesomeness!!! Don’t hate! And that is another whole story. 

Speaking of Don’t Hate, THAT is what this daily post is about!! I am so amazingly appalled about today’s daily post that I had to throw out my first two drafts! 

Today’s post asks us to discuss the classes that exist within our neighborhood. Okay, first of all, how childish! Secondly, how arrogant!!! And lastly, I refuse to participate in anything that will propagate divisions and feelings of inadequacy or remorse for one’s lot in life. We can’t all have all the money in the world and afford all the nice stuff off this life. But, if you know my blog, you know I talk about a life and richness so much deeper than that that we have to wait until eternity to receive it. For now though, there are some things we need to change. 

We need to STOP being a world of the have’s and the have not’s!!! And it ends here! TODAY! You have a problem with my thoughts, take it up in my comment or vomit sections, as I am sure it will become in response to this post. This is not going to be a happy, full of puppies and rainbows and sunshine post like my regular readers are used to. No, I am throwing it down today because this post idea has me ticked off!!!

I am not going to sit here and throw down a class war because some idiot thought it would make a good daily post!!! What I will do is tell each and every human soul who is willing to listen just a few things (feel free to write this down, it’s kind of IMPORTANT!!!!!)  

1. You have value far beyond anything you have ever earned or owned. 

2. Your value is not found in whatever class of wealth you happen to be in. 

3. Your current status in the classes of the masses does not have to remain where it is now. 

4. Whether it goes up or down, your value of your soul will still remain the same!! 

5. God still to this very moment thinks you are worth dying for so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for you. His experience is where we get the term “excruciating” it literally means, “Out of the cross”. 

6. No matter your status or “class” in this life, I love you and want what is best for you. 

7. Just because I want what is best for you and even if you say, “Jesus, I am a sinner. I accept what you did on the cross and I believe in your resurrection. Please come into my heart and be my savior.” Does not mean your class or identification or challenges in this life will change. You still may have to life out a badly dealt hand. And that is NOT GOD’S OR YOUR OWN FAULT. 

8. If you prayed that out to Jesus right now it does not mean your class or wealth, or health issues or money issues or relationship issues or any issues you can be dealt in this life will instantly go away, but IT DOES MEAN YOUR DESTINATION AFTER THIS LIFE HAS INSTANTLY CHANGED AND CANNOT BE TAKEN FROM YOU!!! 

I love each and every living soul on this planet, born and unborn (yet another story I won’t get into today). When your heart begins to beat, you have a divine purpose from a Savior who loves us more than our human mind can conceive! Don’t waste that with petty differences like money, or class. 

“You want something in this life, go get it. Period!” I know that is not a direct quote from Pursuit Of Happyness, but it’s close enough. The pursuit of happiness is not only a United States declaration, I believe it is for all human beings. 

But your pursuit of happiness doesn’t need to be wrapped up in a pursuit of money or class. God Loves You! I Love You! I don’t care who you are, or where you are from. But I DO care where you are going. And if it is in a direction that is going to create more divisions, more us vs. them, more class wars, my friend, you are traveling in the wrong direction and I want you to stop! 

I hope I have caused some people to think about this post and what it truly means. I hope I have caused some people to stop and reassess the direction they are going in life. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care where you are from, you are not alone. 

We need more together in this world and in this life. It was never meant to be lived alone or divided. So stop the dividing! Stop the pointing fingers and start working together. 

It Is Time For Your Break Through!!! 

It Is Time For Your Break Through!!! 

I have no idea why this has been laid upon my heart at 1am, Minnesota Time. But, here we are. 

There is someone who needs to read this and I am praying The Holy Spirit will lead them to it. You have been digging with spoons and your hands, chipping away at that impenetrable wall with your fists and you are bloodied and bruised from the battle. You are all out of energy and can’t go on any longer. God knows! 

I am praying for you right now to be able to make a couple more solid blows at that wall! Just throw a couple more spoonfuls of dirt behind you and move forward! I have no clue who this is for, but I feel it so deep!!! Your breakthrough is coming!!!! 

You have probably heard it said, “it is always darkest before the dawn.” The sun is at its furthest point away from bringing a new day before it dawns. I promise you, the light is coming. Just keep facing the sunrise and it will warm your face soon! 

Your work and your diligence may have gone unnoticed by human eyes, but God is watching. And He is bringing you to a breakthrough! Do Not Quit! Do Not Give Up!!