When I am Smart I Let Someone Else Do the Talking

I can remember a time when I was afraid to go home because home wasn’t “home”. I can remember times when all I wanted to do was hide all day because I was afraid of being found. While some laugh at me because they do not feel it, fear can be a very defining feeling. It can define what you will and will not do on any given day. For a very long time I hid my faith. I talked about in poetry and songs. I would scream about it at the top of my lungs on a stage but it was masked by so many smilies and metaphors that I began to realize that no one knew what I was talking about. I would be surrounded by people who lamented that they were not accepted (people in the music scene) and where angry at the world about it. I knew thought that if I shared my faith with them I would be ridiculed, laughed at and that what few friends I had never speak to me again, even if I only wanted to share with them a place where I felt love. I wanted to tell them that they could have that too. I can remember how around my christian community (the people that were to love me and accept me) abandoned me. They would sit in the pews and praise Jesus and his teachings which I agreed with, only to hear moments later about how certain people were unchristian and just down right disgusting. For years I felt alone in a crowded room. All I felt was hate and I retreated further and further. When left on my own my faith and myself became weak. I fell hard in very cold and dark place. My head down I didn’t want to look at anything or anybody sober. As my life both spiritually and health-wise began to unravel at an ever quickening rate, I looked up. In that cold, dark and lonely corner I looked up. I began to ask questions, and for the first time more importantly, I began to listen and look for the answers. I had some really long conversations with God. He welcomed me and invited me in for a closer look. I started reading his son’s teachings, learning and I let go. I thought I might fall but I only flew. The only thing that holds me back is me. I know we all here that, “You should never care what anyone thinks”. I trump that idea. You should only care about what God thinks. Have “friends” left me? Yeah, I have lost many that were once by my side, but they were never actually there. I haven’t felt alone though in quite a long time. I don’t do anything now but get up and say good morning to God and give him the reins. I still make mistakes, but I confess them and learn from them. Each day I try to be better, smarter and stronger though none of it is from me. 

Luke 21:12-19

12But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13This will be a time for you to bear testimony. 14Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; 17you will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives.

You Gonna Walk Off That Cliff?

My children, while often they run randomly around using their imaginations to take them wherever they want to go, often look to me and their mother when things get serious. Like when they have to go up to their dark room and go to bed for the night. They just know that there is something bad up there in the dark, unknown room. There has to be monsters up there, right? My wife and I will escort them to the darkness and turn on the lights. We show them that the room is safe and over time we encourage them to go by themselves for we are only a call away. God is like that. He is there for us always if we want him but he doesn’t just want to be there with us in times of dire need. He wants to be there with us everyday. God doesn’t want to be a genie or an ATM, he wants to be your friend. He wants to share the good times and the bad. He wants to share his wisdom with you so that when you encounter unscrupulous people, false prophets or absolute evil you can see it for yourselves. He wants you following his ways now because they do so well to keep you out of danger and help you live free, happy lives, and all this is YOUR CHOICE. God doesn’t make you do it. He loves you and he knows that love isn’t forced. He has given you free will so that you can choose to follow God of your own choosing. He wants to protect you, because he loves you, RIGHT NOW AND FOR ALL DAYS. Imagine you had a friend that you love dearly, you have known them forever. How would you feel if they only called you when they needed to move? You might show up a time or two because you love them but after a while when in becomes apparent that all they want  you to do is show up and move their piano’s for them you might be suspicious. Especially when they don’t even help you move the piano that is theirs. They just sit and watch you do it. Sure they say thank you and all but when you want to spend quality time with your friend they always come up with excuses like, “Oh I am really busy maybe next time.” You ask them to celebrate with you, “Oh uh I am so tired I want to sleep in”. You have a major project that you need a little help with, surely they will help you cause you helped them in their time of need and you hear, “Oh, don’t like help feeding the poor cause they brought it on themselves and are so gross and needy.” We all have times when we could really use God in our corner and he WANTS US cause he loves us. Your life will end. One day this age will end. Liars and false prophets will come. Question is will you be safe for following Gods wisdom or will you be led over a cliff?

Luke 21:5-11

5And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6"As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." 7And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?" 8And he said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

All In or All Out, That is the Question?

How much does it stink to be in need and not have any help. Once I walked home 15 miles because my car broke down and no one wanted to stop and pick me up. It was especially disheartening to see people I knew drive by without pause. Like it or not there will be times in all of our lives when we need help. Some of us are lucky and our time of need is not that dire. For others their distress can be life shattering. God knows that this world works best when everyone goes “all in”. I cannot count the times when people in this great land have come together and overcome great obstacles. God sent his son Jesus to show us how to love and taught us to love “all in”. Jesus the man himself even let himself be arrested, beat, mocked, spit on, nailed to a cross and left to die for us because Jesus loved “all in”. There is so much need in the world and it can all be tended to with love. I need, you need people all over this world need wether they know it or not. God didn’t make us all the same. He didn’t make each one of us a self contained self sufficient person. He created us each with needs and everyone with complimenting gifts so that we could learn to love. Love each other and take care of each other. To look beyond our own selfish flesh driven desires and become something more. I truly believe that if we all worked as hard at giving as we now do at getting that we would destroy famine, poverty, and sickness, but to do that we all need to go “all in”. We need to hold nothing back. I know that many right now may be shaking their heads thinking, “Yeah, thats great but it will never happen”, and with that attitude it won’t. Many are probably thinking that the problem is so impossibly large that it can never be conquered. It is true that we will not end poverty, sickness and famine today. However if we BEGIN today we can get there. If you want to get somewhere else the first thing you have to do is walk out the door. Unfortunately many stay inside and just lament that they are not where they want to be. It all begins by putting more love in the world than we are taking out RIGHT NOW, TODAY. Your part in this journey can be as easy as taking each day and smiling as much as possible. It’s amazing how you can see people transform right in front of you if you lock eyes with a smile. Whenever I feel lost on ideas of how I can give I look to Jesus. I open my Bible and look at his teachings. He loves you and is waiting to help and spend time with you. The question though is, Are you ready to go “all in”?

Luke 21:1-4

1He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."

Do you want to be a part of a family?

Being a musician I am also a collector. I have collected many guitars and other instruments over the years. Many think that I have e done this with great folly but in pursuit of the music in my head I have amassed quite an arsenal. I have no favorite though. They can each do different things and help me create different moods. My children are the same. They are each different and therefore each is special. I love no one more than the other, no matter how hard any of them seem to try drive me crazy. God is the same way. He has no favorites, he loves us all. We are all made different to do different thing for him, with him. Like our own children we have free will given to us and it is our decision wether or not we want to follow Gods commandments, Jesus's teachings the urgings of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us all in or all out. He doesn't care for fair-weather followers, and so he is the same. He put it all on the line. He taught and loved with all his being. He called out those in power, and those hypocritical. He challenged the power structure of the Jews at the time (Sadducees and Pharisees). He taught till he was arrested, beat, spit upon, and mocked. He was given many chances to defend himself, but he remained dedicated to his mission. Finally he was forced to carry the instrument of his death across town while mocked all the more, and where he was nailed to the cross and left to hang until he died. He did this for you, I and every single soul that would ever be. He died for me just as I would surely die for my children if need be. To God we are all family. The question is, do you want to be a part of a family?

Matthew 12:46-50

46While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Are You Running Full Speed Into a Brick Wall?

Probably the hardest thing about being a parent is watching impending failure. At a certain point all children reach the age where they make their own decisions. I work very hard everyday to try and teach my children the right way through life and why that I feel that way is the right way. From their they are on their own. I have a son with a learning disability. It is one that I was plagued with myself and it is very frustrating. Each week I work with him and give him advice on how to navigate each day so that he is less likely to crash, and each week he ignores my advice. He leaves the my home, his safety, and embarks out to forge his own life. God is very much the same. He understands us because he made us and we are made in his image. While we have a physical body, we also have an immortal spirit like him. Like God we have an intellect and free will. We are not mere animals but created above them to care for this world. Through the years God tries over and over again to lead and teach us. Though we are flawed he gives us gifts to help us if we choose to follow him. By partaking in his gift of the sacraments we can receive grace. Like a runner becomes more fit not by just one trek on one day but by running often always trying to improve their time. God knows that this world works best when we learn the value of taking care of each other, and I don’t just mean by donating in the collection plate on Sunday morning. God wants people helping people, not faceless organizations. Yes, it is important to donate on Sunday to help your Church give to those less fortunate but Jesus called all of us to love. That is what it is all about, love. When we love God we heed his commandments, not for his sake but ours.  When we love God by following Jesus’s teachings, its not just to show him glory but to actively take care of each other here on earth. And know that God doesn’t want us to be greedy, he wants us to share this knowledge with all. Each day we wake and go about our day serving our own needs God hopes that we be mindful of our neighbors (all we meet) and love them. To show kindness, to overcome the desires of our flesh. Then perhaps we can see true heaven on earth. We can avoid the day to day problems and angst by focusing on something greater and higher. God wants to help you because he loves you. All you have to do is accept him and love him in return and by flowing his ways avoid the impending failures that so many seem to be running towards. The choice is yours. What do you want to do?

Luke 19:41-44

41And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, 42saying, "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. 43For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, 44and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Do You Want to be Alone in the Dark?

Having children is an amazing thing. I learn things every week by being around them. God shows me so much in such a little amount of time. I feel like I have lived 5 lifetimes already. One thing that always catches me though is their fear. From the day they are born my wife and I tend to them. we cloth, feed and provide shelter. We keep them warm on cold dark mornings and keep them cool in the hot summer afternoons. One speed bump that always arises though is their fear of the dark. The fear of that unknown room. With all the lights on it’s okay and a safe place, but they think that there just has to be something bad lurking in the dark. I tell them over and over again, “You are in my house and I will protect you. Do you think that I will let anything bad happen to you?” “No”, they reply but they are still scared. I walk the the room with them over and over again until their fear subsides and they learn that, really, there is nothing in that dark to harm them. It seems like so many I meet are like that. They are afraid of the unknown. God is there with them everyday to help take care of them but they refuse him. God lays out rules to help keep us safe and to have a happy life, but so many refuse to follow. God loves you. He even sent his only son to tell you and to teach you. Jesus taught us how to love each other and to love God so that no one would ever have to feel alone or fear danger. Striking though how many turn away. They want things their way. They despise God and use one of the most beautiful gifts he has give us. They use the gift of free will and turn away from God. God wants to give to you because he loves you and after that he only wants to give more but you have to accept him. Many take the gifts and talents that God has given and even use them against God himself. They believe that everything is chance and circumstance. Some believe that everything that they are is because of their making. Through all the chaos that man puts into the world God’s natural order still works rather well. Over and over God asks us to wait, consider, believe. He sent his son. He comes as the Holy Spirit every day, but are our hearts too cold, too angry, too self-absorbed to let him in? One day your life will be over. One day this world will end. God loves you and is waiting, but he will only take you into his home if you accept the invitation that he has already sent to you. Do you want to be alone in the dark?

Luke 19:11-28

11As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom and then return. 13Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, `Trade with these till I come.' 14But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, `We do not want this man to reign over us.' 15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. 16The first came before him, saying, `Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.' 17And he said to him, `Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' 18And the second came, saying, `Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' 19And he said to him, `And you are to be over five cities.' 20Then another came, saying, `Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.' 22He said to him, `I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?' 24And he said to those who stood by, `Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.' 25(And they said to him, `Lord, he has ten pounds!') 26`I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.'" 28And when he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Do You Feel Like You Are Sinking in a Crowd?

Have you ever been around someone that created a vacuum in the room. It's almost as if the entire mood will change when they are around. I knew someone like that in school. They just seemed to have "it". They were kind and inspiring and even if you were having a bad day it didn't seem so bad when they were around. Jesus definitely seemed to have that going on every where he went drew crowds. I love my relationship with God.  I am far from perfect but the more I put in the more I get out of it. When I am in the zone and in a state of sanctifying grace I feel like nothing can go wrong and if it does I can handle it with ease. Sanctifying Grace is a special gift from God that you can receive but like all gifts you must take care of it or you can loose it. At baptism you get a wonderful dose, and it is why many feel a buzz like feeling about them afterward. But as grace is so wonderful, sin is it's counter. It's why  I try to be vigilant to follow God's teachings, not for his sake but for mine. Confessing my sins on a regular basis is a great way to stay in check. For it helps me remain mindful of my thoughts and actions, and after confessing it helps me stay on track. Another great way to stay on track after I have confessed my sins is by taking part in communion. Receiving Christ's body and blood strengthens my bond, gives me grace and a blessing. The more I commune and spend time in communion with God the stronger my faith and relationship is. The stronger my relationship is, the more I can handle. The more temptation I can dispel and avoid with God's help the better I feel. For if my faith is weak then it is easier to fall into sin and sink. I don't want to be anyone special. I just want to be the best version of myself that I possibly can, and I can only get there with God 's help. I don't want to be the center of a crowd. I'll let Jesus take that spot. I have seen far too many fall in the spotlight. Thinking that they are great because of themselves, they they build a life on sand and wash away. I encourage you to build a life on some thing strong and true. God is a rock that makes for a good platform to build a life upon. He waits for you always. He will help you when you begin to sink, or if you have already fallen hard. There is room for all in the house of God. It never gets crowded. He is waiting for you. He loves you. All you have to do is reach out. 

Matthew 14:22-33

22Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. 25And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." 28And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." 29He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."