Thoughts on Moving

Last year I moved for the 35th time in my life. I relocated to a new home and a new city.

When I reflect on my lifetime of moves, I have never been one that ever wished to move back to some place I left. I know some who always wish they were back at a place they had left. It is sad to live that way. I have learned to adjust and be content where I am at the moment.

The only time in my life when I did not want to move was after my sophomore year in high school. I protested the move because I wanted to finish high school there. Unfortunately my dad decided it was God’s will for us to move to another church and another city.

Perhaps the most challenging move was when my wife and I moved to Tampa. It was nothing like we had expected. After the first month we wanted to move. It eventually took two years.

Moving has always been a part of my life. I never really had a physical place to call home. From an early age I learned that moving was a part of my life. I attended 10 different schools in 12 years. I was always the new kid at church and school. I had to learn to be good at adjusting to change.

They say that people who move around a lot can be called nomads, vagabonds, globetrotters, or itinerants, often driven by jobs, wanderlust, or a need for change, leading to adaptability but potentially shallower roots and relationships. Modern terms include digital nomads, while traditional groups like nomadic tribes follow seasonal patterns for resources, but many people today move for personal reasons like adventure or boredom.

Even as I sit here now, I know we will move again. I don’t know when and I don’t know where yet. Some of our family are upset that we have moved but making these decisions to relocate are never easy decisions.

So when and where will the next move be? I don't know but there will be another move.

I often wonder if I would prefer a cottage on the beach somewhere or another stare or even another country. I still remember our trip to Europe several years ago and remember my favorite place located in Weggis, Switzerland. It was one of the most beautiful places I have seen. Mark Twain thought so too when he visited it. Could the next move but further up into a New England state? We really loved our visits to Newport, Rhode Island and Ogunguit, Maine last year.

The only thing I am certain of is that there will be another move at some point in the future.

Thoughts About Church

I am not against church. I know sometimes in my previous posts it seems that way. I can only speak of my own experience and sadly it isn’t good. If you attend church and that’s something you need then do it. I’m not discouraging you from doing that at all. We all have to make our own way. 

I haven’t attended church in over 10 years. Don’t worry, I’m still a believer and I won’t say that I would never go back. For now, it isn’t part of my life. For the first 45 years of my life church was a major part of my life and the center of my universe.

So why did I leave? Did someone hurt my feelings? No.

Honestly I was floundering and felt lost. I started feeling worse when I left church than when I arrived. I was miserable and something had to change.

I made some life changes and I went in a different direction for me. I left the church but I didn’t leave God. You have to understand how the church had controlled my life to that point. It was suffocating me. I had to break free of that and find the person I needed to be.

I know the Bible talks about not forsake the assembling but you can’t expect everyone to be lumped into church going believers. I honestly don’t think that having any church attendance records is something that God expects of us.

I still have friends that I grew up with in the church who are either pastors or faithfully attending church. I have the utmost respect for them. There is certainly nothing wrong with them. As I stated earlier, we all have to make our own way. Life is challenging and takes us in many directions.

Regardless if we go to church or not, the important thing is ultimately our personal relationship with God. I would never make a blanket statement over what people do to remain faithful in their dedication as a believer.

Attending church offers significant benefits for many, but it's ultimately a personal decision, and a deep spiritual life is possible through various paths, including community engagement outside of a physical building.

When You Are Crushed in Spirit

I still remember the moment when my spirit was crushed. I was riding home from work when it happened. The details aren’t important but that moment was a pivotal point in my life. It caused my life to change course.

What does it mean to be crushed in spirit?

It is the event or situation which breaks the emotional glass in your soul. It is more than just being hurt, it is a trigger moment in life. It is something that crushes you so deeply that you either let it destroy you or you decided to make changes in your life.

Crushed in spirit" describes a state of total emotional, mental, and spiritual exhaustion caused by intense grief, trauma, or unrelenting life struggles. Often referencing Psalm 34:18, this condition involves a broken will, loss of hope, and profound sorrow. It signifies being overwhelmed to the point of feeling unable to cope, yet the Bible promises divine closeness and healing for those in this state.

A crushed spirit is when you are broken, wounded, or defeated spirit, described as feeling "at the end of one's rope".

In my case, I chose to make a change. It was drastic. I’m sure people who knew me at the time only know their outside view of it but none of them saw the shift inside of me.

I think we all have these moments in our lives. Something will either crush us or prod us to change direction. That one moment. The final straw to forces you to examine your life and become bitter or better.

Having been through this moment, I have some things to share with you about how to handle it.

#1 - Find a place to examine your life.

Make the time to get away by yourself. Maybe a long weekend at the beach or just any place where you can have time to think. It must be a place where you can do some serious soul searching.

#2 - Don’t worry about what other people will think.

Sometimes we are too concerned about pleasing everyone else that we forget to be happy. We worry too much about what people will think about us.

#3 - Decide what you want to do and do it.

When you know the path you want to take - do it. Don’t waffle about it. Decide to be who you are. You might have to burn some bridges so you won’t be tempted to go back.

#4 - Don’t give up if the changes get hard.

Making changes won’t be easy don’t allow the difficult things to discourage you. It isn't an easy thing to rebuild a crushed spirit and it takes time.

When you are crushed in spirit, you don’t have to stay crushed. Find a way to rise above it and renew your mind and spirit. You might find that in the end it was worth it.

I look back now nearly 15 years later that I made the right decision and I took a new course in my life. I can tell you with absolute certainty that I am living the life I am supposed to be living. I am exactly where I should be. I have no regrets. Did I do everything right? No, but I had to figure it out along the way.

Having your spirit crushed isn’t the end. It could be a new beginning.

Living in Perilous Times

Once upon a time we could “agree to disagree”. Sadly we can’t seem to do that anymore. It only takes a few minutes on social media to see how divided we truly are. Unity is hard to find. Even a choice not to be political is being political.

I’m tired of politicians regardless which side they are on. We had one recently who had a big block party to celebrate the start of his time in office.  He hasn't even done anything yet.  Have a party after you have accomplished something first.

I’m done with talk and parties and promises. Hype doesn’t get the job done. Action is what matters. I remembered last summer that someone stood for hours addressing congress. Why?  Words without actions are just words.

Where is the integrity? I try not to make a blanket statement over every politician but most get elected and seek money and power. The greed lures them to be out of touch for how the rest of us really exist.

Fake news? Yes there is a lot of it - both ways. Who can you trust? One news person talked about transparency and being like Walter Cronkite. If you have to tell us that then that is already a red flag.

There was a time when we couldn’t figure out how the Anti-Christ would be able to deceive people but with the reality of  artificial intelligence (A.I.) and slanted news it is eerily possible now.

Scary times.

I fear where we are headed but the Bible warned us about this. There is one verse which warns us about “perilous times”.

The Apostle Paul's warning to Timothy was that these last days will be filled with “perilous times.” The Greek term translated “perilous” is chalepos. Its basic meaning is “stress” or “fierce,” coming from a root word meaning to “reduce strength.”

Those times are here. More than ever before.

I worry when I walk the streets when I see how many people are looking at their phones. Slaves to the technology which can easily be used to track us. With every software update, I have to disable settings which surrender more of my privacy. I can see how our phones could play into the plans of what is to come.

Conspiracy theories? Perhaps but the fact remains that we must be vigilant.

To be vigilant means “to keep careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.” Vigilance requires action. A vigilant person actively pays attention to what is vying for their attention and what affects the heart and mind. We must keep a clear mind as we vigilantly keep watch over our lives and the world around us.

Be Like Bezalel & Oholiab

Bezalel & Oholiab are two obscure characters in the Bible but they played a vital role in God's plan to design the Tabernacle in the Old Testament.  This dynamic duo appears in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 31 & 35) as spirit-filled craftsmen who were chosen by God.

Bezalel's name meant "in the shadow of God" and was filled with the Spirit of God granting him wisdom, understanding and skill in all crafts to design and execute the complex plans for the Tabernacle. He was gifted with doing metalwork (gold, silver, copper), stone work, wood carving and other detailed design work which was crucial for the Tabernacle.

Oholiab's name meant "father's tent and was divinely appointed to serve as the deputy architect for the Tabernacle. He crafted the details for many sacred items as well as working with fine linen and threads.

When I studied about these two men, I wondered if they were already talented or if the Spirit of God gave them this ability. I haven’t found an answer for this. I guess it doesn’t matter. God still recognized that this duo fit into His divine plan and gave them the opportunity. God either anointed these two skilled craftsmen or He supernaturally gave them the ability to do what He needed them to do.  That's pretty exciting don't you think?

However it happened, they certainly took it and they ran with it.   Can you imagine how these two felt about this amazing holy honor in building the Tabernacle where God would reside and meet with His people?

God can do the same with us if we are willing.  He can even empower us in our jobs.

I often pray that God would make the complicated things about my job easy for me and to grant me favor - and He has many times!  God can use anyone at any time that He chooses.  It's exciting to know that He can use us in this way.  I used to make the mistake in thinking that I had to be divinely called into some ministry in the church but I have learned that God's purpose in our abilities are not just limited to the church walls.  

In whatever we do we are encouraged to "Do all things for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).  I think this is captured perfectly in the song "Do Everything" by Steven Curtis Chapman when he sings:

You're picking up toys on the living room floor for the fifteenth time today
Matching up socks, sweeping up lost Cheerios that got away
You put a baby on your hip, color on your lips and head out the door

While I may not know you, I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?
Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long

As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
'Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace with every move that you make
And every little thing you do

Maybe you're that guy with the suit and tie
Maybe your shirt says your name
You may be hooking up mergers, cooking up burgers
But at the end of the day
Little stuff, big stuff, in between stuff
God sees it all the same

While I may not know you, I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?
Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long

As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
'Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace with every move that you make
And everything you do

Always be open and ready for God to use what you do for His purpose.  You don't have to be a preacher and you don't always have to preach a sermon to use your talents and abilities for God.  Just as these two obscure men in the Old Testament answered the call, we too must be ready for His call.

Keeping the Flame Burning

Being a believer isn't always easy, especially when you don't get much encouragement to do so.  It is a lonely road at times.  You wonder sometimes if you are going to make it or not.  I will admit that I have wondered that about myself many times.  I am determined to finish this race.

I remember an old song many years ago "Keep the Flame Burning" sung by Debby Boone and Phil Driscol.  It has always been an inspiration for me.

Here are some of the lyrics:

Lord, I find myself needing You
Like I never have before
In all of the darkness around me
Every day, my hunger's growing more

It's clear to me now, You are my only refuge
My port in the troubled sea
Help me to give my life completely to You
And make me only what You want me to be

Lord, just keep the flame burning in my heart
Light my way with the fire of Your spirit
Keep the flame burning in my heart
And let it spread to whoever comes near it
Lord, just keep the flame burning in my heart

Children, He knows what you're going through
He suffered more than you'll ever know
Well, He's drawing us closer and closer to Him
He'll be back soon
You've got to get ready to go

Well, there's no time for complacency
There's no room for compromise
Just walk straight and strong
'Cause it won't belong
'Til we see Him split the eastern skies

Lord, just keep the flame burning in our hearts
Light our way with the fire of Your spirit
Keep the flame burning in our hearts
And let it spread to whoever comes near it
Lord, just keep the flame burning in our hearts

Listen to the song here:  https://youtu.be/ZkJUzV6mCN4?si=wbG--F5fEkJEsCiy

Such a powerful song to express how it feels sometimes.  There are times I don't really know if anyone cares if I am a believer or think that I might be misguided in some way.  I can tell you that this is the only way I know to be.  To believe in God through his Son Jesus Christ.  It may seem silly to others but it has been my life for so many years.  To know me, you have to accept that is how I am.  I won't debate it with you and I won't force you to believe that same as I do.  I just live my life the best I can everyday.  I'm really not sure if I am even making much of an impact in anyone's life.  I'm not a preacher with a pulpit and I have no ministry other than to write.  I can only do what I feel like I should do.  I can't do God's part for Him.  

Most of all...I want to keep that flame burning.  The desire to keep going and to keep the faith.  When I was young I may have wanted to make a name for myself or find satisfaction with success in some type of ministry.  Today I want my life to be faithful to the God that I serve and to be content with my life today.  I don't seek the spotlight.  I simply want to make it.  Most of my years are behind me now so I want to keep the flame burning in my heart that was ignited many years ago and has kept me on this journey.

Remembering Greenland

There has been a lot of talk recently about our country taking over Greenland for whatever reason or political purpose. Greenland has a special part in my history. I lived there for one year from November 1983 to November 1984. I was stationed at - what was then known as - Thule Air Base. At the time it was northernmost U.S. military base in the world. It was located about 900 miles from the North Pole.

When I look back on it now, it is sad how I didn't appreciate the experience then as I do now. I was more concerned about counting down the days until I could leave. However, the experience of living there is one I will never forget.

Greenland is like no place I have ever been. It was a very unique place.

I initially had volunteered for the assignment in an agreement that I would be granted the base assignment of my choice after my one-year tour there.

I boarded a C-130 military plane at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey for my 13-hour flight. There were no windows or inflight movies. We were given a blanket and a "boxed lunch". When we arrived, it was mid-afternoon and total darkness. My sponsor boarded the aircraft, tossed me a parka and said, "Here, you will need this!" - and I did!

On my first night, the base experienced a Phase 3 blizzard which was the highest rated storm requiring everyone to remain in place. I looked out of the window of my room only seeing white as the wind whipped around our building. It was then I wondered again what decision I had made about being there and volunteering for the assignment. Fortunately, that first night was the last Phase 3 storm I had to experience during my time there.

My assignment at Thule was in the Military Post Office. I handled the mail and provided postal service to American military and civilians who worked there. I also worked with Danish and Greenlandics. The Danes called Americans "hestetyve" which translated from Danish meant "horse thieves" which was alleged due to our fascination with Westerns.

Yes, it was cold in Greenland. There were no trees or grass. Only snow/ice in the winter and mud and rocks during the spring/summer. There had been a constant joke people would say about Greenland that there was a woman behind every tree but there were just no trees.  There were, in fact, women assigned to the base but still no trees.

I didn't like the "dark season" which lasted until mid-April when it was dark every day. There was an excitement when we would see a slither of sunlight peak above the mountains. I preferred when it was 24 hours of sunlight during the spring/summer months when the temperature reached into the upper 30s or lower 40s. I did most of my off-base exploring during those months on my days off. I even walked across the frozen bay and climbed up on an iceberg which was trapped in the bay. Looking back on that now, it probably wasn't the smartest thing I did.

We played softball during the warmest months. Our field was a hard mud field with many rocks. Sliding was not allowed in fear of serious injury. A base hit could ricochet against the rocks and result in a home run. In one game it was so foggy that you couldn't see the outfielders. Our team lost in the championship game.

I'm sure things there are much different now. We didn't have the Internet then or cell phones. We were allowed two 15-minute "morale calls" per week. We had one Armed Forces Television channel which aired a variety of shows. We would see sports about two weeks after they were originally aired back in the states.

The highlight for most on the base was the arrival of the plane with people, mail and packages. The radio station on the base would announce the "Big Mac Attack" when the plane was 40 miles out. People would converge on the terminal. I would often drive our mail truck there to pick up the bags of mail and return to the post office to sort and put up the mail to impatient patrons waiting for something to hit their mailbox.

If I could go back and give my younger self some advice, I would tell me to enjoy the experience instead of counting the days to leave. As I look back on it now, I can appreciate more what I had experienced then.

It saddens me that there is a push to take over Greenland. Greenland doesn't belong to us or anyone else. It is a special place which should never be exploited.

Christmas in New York

Now that I have spent my first Christmas in New York, I can give you the scoop on what the reality is about Christmas in the city.

Let me begin by telling you that if you think a trip to New York for Christmas is going to be some dreamy, Hallmark experience it is not! Do NOT come to New York expecting this wonderful Christmas experience.

With us living here, we had the advantage of knowing when and how to get around and navigate the Christmas season. When you are a tourist visiting here, you have the pressure of doing everything you can in the limited amount of time you have here.  

Make no mistake, there are a LOT of people here during the holidays. These are not crowds but blobs.  It gets so condensed that you will find yourself unable to move at times. 

So what did we do on our first Christmas in New York?

• Attended the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
• Visited the New York Gingerbread competition
• Walked through the Christmas market at Bryant Park
• Saw the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center
• Attended the performance of the Radio City Rockettes
• Viewed Christmas windows at Macy’s
• Walked 5th Avenue to see lights & displays
• Walked through the Christmas market in Times Square
• Walked through the Christmas market in Grand Central Terminal

Obviously we didn’t do everything we had hoped to do but these were the things at the top of our list.  Some things we don’t need to do every year.  

Also contrary to the movies, they don’t always have a “White Christmas” here.  In fact, we got snow here the day after Christmas.  

I enjoyed our first Christmas here and think we managed it well.  

If you want to visit New York during Christmas, here are some suggestions:

• Map out your transportation and learn the subways.
• See the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center early in the morning (5-6 am).  Do not attend the tree lighting.  It is a mess.
• Don’t spend your Christmas here.  Visit at the beginning of the Christmas season.  The Christmas markets are less crowded.
• Book any shows or experiences early and ahead of time.  Prices are insane if you wait until you get here.
• If you want to shop at FAO Schwartz Toy Store, be prepared to wait.  Lines wrap around the building.

I think many locals celebrate today with most of the Christmas tourists have departed.  I won’t say that Christmas in New York isn’t a good experience only that you have to manage your expectations.

New Year Expectations

People who have gym memberships throughout the year usually dread going to the gym in January because of people who have made resolutions to work out.  The gyms are usually crowded but by the end of February, it typically settles back down to normal levels.

I usually try to manage my expectations of the new year and I’m not much into setting resolutions.  I simply want to improve what I can and not set any unreasonable expectations.  

A year ago my wife and I began the process of selling and purging things in preparation for our move to New York.  It seemed like a daunting task a year ago but now we are here and we got it done.  I haven’t regretted the move.  It was a big move for us but I am glad we made it.  

It was a big task.  I won’t lie to you about that.  I will tell you that I was not onboard with this move in the beginning and all the work it was going to take to get here.  When I began to felt stressed about it, I would constantly remind myself that we couldn’t do it all at one time.  It took small steps and doing a little every day.  That’s the approach you have to take when you are faced with large tasks.  Just take small steps instead of stressing out over the big picture.

Although I often stress out when I see the big picture.   I try not to but I usually have to have a plan.

One of the most important pieces of advice I could give you is to sit down and map out your plan into smaller chunks so that you won’t be overwhelmed.  Also, don’t be so rigid with your plan that you don’t allow yourself room for unexpected situations that might come up.  One of those things you can’t predict - especially when you are selling a house - is any repairs you might need to do after an inspection.  In our situation, I hadn’t predicted that we would need to make repairs to our chimney.  These things happen and you have to expect the unexpected.

Yes I fussed and cussed along the way but in the end everything got done.  

As we start another year, I am not planning another move this year but if we do we will do what we can to get it done.  

Here’s a list that I found which should set our focus on the new year ahead:

1. Self-reflect on your priorities
2. Set goals that make sense.
3. Set your focus on progress, not perfection.
4. If you fail, regroup and keep trying.

Just reset your mind for 2026 and do your best.  

How Will I Finish?

As many of you know, I grew up as a preacher's kid. Most of my life centered around the church.  I did what was expected by my church. I wore the church clothes, and I played my part. It was all I knew then.  My father was obsessive about the church.  It was his life.  Unfortunately, my father left the church after the organization leaders betrayed him.  The events that happened after over 40 years of ministry was the last straw for my parents.

I had my own path which also led to me leaving the church.  I was living a miserable life and suffering from severe depression.  A culmination of events caused me to also leave the church.

I left the church, but I didn’t leave God. I don’t regret growing up in church, I just regret that I didn’t encounter God sooner.  

I’m still figuring things out. I know I have hurt and disappointed people along the way, but I don’t think any of us gets through life without scars. This has been my journey.  I wonder many times how it will all end for me. I want to finish strong. I want my life to mean something.

Life is about our choices.  We all have free will to make them. Sometimes we make the right choice and many times we do not. We can only do the best that we can and make the decision on what we know.  The part that scares us is the unknown.  I have tried to learn to just keep moving forward and have faith that God will work things out.

I once listened to several preachers but now I only listen to a few. Sadly, when they become political, I cut them out. I don’t want to hear Christian nationalism; I want to hear from God. The audio Bible has often become my sermons now. Listening without being slanted by someone’s opinion.  

When my time ends, I want to say that I have finished my race strong.  

We are all getting older. It doesn’t last forever. We have to focus on what is really important. For me, my eternal destination is the most important thing to me. I have had my career, my adventures and experiences.  

Certainly, I have had some interesting stories about the church but I can tell you that you don’t have to be crazy or any sort of religious nut to have a personal relationship with God. You just have to talk to Him and open yourself up to the experience that only you can have with Him. You don’t have to be a member of a political party or even attend church. I have attended many hours of church, held many positions in the church and done the things that others expected but those things aren’t the main thing.

I heard a song recently and the lyrics say:

It ain't about the church clothes
It ain't about a big show
It ain't about the doin' up to measure up
To earn the love, Lord knows
Heaven ain't a zip code
Take me where the light goes
It ain't about the church clothes
Church clothes, church clothes

Your own relationship with God is the main thing.  It's the only thing that matters.  Don't neglect it or ignore it.  God doesn't want your perfect attendance in church, He wants you.

Subway Stories

Riding on the New York City subway system is convenient but it also has its challenges.

One of the challenges are the crazies that we have encountered so far.

Here is an exchange of text messages between me and my wife on our last ride:

Me: The guy across from me is creeping me out. I am avoiding eye contact
Crystal: Yeah he keeps staring Just don’t get up to get off until the train stops.

We have learned to take decisive actions when it gets too creepy. We have a code word which means that we get off at the next stop and change cars or wait for the next subway. We have had to do this a few times.

Another thing we do is to always act like we know where we are going. Don’t act that we are lost or confused.

When waiting for a subway we also stay away from the edge of the platform. There have been too many instances where people have been pushed onto the tracks.

Overall, the subways are safe if you just stay aware of your surroundings. We try not to take any unnecessary chances or put ourselves in bad situations. Unfortunately, the crazies are out there. They either need medication or they have had too much medication.

I have learned a lot about the subway in the past nine months we have lived here but I am not a pro and there is still a lot to learn.

I will say it has been nice to finally live in a place with transit options. I don’t drive as much as I did in the past. I only need to gas up our car about once a month.

On our recent ride and the creepy guy staring intently at me, we waiting until the subway stopped completely at our stop and the doors opened before we jumped off.

I don’t understand people. There are a lot of crazies out there. I’m sure we will encounter more.

When God Is Silent

The hardest part of being a believer is the times when God is silent.

Sure, resisting temptations, dealing with pain, death and unanswered prayers are difficult but the times when God is silent are some of the hardest times in the life of a believer.  I hate these seasons.  

No, God doesn't speak to me in an audible voice but He will often make himself known in other ways.  

I have been through many of these "silent" seasons and when I realize I am in one, I look forward to when it will be over.  

The silent times are important in our lives because it is a time when God tests our faith in Him.  Will we continue to believe when there is radio silence between us?  These are also times which reinforce our dependence on Him.  Many times He is teaching us something in the silence.

One thing I have learned to do in these seasons of silence is to hang on and push through it.  I remind myself of what God has done in my life.  During the silence we have to go back to the basics of reading the Bible, continue to pray and listen to encouraging music.  I can't tell you how many times just listening to music has kept me going.

The silence gives us a time to reflect and examine ourselves.  Sometimes we gloss over some things in ourselves that we need to resolve.  We don't like to see the negative things about ourselves.  The silence becomes a microscope on our thoughts, feelings and emotions.  

Even in the silence, God is working behind the scenes on our behalf.  He hasn't left us.  He promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.  He's not absent, just silent.

So when do we know when the silence is over?  For me, I discover a new song that speaks to me or I will hear someone speak a word and in some very rare instances, I will get a direct email or message from someone or I will simply sense that He is known to me again.

 I came across this video clip which really nails it down: https://youtube.com/shorts/DTBPrkuRn-s?si=y5XxszOxfLqV33Bv

Be encouraged and keep pressing through.  

First Three Gifts on Christmas

What are you getting for Christmas?

The Christmas season involves lists of gifts we will be getting or receiving from others.  The stores are packed with shoppers on their mission to finish their list and checking it more than twice.  

In the story of the birth of Jesus, we are told of when the three magi brought gifts to the newborn. This moment has been depicted in Christmas plays in churches for hundreds of years. The gifts were not something we would give someone, nor do they seem very practical for a baby such as clothes, diapers or toys. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

What were the meaning of these gifts? 

GOLD
The meaning gold was to symbolize what Jesus was going to become king. Gold is a precious metal and as such was a very valuable commodity. Its value could very well have financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. 

FRANKINCENSE
I’m sure you are puzzled about the gift of frankincense. I can’t help to think of Frankenstein, but this gift has nothing to do with the fictional monster. Frankincense is A fragrant resin or gum which was used in temple worship, symbolizing Jesus' divinity and priestly role. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God.

MYRRH
Myrrh was an expensive spice used for anointing the dead, symbolizing Jesus' humanity, suffering, and sacrificial death. It’s kinda strange giving a gift for his future death. Myrrh, which is product of Arabia, was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article

Frankincense and myrrh were precious commodities from the Arabian Peninsula, traded by the Nabateans, suggesting the Magi's origins and the gifts' significance as tribute or diplomatic offerings. Both resins had medicinal properties and were used for healing and in perfumes, offering practical benefits for the family.

These were some strange gifts for a baby on that first Christmas morning, but the birth of Christ wasn’t about the gifts the wise men brought to Him but the gift that God had given the world and all of mankind from that day forward. 

What gift does Christ want from us?  He just wants a relationship with us.  He doesn’t want our money or any gifts from us.  His most precious gift is our love for Him.  Sounds too easy?  It does but why make it complicated?  Religions want to make it about keeping rules, being perfect or your church attendance.  Are there standards Christ wants us to live by?  Yes, but we often make the mistake in leading with that instead of the relationship we have with Christ.  When we have a relationship with Him, those things will follow.

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Thank you for reading my blog throughout the year.      

Merry Christmas Crunch

Every Christmas season I seek out a box of Christmas Crunch. It is my go-to snack during the season. I don’t normally eat it as a cereal but will pour some in a snack bowl at some point during the day. 

Christmas Crunch (also known as Holiday Crunch in Canada) was first released for the 1997 Christmas season it contains the signature Cap'n Crunch yellow corn squares with red and green Crunch Berries.

Currently, the Crunch Berries are shaped as Christmas-themed items (shapes vary yearly) and the cereal is packaged in a holiday-themed box with the Cap'n wearing a Christmas scarf (box color and hat type vary yearly).

When the cereal was first introduced, the Crunch Berries were spherical-shaped and the cereal contained a toy or Christmas tree ornament inside the box. On a few occasions, the cereal has been packaged with a packed-in food gimmick to add to the cereal, like Jingle Bell Rock pieces that changed the milk's color to red (used in the 1998 version) or sprinkled icing (used in the 1995 version).

Quaker data show that Cap'n Crunch Christmas Crunch accounts for 13 to 18 percent of the brand's total annual sales.

The seasonal, limited-edition available in stores starting from late October through the holiday season, appearing as early as Halloween and disappearing after Christmas, so you'll generally find it around late fall and early winter. I usually find it at Walmart or Target.

Merry Christmas and have a cup of Christmas Crunch.

Putting Christ Back in Christian

During the holiday season I always hear the line that we need to put Christ back into Christmas. Certainly we need to remember and acknowledge Christ during the holiday season; however, we live in a world today where the influence of the Christian label has been weakened.

Why is that?

I viewed a clip from the son of a televangelist who said bluntly, "You can't be a Democrat and be a Christian, let me tell you why..."

This is the problem today. Christians have been hijacked by politics. It has gotten quite ugly and skewed. Being a Christian has nothing to do with being a Democrat or a Republican.

Sadly, I see it now when the word "Christian" is mentioned, people roll their eyes and are immediately skeptical.

So, let's get back to the basics here. What is the definition of Christian?

A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, believing He is the Son of God and the Messiah, centered on His life, teachings, crucifixion and resurrection, with main teachings centered on love for God and neighbor, repentance from sin and a commitment to spiritual transformation through faith in Christ.

The term "Christian" was first used in the city of Antioch in the first century around 40 A.D. as recorded in the Book of Acts (Acts 11:26) where disciples of Jesus were first called by this name by non-Jewish inhabitants to identify them as followers of Christ.

So why has Christian become a public relations problem?

The main thing Christians are doing wrong is they are trying to use Christian to create earthly kingdoms in the forms of churches and political agendas. We are still trying to legislate Christianity into our country and the world. Let me tell you that Christianity is never going to be in charge of this world until the return of Christ.  We have lost sight of the main thing by promoting our own agendas.

It is sad to see how the reputation of Christian has been tarnished.  Christianity has been weaponized for hate, division and judgment.  Unfortunately, I don't see it ever changing back.  I think we are too far gone down the road where Satan has rendered Christians powerless and makes the work of people who are true examples of Christians much more difficult.

I get it.  I grew up in the church and Christianity.  I have seen the good, bad and ugly about it, yet I still remain.  Am I perfect?  No.  Do I try to force my beliefs on others?  Never.  I never quote scriptures at people, and I refrain from judging on issues that I don't agree with.  I have had every reason to walk away.  Yes, I am a Christian because I believe in Jesus Christ.  

My Christian experience has evolved over the years of my life.  It went from a Church-centered relationship where the church told me what to do to a personal relationship with Christ.  Some of my earlier writings and posts were judgmental and extreme but now I have come to know to focus on my own relationship with God.  

We need to be more authentic and transparent to others.  We need to focus on genuine connections with others and service to people as individuals not just as potential converts.  We should emphasize on love, service and community rather than trying to appear better than others.  

When I say "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin"

I'm whispering "I was lost - now I'm found and forgiven

When I say "I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong; I am professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

Keeping the Pricklies In

Since moving to New York and making several trips into the city I am often reminding myself to keep the pricklies in.

What are the pricklies?

The pricklies are the sensitivities we have which cause us to easily be offended or irritated by the actions of others.

There are some days when it takes incredible restraint to keep them under control. I don’t like being bullied or pushed around. It is often extremely difficult to let offenses go unchecked.  I don’t want to walk around with a short fuse or an attitude that I will be easily offended. That’s not a good way to live.

In general, most people are not purposely out to hurt others. Many are just in their own world and totally oblivious to others around them. They are doing their own thing in their own way without regard to others.

If there is one trigger that will get me is when someone does something to my wife. Forget being a Christian in those moments, I will drop the gloves and go after it.

Several years ago, we were in a coffee shop, and my wife was trying to squeeze through to get to our table when a man refused to cooperate and she called him out. He stood up and touched her arm as he was confronting her about what she had said to him. I jumped between them and told him to back down. I wasn’t going to have any of it. I looked down at his hands, and they were shaking and he looked like he was getting ready to explode. I had to decide immediately whether or not to deescalate the situation. I talked him down calmly and he stormed out. We left as we were concerned for our safety and if he would return.

This incident is one I have never forgotten and constantly remind myself that I need to not be triggered by the actions of others and handle things better.

Have I don’t better since then? Better but not perfect. I still crack sometimes.

Our pricklies have to be controlled or they will ultimately get us into trouble. We can’t allow ourselves to be easily offended.

It’s hard. Christian or not, it is a challenge.

Even now there is someone who is hurting my wife with their passive aggressive social media posts and I have had enough of it so I’m doing what I can to control that trigger inside of me. My first reaction is to lash out but doing so would create a lot of collateral damage which would affect others. So, I have to talk myself down and keep my peace.  Yeah, life isn’t always easy, and our emotions can be challenging to harness sometimes.

So how can we keep the pricklies in?

First, we have to get in the mindset to look for reasons to do good to others even if it doesn't happen in return.  Getting in the right mindset is the key.

Also, we must learn from the lessons when we didn’t keep them in and how poorly you handled it.  We should mentally practice how to respond appropriately.

We can also choose to avoid the situation if possible. If it is a person, don’t engage. Block their social media posts.  Eliminate the triggers.

Make sure you eat properly.  We can be more easily triggered when we become "hangry".

When faced with a prickly situation, pause. Take a breath and pause before reacting.

Finally, try not to take it personally. Recognize others' rudeness often reflects their own issues, not yours.

Okay, now you know what happens after I have written this...I must practice what I have written and the advice I have given you (and me) to do.  I will let you know how it goes.  The main thing is to remember that we already live in an angry world and a place where people have a short fuse.  Even if we fail at it a time or two, we must be the peacekeepers.  

Eating It to Keep the Peace

Like me, I'm sure that you have known people who get away with just telling it like it is without any consequences. They have not problem speaking their minds.

I have never been that person. I am usually the one who has to eat it. The one who takes it and tries to keep the peace.

I haven’t always liked it. Why do some get to speak their minds when the same allowances are not made for me?

It is annoying when someone hurts you and you make it known and the offending party gets mad at you for being hurt.  What is that??

I am constantly reminded of the Bible verse which tells us that “if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)

You know, sometimes I which there were always a Bible verse for some things and this is one of them. It ain’t easy. So many times I want to hold others accountable on how they treat me.

A famous line from a movie said something about using a fork and knife while “eating it” and smile while doing it.  It may not be the easiest thing in the world to do, especially when you grew up with a low self-esteem and let people bully you but it is upon us to be the peacemakers.

As much as it hurts to do sometimes, it is better to make the effort in keeping the peace unless there is an opportunity for a reasonable confrontation.

I’m no expert. I’m still learning this one and I get classes on it often.

Most recently I was exiting the subway and a lady passing me bumped into me and I continued on. She stopped to fuss me out for not saying excuse me when SHE was the one who ran into me. I gave it back to her instead of making peace about it. So, yes, I still have repeated lessons on this one.

We live in a hair-trigger world where people are ready to be angry about something. We need to do a better job at being the peacekeepers.

75 Years of Unshackled

When I was a teen, I would go to sleep listening to the radio. One night while scanning the channels I came across a radio show called "Unshackled", and I have listened to it regularly since then.  The stories depicted have been a source of inspiration over the years.

Unshackled! is a radio drama series produced by Pacific Garden Mission, in Chicago, Illinois, that first aired on September 23, 1950. It is one of the longest-running radio dramas in history and one of a very few still in production in the United States. They produce Christian dramas of true stories of individuals who have faced desperate situations and how they found a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Unshackled is now celebrating their 75th anniversary on over 3,000 radio stations, six continents and fifteen languages.  It is available on YouTube, Smart TV channels and various radio stations.

The UNSHACKLED radio program began under the leadership of Pacific Garden Mission’s Superintendent Harry Saulnier. Harry yearned to reach the masses for Christ and earnestly prayed about the possibility of a radio program.

For a short time in 1945, Harry had a 15-minute program called “Doorway to Heaven” on station WAIT. On this program, Harry often related the true stories of individuals who had been saved at Pacific Garden Mission. This opportunity fueled Harry’s desire to continue sharing testimonies of changed lives using the popular radio drama format of the day.

Thus, on September 23rd, 1950, the first UNSHACKLED recording session was scheduled. The script was written by John Gillies, who worked at WMBI in Chicago. Clear channel radio giant WGN agreed to air the program. This first program was about the famous Billy Sunday — Chicago baseball player turned evangelist.

The show is produced from the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, Illinois.  Pacific Garden Mission is a homeless shelter which was founded in 1877 and is the largest homeless shelter in Chicago and the oldest continuously operating rescue mission in the country.

For more information on Unshackled, visit:  https://unshackled.org/

When Your Prayer Goes Bad

What do you do if you pray and things get worse?

I will be honest with you that this really messes with my head. I mean, how can this be? When you are praying sincerely for a need in your life and it gets worse instead of better, what are you supposed to think about that?

Why even pray then?

It’s probably one of the hardest things to deal with. I have prayed for people to be healed and they died.

Okay you are probably hoping that your name is not on my prayer list right now. Well I’m not saying this always happens but when it does, it throws me a bit.

Ultimately we have to realize that God isn’t our personal genie. He doesn’t grant our wishes just because we ask.

In the Book of Exodus, we are reminded of the Israelites’ after Moses and Aaron had appealed to Pharaoh to let the people go. God had heard the cries of the Israelites, and sent Moses to plead on their behalf. However, instead of helping the situation, it hurt! Pharaoh severely cut the supplies needed for their work. The situation seemed to become worse and even Moses became discouraged.

The Israelites already were tasked with making bricks with straw but now had to maintain the quota without straw.

Thanks Moses!

The story could have ended there, but Moses took his confusion and complaints to the Lord. Even more significant, he continued to obey God in spite of negative circumstances. Moses was full of doubt about his own abilities, and he was discouraged about the Israelites anger towards him, but he still continued to follow God’s path. We all know the outcome. God used his obedience to bring about a miraculous deliverance—just when things seemed impossible. In the end, terrible oppression made liberation seem even more incredible.

Even when the answer to our prayers go in the opposite direction - or worse - we can’t give up. God’s timing is crucial and He doesn’t rarely shares with us what He’s doing. Trusting is hard but a necessary part of prayer.

The old Hymn says “trust and obey”. When the answer doesn’t come we need to lean into the trust.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Experience

Today my wife and I attended the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We both grew up watching the parade on TV every year. I never thought we would actually get to see it in person.  We decided to see it live today.

It was an awesome experience.

Our day got off to an early start.  We got up at 6 am and took our subway to the 57th-7th station. It took us about 20 minutes to get there.  We walked about a couple of blocks then started looking for a good place to watch the parade.

No, we didn’t have a place in front of Macy’s. Only Macy’s employees and VIPs get to sit in those bleacher seats that you see on TV. We watched the parade from close to the start near Central Park.

Yes, there were crowds. We both got bumped around and constantly fighting for position. We were also near a rather lively group which keep everyone entertained while we were waiting for the parade to start.

You could feel the excitement when the start of the parade got to us. The floats, marching bands and balloons marched by us. The balloons were amazing to see in person. The entertainers didn’t stop to perform for us like you see on TV.

My favorite balloons were Bluey and Minnie Mouse.  I also liked the Sesame Street float.     

The hardest part was standing for over four hours. My feet and legs are sore now and may need a couple of days to recover.

I am glad we did this and had this experience. Would I do it again? Yes, most definitely. It was worth seeing in person.