This Ain't No Jelly of the Month Club!

You can't fool a fooler and you can't trick a wise man. My children are a wonderful blessing even though they can try my patience on many occasion. Many times I will stop my sons from doing something before they do it, or acknowledge their sneaky tricks to subvert their responsibilities when they think they are in the clear. My sons look at me in wonder like, "How did he know about that?" Many times I know because I tried the same tricks on my father and mother when I was young. Other times I know because I just know their nature that well. God is the king of knowing both us and what lies inside our hearts. He loves us and wants the best for us, and like a good father mourns our bad decisions and heartbreaks. He tries to guide us down the correct path. He gives us rules and guidelines that will help us steer clear of so much pain. He sent his only son to teach and warn us to keep our hearts warm, open and pure as opposed to cold, closed and stained. He will watch as we dare to choose our way instead of his right up until the point where we get smacked in the face. Then he waits calmly for us to return to him where he waits with open arms to hold, comfort and teach us once again. He stands calmly while we try to slyly ask questions or find ways to try and wiggle around his rules. And when we fall or find the answer we weren't looking for he stands there beside us waiting lovingly for our apology and return to righteousness. Ever patient, ever loving and never ending is his true pure love. With all the gifts on the minds of the masses this holiday season, God's love is truly the most precious gift that keeps on giving.


Matthew 21:23-27
23And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" 24Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you a question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?' 26But if we say, `From men,' we are afraid of the multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet." 27So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Ever Get An Unwanted Christmas Present?

Ever Get An Unwanted Christmas Present?

Have you ever got one of those Christmas presents where you were like, "Oh great, thanks, you really shouldn't have." Some people say that you gotta be careful what you wish for, and that is true. I can recall as I got older there were a couple of times where I was asked what I wanted for Christmas and I would give an off hand answer which lead to a surprise under the Christmas tree. They were things that I had wanted and actually needed but not as fun as something covered in buttons and lights. God being the greatest gift giver of all time often gives us what we need instead of what we want (which is what we think we NEED). He has the ability to see inside us and challenge us with obstacles we think we can not handle. Many times this is true, we can't handle it, that's why we are supposed to call on him. He wants to be there for us. He wants to help us, so that we can see that we can become what he know we can become. I have an old hose and all my children find certain corners quite creepy. Once when taking things up the attic ladder I enlisted the help of my stepson. It was an awkward haul and he was scared. I could have let him quit and do it for him, but instead I stood by his side and guided him through the challenge. Now how has no problem whatsoever taking thins in and out of the attic. God is like that, he is always with us ready to help. All we have to do is ask and he will help us. He sent his son to teach and he sends the Holy Spirit out everyday to help us on our daily paths. Question is though do we accept and use these gifts or do we leave them in the corner unused while we curse each difficulty that we try to negotiate OUR WAY?

Luke 1:26-38
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For with God nothing will be impossible." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Greatest Christmas Present Of All Time

Greatest Christmas Present Of All Time

Probably the most memorable Christmas I ever had was the year that I received a computer.
That was back in the days where I was programming computer code just for fun. I haven't even ever taken a computer science class. It was just fun for me. All the things that you could do to express yourself on a computer just really intrigued me and there wasn't really even an Internet yet. I was awe struck and so thankful it completely changed my life and to this day still ranks as my most favorite Christmas present ever. Jesus is like that for me. As well. He came into my life like a pebble thrown into a pond. Seeming small and insignificant the ripples that have effected my life still are felt ,seen and expanding even to this day. I can help but get excited like nothing else when given the chance to share my journey with Christ. I have had to he fortunate life to experiences great many things, and still to the s day my. Faith and journey. With him is my most favorite. After years feeling alone in the darkness I finally feel whole, welcome and warm in/with Christ's life. I find that the further that I study, follow and partake in his sacraments the stronger my faith becomes, the easier my life is to walk and the more blessed I feel. I encourage you now to give it an honest try. You will see your eyes opened to a life that you never thought possible. God has already placed this gift at your feet. All you have. To do is accept and open the package. His gift is truly the most greatest Christmas present of all.


Matthew 9:27-31
27And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." 28When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." 29Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it." 31But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

What is on Your Chistmas List?

What is on Your Christmas List?

I can remember being young and how this was my favorite time of year. I couldn't wait till the presents started showing up under the Christmas tree. I would sit and stare and try and figure out what each one was. I know that I was always eager to make lists of what I wanted from Santa. On Christmas morning I would rush and wait for my parents to open presents. It seemed like the entire day was moving in slow motion on purpose to delay getting to moment of euphoria. That moment when the first piece of wrapping paper was sacrificed. Like many children I would try and court my parents during the Christmas season to try and get what I wanted. I would beg and plead sometimes with mixed results. Later in life I found myself often begging to God to get me out of whatever current mess I had gotten myself into, "PLEASE PLEASE GOD! THIS IS THE LAST TIME! GET ME OUT OF THIS ONE AND I WILL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!!" I will admit that God did get me out a few close ones, but it became apparent that I wasn't going to fulfill my end of the bargain very well. After a while when I would ask God to bail me out his response was one of, "why don't you try doing things my way for a change and see how that works out." I was slow to turn but once I did I found my life becoming more easy the more I followed. I've since come to realize that it's best to examine my life daily and ask ,"what would Jesus do?", when I reach forks in the road. I am far from perfect. I am nobody special. I'm a sinner just like everyone else, but I have learned the benefits from building my life on rock solid choices rather than ones that are like quicksand. So as the Christmas season unfolds I ask, what's on your Christmas list, and are you on the right path to get it?

Matthew 7:21, 24-27
21"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 24"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

What Team Are You On?

What Team Are You On?

With Christmas quickly approaching we find ourselves in the season of giving. At a time when the fields are empty and the weather cold we find ourselves in midst of a holiday where we are supposed to come together and give to one another from our abundance. It is the time of year that I often wish we could sustain throughout the whole year. Opening our hearts and giving is what God calls for. He wants us to love and give. He wants us to have compassion and forgiveness. God gives us life, this world, talents, love, wisdom, free will, intellect and most of all his only son and through him he gave us himself. However at this time in the world we find life pulling us in an opposite direction. The world tells us that we should serve ourselves. It encourages us to keep our eyes focused on little portable video screens at all time so that we can be entertained. Millions of pictures and sound bites compete for our attention every day which makes me wonder if we are so focused on screens and ourselves are we aware what is going on right in front of us. I always find that the best place to start working with compassion is right in front of my face, void of a video screen. When I have done all I can do there I move outward. I am no great man. I am a sinner in fact but I know that God believes in me and you that we can each become so much more, so much better and help so many in need. As God is there for us every day I encourage you to be there for him every day. I encourage you to love God and everyone you meet everyday. For the gifts and the happiness that I have found loving God and loving others far surpasses anything that I have ever attained for myself. God wants us to truly find heaven here on earth and we can build it if we can start to love each other every day. The only question that remains for me to you is, are you on the team of ME or WE?

Matthew 15:29-37
29And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 30And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. 32Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way." 33And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" 34And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." 35And commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

Are You In The Know?

Everyone likes to be in the know. For some reason we feel special when we know some thing that everyone else doesn't. I can't recall how many times I have heard children brag, "I know something you don't know." Thing is, God keeps it really simple. Many that don't get his rules (commandments) are just thinking too hard. They are too wise for their own good. It all boils down to love. When in doubt, love, that's pretty much it. Now I am not going to sit here and say I know why certain things play out hay they do. I don't understand gods master plan but I do understand what he expects of me. He wants me to love. When I am in need he wants me to love enough to humble myself and ask for help. When someone needs help he wants me to love enough to help those in need. When I wrong someone or God he wants me to love enough to ask for forgiveness. When I am wronged he wants me to love enough that I forgive without being asked. Many Christians get to caught up in the rules so that they spend all their time condemning others, and that is not loving. I always think about the line Jesus spoke, "he without sin cast the first stone." I find it a very healthy habit to examine my actions and look to my hero to decide if I am staying on a proper course. I make mistakes. I sin and I ask for forgiveness when I do so. Most of all I try and not be too wise. I do study daily, but I try and take that knowledge to my heart and not my head. For when I find when I fill my head with too much knowledge it grows and makes it difficult getting through doorways. So if you find yourself wanting to be in the know all you need to do is ask. God has so much to share if you only want to make time for him. Do you want to though?

Luke 10:21-24
21In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 22All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

You Know That Person That Loves To Complain?

Letting go can be hard especially letting go of one’s self can be hard. Most are trained to be spoiled. That can be a tough thing to reverse, especially in this country (US). We are born and people, usually parents tend to our every desire. We are fed, clothed, carried everywhere, when we soil our diapers others change us, and many entertain babies to make sure that they don’t fuss. We get to school age and begin the long process learning that we are not the center of the universe. I hear many comments about, “How this or that should change”, because “THAT’S NOT THE WAY I LIKE IT!” That guy in front of me should speed up or just pull over so I can pass. That person shouldn’t be so greedy cause they took the last piece on sale. Why do I have to PULL UP to the line and have them bring it out TO me? Why can’t I just sit here at the window? I will admit myself guilty so many times of thinking such things. Letting go and having faith that we will get what we need can be a hard thing. God calls us to have faith in him. Like the my child that doesn’t understand why its bad to play video games 24/7 we don’t always understand why God works the way he does.  We think far too micro and can’t see the macro view. I finally got the point where “gave up”. I let go and gave my life to God. My way wasn’t working. I was lucky that I was Baptized long ago and received a good dose of Grace. I decided that I no longer wanted to live a life of slavery trying to eat, drink, consume and attain every desire that I wanted. I let go and gave it all to God. I dove into that faith thing. I was afraid that everything I built would fall apart, and you know what? It did fall apart, but something more beautiful was built in its place. I tended to my faith. I studied and read and worked to be a better Christian. I go to mass regularly and I don’t just show up. I look to learn. When I am mad at the world I stop, pray and love. I have faith in God and he hasn’t let me down. God already has sacrificed so much. He let his son die for you and me and everyone, but we have to accept Jesus. We have to accept him as our savior, follow his ways and become a baptized in the Holy Spirit. God offers us so much, it may not be what we want but it is what we need. We just need to let go and have faith and we will fly, or do you like to sit and complain?

Matthew 8:5-11

5As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him 6and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." 7And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it." 10When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. 11I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,