Author: admin

Love expresses itself in many ways.  Generally, we love our kids and our spouse and we share good times as well as trying times.  We might play games, sports, watch movies, and sometimes work on projects together.  In our case, we built a home together.  With three kids under age seven, we began planning our own ‘Lil’ house on a prairie.’  When we bought our land and home in a kit, we worked together every summer on getting it one step closer to a livable place.   Our ever-creative eldest-of-the-two daughters was always engineering ways to speed things up.  As our log cabin was being put together on the inside, she and our son straddled the tie-beam log, spanning the living room almost ten feet above ground, and scrubbed it with water, cleansers, and a brush.  Not wanting to have to get down often, she decided to tie a rope on the handle of a five-gallon bucket and lower it down to her younger sister who in turn would empty & fill it and pass it up again.  The bucket was even used to hoist the younger sister up & down!  Working together does create bonding, not to mention lasting memories of pulling together and the love that is achieved when a group of five becomes a group of one in purpose and function.

God expresses His love to us every single day multiple times over.  We need to stop and look for it.  It’s everywhere: from the air we breathe, to the fact that we can breathe, to faithful sunrises and sunsets, and critters singing to Him in praise.  As St. Valentine’s Day is celebrated this year, make a connection to the love God has given you.  His heart was in everything He created.  The red heart resembles the blood He shed for us.  Chocolates and candies represent the sweetness in serving Him.  True, rising prices may affect our choice of goodies, but then again, He rose to the occasion of crucifixion, He paid the high price of salvation, He rose from the dead for us, His goodies.  All He did for us oozed the sweet-smelling fragrance of love.  Not just any love but unmerited love, undeserved love, unrivaled love, and unconditional love.  Will you accept His box of chocolates for you?  Will you accept His love? Will you ask Him to be your Valentine?  Just as when He died, He’ll accept you with open, outstretched arms. 

Like those yummy chocolates, His love oozes out for us every day, until one day when it may be too late for us to accept Him; yet His love will continue with or without us.  Like our kids working together and being creative to accomplish a task, God is busy creating ways to get our attention to accomplish the task of reuniting us with Him and inviting us into His home.

His Name and His Being is Love.

It’s not unusual to hear some parents tell their kids that they were unplanned, unwelcome, unwanted; in essence, a mistake.  Whether you’ve been a victim of this harsh talk or know someone who has, we know it’s not an easy pill to swallow. 

When our kids were growing up, there was a girl in one of our daughter’s class with the same first and last name-and it’s not a too common name.  The only difference between the two girl’s names was a middle initial in our daughter’s name.  Having the same name as someone else can lead to mistakes.  I recall once when our phone rang and a company had congratulated us on winning a three-day trip with full-bloom deals including beautiful bedrooms as well as included meals.  All we needed to do was pay $49.00.  Although it was for a timeshare program, we were ‘chosen’ because of a mistake!  After all was over, as my wife and I discussed the events we realized the offer came as a result of mistaken identity.

After giving birth to our daughter mentioned above, my wife learned that a young mom at the nearby clinic, also had the same name as she (my wife).  It dawned on us that the call with the offer was for her since we never applied to any promotions.  That mistake was to our benefit.  (We called the company back to let them know that they had contacted the wrong person, but they were still willing to give us the offer.)

In God’s creation there are no mistakes.  That includes you and me.  He sees us way-beyond what we actually are at any given moment.   You’re not a reject.  You’re loved and appreciated by Him.  He never bad-mouths you.  Quite the contrary, He’s crazy in love with you.  In His eyes, you’re special and unique.  He’s even preparing a great room and feast just for you, if you choose to invite Him into your life.  He believes you’re worth dying for-which is why He laid down His life for you.  His love is so great for you that He can’t leave you (or me) the way you are.  Since He knows far beyond our finite minds, He changes us from the inside out preparing us for our entrance into His mansions in heaven (1^st Corinthians 15:50).

Mistakes???  The only mistakes in God’s creation was the one Lucifer, Satan, made when he desired to be equal with The Almighty God, which led to him being cast out of heaven and when he tempted man in the garden, which sealed his ultimate fate: destroyed by God. Mistake???  No!!!  You and I have never been considered a lowdown or good-for-nothing piece of garbage.  We’re the pinnacle of His creation!  Forgive those who have been used by Satan to wrong you.  Begin living right now.  God has even given you a new name (Revelation 2:17) which will be revealed to you in heaven!

God Bless!

Two weeks ago, we received the generator we purchased just shy of sixteen months ago!!!  Although, it’s production and delivery were hampered by hurricanes Irma and Maria as well as other factors, we were glad to finally receive it.  When our power was turned off and the generator kicked in, it was great to see the lights go on in a matter of seconds!  It immediately reminded me of two things:  The creation of the world when darkness covered everything and God spoke, “Let there be light,” and all the darkness vanished having been replaced by a wondrous light that invaded every corner of this earth. 

And, the salvation of mankind when the powers of darkness lurking behind every human being were confronted by the True Light; The Light of the World, Jesus.  When Jesus went to the cross for our sins, He defeated the-already- dethroned enemy: Satan.  He stripped away his powers, He made a spectacle of him and of his demonic companions.  The prophet Isaiah tells us “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.”  At the cross, Jesus not only wiped away our sins, but also wiped away the darkness that befell us.  He took away the curse of sin and the sting of death for all humanity.  You can receive His sacrifice for your sins and His present of eternal life this Christmas Season.  Forget New Year’s resolutions!  Instead, begin the new year with new life in Christ!  Receive your gift under the ‘tree’-the cross!

God Bless!

Be Joyful!

Merry Christmas!

Our new place was beautiful!  Some of our closets were over six feet long.  It was great to live in a brand new place. Our kids played in the back yard and life was much more pleasant.  We moved in in April.  Now we could shop at BJ’s, Sunny dale Farms, and at Big R. We filled our pantry and cabinets ‘til there was no more room.  We’d buy in bulk and fill our two fridges.  We could watch the snow and freezing rain come down while we were toasty warm inside not having to go out for at least three months.  We only needed milk & bread now and then, which we’d get at the corner store.  Yep, life was good-‘Finger-lickin’ good,’ as the KFC saying went.

            My parents used to come over all the time just to see the grandkids.  One day, my dad said he was tired of battling all the cold in his freezing apartment.  He was 72 and I would buy him long johns so he could stay warm at home now that he had retired.  I told him to finally move back to his hometown in Puerto Rico.  He had a small house out there and since we were now in a nice place of our own, he should go.  They planned their trip for the end of October.  I lost my job in September.

That was a tough time.  Years earlier, I had quit college to get married.  Now, every job I was looking at required a college education.  We sank low quickly.  My dad had left an old station wagon to my wife but I communed everywhere on bike.  We were all alone with my parents gone as well as my youngest brother and no one to really help us.  My oldest brother gave us $20 bucks, as well as boxes of toys that were headed to the trash.  I remember choosing between paying our tithes, which were almost twenty dollars, or paying the light bill.  We chose faithfulness, and paid the tithes.   A few weeks later, my mother-in-law also gave us twenty dollars.  With the money we bought our three kids $2.00 sneakers and ‘splurged’ $3.00 on a pair for my wife.  We were ‘rich’ with money to spare.

However, reluctantly, we applied for Food Stamps and Welfare. 

   That Christmas, I built a fireplace out of plywood.  I took out the kids’ old toys, cleaned them up, & added the ones my brother had given them.  I placed all the toys around the fireplace.  They were thrilled to see ‘so many new toys.’  Of course, our hearts were braking because we knew better and we didn’t have any answers.  We just wanted three happy kids.  

    We know that the first real Christmas when God gave us His son, Jesus, was the saddest Christmas ever.  The Godhead, also known as the Trinity, which has existed for all eternity, had been separated for the first time ever.  The King of Kings was born into dire poverty and His parents were not only unable to afford toys, but they didn’t even have a place to call home.  Deity’s grand entrance into this sinful world; the one He created with love for this hurt and hate-filled, people, was pretty much homeless.  The fact that our sad Christmas was not as bad as our Lord’s, was enough to add some encouragement to our lives.

No matter how sad or bad your Christmas may be, God can relate to it.  He can make it better than it is.  Just allow Him.  Allow His presence into your life to be your Christmas present.

Merry Christmas!

So, this one day, I called the housing office at lunchtime from my job.  All I got to say was something like, ‘How’s the apartment coming along?’ when the lady at the other end, said, “Oh, you can come in and pick up the keys.”  I asked if she was talking to me or someone else in the background.  It was to me, she said. I told her it must be a mistake because I had hardly spoken yet.  But she knew my voice, and the place was ours for the taking!  Does God know your voice?  Do you speak to him often enough for Him to know you?  Even if you call on Him just once, he’ll know you.  Try today, especially during this Christmas Season.  And once you’re His, He’ll know your voice like the rest of His sheep do.

   The agent told us that if we took the available and assigned apartment we’d be overcrowded already.  However, if we could wait another 3-4 months, we’d get three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, a linen closet, and a pantry on the first floor, on Central Ave!  What a relief to know it wasn’t the iced tea!  My wife was right-again! 

  Meanwhile, back at our ‘luxury’ hotel, my wife gave birth to our third and final child.  Three days later she was home and the temperature was five degrees outside, and just as cold inside.  We all had to sleep in the living room next to the kitchen.  My wife boiled water early in the morning so the vapors could keep us warm.  We immediately called the hotline to report our landlord again.  He came in raging mad because we had dared to do that.  I believe we quenched the excitement of his recent trip to Puerto Rico.  How sad.  We definitely couldn’t wait to cross over to the Promised Land. 

   God promised Israel they’d inherit the land that flowed with milk and honey, but they forfeited it because they listened to the naysayers instead of trusting Him.  Listen to God and you won’t have to wander in the wilderness of your life for forty years; not unless that’s His plan for you.  Reap God’s blessings by yielding to Him; by obeying Him and His Word.  Most of the time, God’s blessings simply refer to His approval of things, not riches, lotteries, jackpots, abundance of goods, great relationships, sex appeal, and definitely, not prosperity.  He is your all in all (Colossians 3:11).

One day, my wife said to me, “God told me we would be getting three bedrooms, more than one bathroom, and a linen closet on the first floor, on Central Ave.” Are you sure? I asked. “Yep,” was her response.  Months later, we were headed to a ‘housing meeting to see if we’d been considered & what we’d get.  On our way, I asked my wife what she’d think if we were asked to wait a few months longer.  She wasn’t happy with the thought.  When the agent saw my wife, she said, “Oh gosh, when are you due with that baby?  “Last week,” my wife answered.  To which the agent said, “Well don’t have it here!” She proceeded to show us the place we would be getting: Two bedrooms, one bathroom, no linen closet, on the third floor, on Palmetto St. just across from Central Ave.  What had happened?  Was God wrong???  Had God really said such words?  Had my wife been hitting the ice tea again???

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, which the Lord God (Yahweh Elohim) had made and said to the woman, ‘Yea, but hath not God said you may eat of every tree in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1).  Whose voice(s) are you listening to?

Raising a family always gave me reasons to thank God: the sounds of laughter amongst the kids, my wife teaching each little one to cook or bake cake. Watching the kids want to lick the chocolate frosting or batter that was left over from the cakes they just helped bake, listening to the pitter-patter of little feet shuffling along the floors letting us know they were up, and just having a family to spend time with.

Trials were ever-present, and still are.  I think they’ve graduated to a higher level of difficulty!  They’re pretty much like my timers when I’m cooking and doing the laundry: the microwave beeps signifying something’s ready, the stove timer goes off when set and food is ready, and our washer ‘sings’ letting me know the wash is done.  Sometimes before one trial is over, another one is at its heels.  We sometimes manage around those timers and need to do the same with trials.

I read the news almost every day.  Tragic news is everywhere; but if you’re alive, you’ve got reasons to be thankful for.  If no one’s reading about you having lost your life, then you’re alive.  It’s best to learn to take the good with the bad and ask God for direction on the road ahead.  Many people have lost their homes and cars in recent fires, others have lost their jobs, still others may have lost friends and dear loved ones confirming to the world that sin is all around us.

If we keep our sight on the Author and Finisher of our lives, with each bit of bad we get a better view of what lies ahead in the New Jerusalem, the New Heavens, and in our eternal abode with the One who holds the key to our lives and our hearts: Jesus.

Lord, we’re grateful for all you’ve done for us; for sacrificing your sinless life for our guilty ones and declaring us free of sin.  Thank you for preparing a place for us in your home, your heart, and in the Father’s presence.  Amen