Finding Laughter In Difficult Times

What’s life like up in the mountains away from most of civilization? Let’s see. Last week, beginning on Sunday, November 7, power went out in the evening all the way through to Monday morning: 17 hours total of running our backup generator. Power gets restored. Lasts less than four hours. It goes again for 19 hours, 45 minutes until Tuesday morning. Two and a half hours later, gone again. Fixed again, and gone again. This time for 26. 5 hours.
Before power left, I was feeling my throat itching. Next day it was pretty bad. By the third day, I knew I was sick. With the generator going, my wife and I had to run down to get more diesel. Finally, Weds, Nov. 10, power was restored for good. Restoration came after 7 p.m. and since the generator continues running for 100 seconds after power returns, the neighbors down below were holding their breaths. Suddenly the generator turned off and I could hear a bunch of neighbors say, “YAY!” and clap as it was now official our ordeal was over. It’s interesting that our generator always performs a 5-minute self-diagnosis Thursdays at 1 p.m. I’m pretty sure that when it went off some neighbors may have thought: “Not Again!!”
The cold however, is still going strong-12 days later as it pours outside. Finally healed after a total of 17 days. Nevertheless, we thank God for our generator-and for His protection. How was your week? Remember to thank God for the little stuff too, runny nose, cozying by the fire, tv movies…etc.
Today we’ll be enjoying our traditional yellow (red) rice with pigeon peas (gandules), turkey, gravy, pasteles, green peas, green beans, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkin pie, apple pie, brownies, ice cream, Ruffles, etc. and wash it down with Pepsi/water.
“O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks to the God of gods: for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks to the LORD of lords: for his mercy endureth forever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth forever. And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth forever. Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth forever”
(Psalm 136:1-3, 24, 25).
God Bless,
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sam

    Some years back on TV I watched all these strong guys play around with heavy duty things.  Some wore refrigerators and stoves as knapsacks. Others, like the Flintstones, lifted car frames and walked around like we did with empty boxes as kids on Romper Room.  They carry truck batteries, pull trains, toss steel or cement balls like marbles for fun.

    These are the guys you can picture at a counter laughing and telling jokes.  One is on your right & the other on your left.  As the jesting continues, one places his hand on your suspenders and the other pats you on the back causing you to go flying through a wall while your drink flies up in the air and when you reach the end of your sling, your suspenders snap you right back like a jet in time to catch your cup and take a drink! “GOOD, EH?”  they say as you gulp and try to recover from your sudden trip.  When they give you a high-five, they send you flying through windows and landing across the lawn. 

   Yep, they’re strong alright. They have legs built like concrete pilings, bulging muscles, and necks larger than my thighs.  But what if there was a different type of contest?  What if there was a “Weak-man’s Competition?  Something only for weaklings. 

   Can you imagine?  Who would win?  Let’s see.  You’d have the Q-Tip lift, the Match-Car lift.  They’d lift toothpicks, matchsticks and probably cry, howl, or faint from paper cuts!  They’d have to see who could toss a Frisbee and have it land completely behind them. Or who can carry a few whiffle balls!

   These are the guys that get sand kicked in their faces all the time.  They’re the ones built like toothpicks, in fact, they’d probably snap easily.  They’re the ones whose muscles droop down the farthest and they would probably be the most impressive!

   There would be the paper airplane flying competition, house of card building, carrying the least amount of water droplet in an eyedropper, and we can’t forget the ultimate swimming-  pool noodle challenge where individuals would battle opponents “to-the-end” from a height of 2 inches off the ground for the prestigious All-Around Weakling Award.

   Our society is all about strength, mighty deeds, great looks, bodies to-die-for, stiff muscles, stiff hairdos, chiseled jaws, buns of steel, etc.

   However, God isn’t impressed by all that, at least not for His kingdom.  He doesn’t want our strengths causing us to think we have saved ourselves or that through our power and self-sufficiencies we have acquired our salvation.

    Man, in general, wants to be in control.  We want to show off our accomplishments, how long we can hold our breath, how long we can pray for, how much we know, how holy we are, etc. Those things lead us to believe we’ve reached God because of things we’ve done.  It separates us from others who have done less. God wants our dependency on Him alone.            

   He did the sacrifice. He bore our sins. He died for us-we didn’t.  Therefore, our strengths are of no value to Him.  Neither is our wisdom, though He’ll use these later in life once we acknowledge Who’s in charge.

     Scripture tells us “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom; and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong; He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. Let him who boast boast in the Lord” (1Corinthians 1:25-31).

If we’re going to brag, let’s brag about what God has done in us, not how strong we are or how amazing we were to resist a temptation, etc.

   I don’t want to sound as one who has a flaky (potato) chip on my shoulder, but come on, I’ll arm-wrestle you, just don’t squeeze too hard.  I don’t want to break a nail.

God Bless,

Sam

About twelve years ago, my wife and I were at a Disney Park when a “total stranger” came up to me and greeted me. I stared at him wondering if I knew him. After asking how I was doing, he explained where he knew me from. We had worked together for a short time, maybe for a year, at an elementary school in Brooklyn, NY.
I looked hard at him but nothing rang a bell. I’m good at names and at remembering people, events, etc. But this man was no one I knew…he then told me he had gained tens of pounds. OK, I thought. Then I looked up at him and that’s when he told me he used to have hair some 15 years earlier when we worked together. Little by little I began to construct an image and to remember him.
Ever run into someone you think you may have met or known from the past? From another life? Another planet? From your dreams, but just can’t quite put your finger on?? As they’re yapping away, you’re not hearing much, you’re trying to place them somewhere. It’s normal.
My wife and I have enjoyed watching Undercover Boss-a TV program where CEOs and bosses dress up or down with varying disguises to infiltrate their own companies to see what goes on. All of them give up their comforts in the likes of thousand-dollar leather chairs and/or mahogany desks, for jeans, overalls, regular dresses, etc. to go pack items, drive fork lifts, etc. Some, have been criticized by their very workers for their incompetence in their new assignments. The bosses soon learn how difficult most of the work is.
In almost every episode, the bosses come across workers with special situations such as having a special-needs child, facing foreclosure, or having lost a loved one, etc. One particular show shared a young manager of a coffee/doughnut business who was very successful. As both manger and boss spoke about the secret of his success, the manager looked out across the glass door and pointed to a bridge saying that it all began back there. Puzzled, the boss asked what that meant. The young man shared how he had been homeless living under that bridge for 2 or more years unable to get back on his feet. Everyday he would visit the very shop he now managed for coffee and would ask the manager to hire him. After a while, he did. He now treated every client with respect, not forgetting where he came from and grateful for being hired. Mr. Boss could not believe it.
Each boss ended up calling those workers to the headquarters for a brief meeting. They didn’t know why they were summoned. Sometimes, the bosses would be recognized, most times they weren’t. Most of the times the bosses gave out tens of thousands of dollars to those workers facing hardship for medical reasons, for a vacation, for education, etc. One guy even gave a young mom over $250,000 for a new home!
Scripture shares a very similar story. Two thousand years ago, God in His infinite wisdom took on flesh and came to dwell amongst us (John 1:1, 14; 1Timothy 3:16). He was unrecognizable. He didn’t wear a wig or overalls, not even fake tattoos. From a Spiritual being, He became a man subject to everything human. Those He came for had no clue He was the very God they worshipped. He was the very God they prayed to, the very One they taught their kids about. He knew by heart every scripture they referred to because He was the very Word they studied. (John 1:1, 14).
Just as the undercover bosses left their comforts, Jesus left His glory, His riches, and His throne to live with us. Scripture tells us that He emptied Himself-Kenosis from the Greek (Philippians 2:7,8). That means He put aside His equality with God, the Father to complete His task. He knew once finished; He’d gain it all back again.
Jesus knows your trials and mine. If you think you need to tell Him yours, go ahead. He’s listening. He has blessed us with all types of gifts, trials, and blessings.
Like the TV program, He’ll be calling you for a meeting. Which will you hear Him say? “_ Well done, good and faithful servant,” or “I never knew you: depart from me, you who work iniquity;” (Matthew 25:21; 7:23)
This Undercover Boss, the Unrecognizable One has been revealed to the world over two thousand years ago yet many have never seen Him. His identity is revealed throughout scriptures (“Search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me that you might have life” (John 5:39).
Talk to Him just as you talk to anyone else. No need to yell or scream or to get religious in your talk. No need for “Thou or Thee.” He speaks and understands your language-even your silence. He knows your heart. Invite Him into your life that you might get His life into yours. He will make you a NEW person. You might like or love yourself, and think you’re OK, but God says, “There is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10). On the other hand, the “YOU” you may not like, the “YOU” you might hate, even the ugliness in your life, Jesus will wipe clean and give you a brand-new start. Live for Him.
God Bless,
Sam

As a teacher in New York, I remember having a few special assemblies where an invited company of artists and story tellers would come and performs plays and share stories through shadowboxes. They were very interesting. Who doesn’t like shadows?! As kids we used to play with them. We’d take a few steps and our shadow would be in front of us. Sometimes it was on our sides or behind us. Sometimes it was short and other times, tall.
There are people who like to imitate others-impersonators, and that’s good. Back in 1972 the guys on the block would enjoy watching and then talking about the TV show, The Kopycats. It was a show where actor/comedian Rich Little and others would impersonate characters of the day including presidents like Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Then, there are other people living under the shadows of others. By under the shadows, I mean they don’t seem to have a life of their own. They eat, drink, sleep, and imitate a particular person to the point that they’ve lost who they are. To the point that they have no life. They’re obsessed. They’re living under the shadow of someone else.
In life there have been great people willing to live in the shadows of someone greater because they’ve wanted the other person to succeed or to shine without them getting in their way. It is said that behind the great reformer, Martin Luther, there was his friend Phillip Melanchton who was somewhat the opposite of what Luther was like. While Luther was ‘On the go” always energetic and outspoken, Melanchton helped him by tempering his energetic ways. That’s commendable, wanting to stay out of the spotlight.
Bette Midler’s song, Wind Beneath My Wings says,
“It must have been cold there in my shadow To never have sunlight on your face You were content to let me shine…”
It points out how a behind-the-scenes person is content to empower someone else while simultaneously staying in the dark. Yet there are others wanting the spotlight, to the point they stop thinking for themselves.
In life there are shadows that follow us! They don’t walk through our front doors and take a seat. Instead, they are shadows of troubles, of pain, of gossip, of injuries, of hurt, of guilt, etc. David Crowder Band sings (Shadows featuring Lecrae) of “When shadows fall on us, We will not fear, We will remember the cost (of the cross),” and will rest in its shadows. He shares how God will bring dark into light. There’s no need to fear shadows if we understand the cost of the cross and the purpose behind the sacrifice.
In the book The Shadow of the Almighty, Elizabeth Elliot, wife of one of five young missionaries, Jim Elliot, shares the experiences they encountered on their mission trip among the Auca Indians of Ecuador in the mid-1950s. From initial contact to being brutally murdered, she shares how their lives were hid under the shadow of Almighty God. Despite the shadows, God had a purpose in this (apparent) tragedy. It’s a must-read book or must-see movie (End of the Spear).
Since life casts all types of shadows on us we need to remember a larger one was cast upon Christ as probably the entire host of hell was upon Him making sure He died millions of times over, so He would never be an issue to them again. Though He died for tens of billions of people, he died only once: “But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Though it cost Him His life, we can be confident He will remove all shadows haunting us, and only His Light will be present in the age to come.
If you’re living under someone’s shadows by pretending to be that person, come out! God has endowed you with sufficient gifts and abilities to stand on your own. If you’re working behind the scenes, not wanting that person’s glory, great! God will recompense you in due time. However, if you’re fearing shadows of turmoil, failure, lack of confidence, hide under His Wings (Psalm 17:8). Cast your fears upon Him, run into His arms like a child runs to a loved one. He will catch you and will hug those fears away. To be under His Shadows is to be safe within His arms. Do not live under someone else’s shadows. Live under His Shadow. “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
God Bless!
Sam

Ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao-tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It’s so true! We tend to think, “A thousand miles?!” Are you crazy?? and won’t want to even try. Just the thought of all that walking can cause our feet to swell! There’s something about a walk-short or long. Like walking around one’s neighborhood or in a park or a lake, or down abandoned train tracks. A line from the 1972 song, Ventura Highway (America) goes, “Chewing on a piece of grass walking down the road…” conveying a relaxed, worry-free feeling that comes with a brisk walk. It’s one I can relate to when, in high school I would walk with a piece of grass 2 ¾ miles to school in the mornings and back home after track practice.

In a different type of walk, there are thousands of people out there saying they have “tried” Jesus, but He didn’t work out. Most likely, those people tried Jesus according to a church group’s rules or from a solo perspective. From a church group, they tried keeping a to-do list as well as a not-to-do list. From a solo perspective, most would say they tried their best at being good and pleasing God. Neither way will bring satisfactory results. When trying to follow a list one tends to want to get it all done as fast as possible.
Walking with God is not a walk in the park. It’s a journey. It might be a thousand miles or it may be several million miles. The point is it’s not mileage points that count, or how many miles-to-the gallon one gets. It’s about the walk itself. This is a lifetime commitment. Like marriage, your life and understanding will change the longer you walk with your spouse, or in this case, with God.
We can’t rush a lifetime walk. We can’t condense it into a few weeks and then expect miraculous results to start pouring in.
Enoch’s walk with God was so pleasing to Him that God translated him to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24). With Elijah, God sent a chariot of fire with horses of fire and without dying, Elijah went to heaven in a whirlwind (2Kings 2:11). Since no one else has had this type of experience, it’s not likely you will either-unless of course, we’re around when God calls us all home in the Rapture of the church! In this walk with God there will be many obstacles. We need to keep our focus on Jesus. It’s not about getting rich, having great looks, being popular, or knowing it all. If we do have these features, great, but they’re not important at this point. So, what is? It’s your integrity, your commitment to God and others. It’s about faithfulness to God and to those depending on us. It’s about truthfulness. It’s about worshiping God and believing in Him.
In the movie, The Walk the true-story is told about Philippe Petit’s daring attempt to tightrope walk across the brand-new NY Twin Towers in the 1970s. If you watch the movie, you’ll see as all obstacles are cleared from his mind and how his focus becomes clearer as he sees his goal: the other side. Similar to our daily obstacles and tumbles in life, Philippe tunes out every sound below and is able to lie on his back and rise to his feet with nothing to hold on to. He was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of walking in the heights.
You and I can walk in the high places too. “The Lord God is my strength, and he has made my feet like hind’s feet, and makes me walk on my high places” (Habakkuk 3:19). Our life is not in this world. Our walk is in the spiritual realm where our battles also take place. But we can’t walk with our heads in the clouds and ignore our feet in the world. We need to be real here on earth. But our focus needs to be in heaven. When we serve Him, he translates us from here to the heavenly realm. (God) “has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13,14). Begin your journey.
God Bless!
Sam

Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel!
Samuel was called several times but he didn’t hear the voice of the one calling him. Samuel, it turns out, had earplugs and was busy playing a computer game. This happened on my recent vacation as I called my grandson.
In contrast, Samuel in the Bible heard his name called the first time it was uttered, only, he didn’t know who was calling. He thought it was Eli the priest asleep in the next room. Once he understood it was God’s voice he was hearing, he responded with, “Speak LORD, for your servant is listening.” At an early age Samuel learned to discern God’s voice from that of others.
Now, you and I may not audibly hear God’s voice, but He’s nonetheless calling us each day. God will not cease to call us out until the very end of our lives or until the very moment He returns to take us home. The question is, are we listening? We’re told in Isaiah 65:2 “All day long have I stretched out my hands to a rebellious people.” He’s there waiting for us.
Which Samuel are you like? The first one, too busy and engrossed in your affairs to hear God’s voice-unable to discern it? Or, the second Samuel who heard it the first time but because he was a child not yet exposed to the knowledge that there was a God who speaks to men, ran instead to the priest?
Will you say, “Here am I.” “Speak LORD, your servant is listening” (1Samuel 3:4,9), or will you ignore the buzz in your ears and the pull in your heart? God is waiting.
Please listen to Hear My Voice by Lisa Bevill (YouTube). He’s calling you!
God Bless!
Sam

It’s action-packed! It’s suspenseful! From fighting to setting off alarms to anticipating what the enemy is up to next, Jason Bourne is constantly on the move. Explosives dominate the screen as fires erupt in all directions potentially harming him. Screeching tires, jumping from roofs to roofs and leaping into oceans are part of the action in this five-part movie franchise. They’re heart-stopping, foot stomping, and hand-shakin’ movies. Kind of hard to peacefully eat popcorn when someone unexpectedly crashes through a window. But that’s how the movies are!
Jason Bourne is a spy, an agent trained in combat-fighting, and brainwashed to kill his opponents. But now all agents have been sent by the agency he represents to annihilate him because he’s feared to be a threat if he chooses to expose them.
Bourne’s true identity has been hid from him as well as the agency’s (true) motives behind his assignments. He’s been repeatedly lied to. He’s been given several new identities. He’s no longer David Webb, he’s Jason Bourne always on the run. It seems that at every corner there’s a parked car watching him. His conversations are tracked, his every move monitored, his actions questioned. The agency refuses him rest. He’s hounded from country to country. When will it end?
Our lives run similar patterns. We are being monitored and watched. China has some 560 million cameras installed in public places across the country monitoring everyone’s move. About one billion surveillance cameras will be installed globally this year or in the years to come. Cell phone towers can pinpoint phone pings as well. On the positive side, these technological advances can be extremely helpful in solving crimes, kidnappings, mysterious disappearances, etc. But, used for intruding in our lives, or spying what we do or where we go, isn’t the same thing.
In general, society lies to us in the use of these things. They know our I.D. They question who we are. We are told we are different. Our purposes in life are challenged. We are told it’s alright to engage in things that are dishonorable to God whether you believe in Him or not. Society wants you to believe you came from an orangutan playing with a boomerang in the Yucatan, as opposed to being created by the Creator.
Todays’ youth in particular, lives on social media. They die on social media. Many have their lives dictated by comments followers post. People are kept in the dark to the realities around their lives. While these media-forms aren’t bad inventions, we need to know there’s more to life than living as others want us to, or being afraid others will now know about our lives and our choices.
The “Agency,” Satan’s kingdom, has agents hounding us where we go and what we do. Restlessness follows many leading oftentimes to suicide. His goals are to silence us. He doesn’t want his agency’s true agenda revealed to the world. He aims to change our identities; he wants us on the run filled with anxiety. He wants his agents persecuting us country to country. He wants us hiding in darkness wondering who we are or why we are here. When he’s informed that there’s an agent down another one will take its place. We may doubt our life’s purpose, but rest assured God knows what’s going on and why.
He wants us to remain a Jason Bourne-a man/woman with a blurred past going nowhere. But as great as the movies are and as great as Bourne is as a character (I love his movies), you don’t have to be a Bourne. You can, instead, be Born. Born again. Born from above, born from the Spirit (John 3:3,5).
In Christ you will have a new identity-be a new creation (2Corinthians 5:17). You can walk in the Light as He is in the light (1John 1:7). You can expose the evil deeds of the devil. You can train for spiritual combat against the principalities of darkness. When, through prayer and fasting you bring down his agents, and though he sends in more, you can defeat them all through your war-cry of victory in Christ. You can call for backup down on your knees from God’s innumerable army. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Corinthians 10:4,5). You can run from rooftop to rooftop proclaiming the Good News that Jesus is King! When his demonic agents get you down, God’s angels will minister to you. In the spiritual realm Satan will light fires beneath you and around you. He’ll drown you with sorrow, temptations, accusations, lies and deceit, but with God’s help you will overcome them. Sign up today to become a Special Agent for Christ’s Kingdom. Tell Him, “I will do whatever You want me to do and I will go where needed to do what You ask.” His response to your mission:
“Fear not; for I am with you, be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you: yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). “Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you” (Isaiah 43:1b,2). Doubt not God’s purposes for your life. You’re an agent for the largest Agency worldwide.
Enjoy your popcorn…

God Bless!
Sam

He was the all the rage during the 50s and throughout the early 70s. Elvis Presley had great hits. His early years had him singing church hymns as well as Country and Blues songs. I liked The Wonders of You and Suspicious Minds.
Unfortunately, most every singer who began singing for the Lord, ended up singing for the world. The lure of the world is a mighty strong one. Its riches and popularity are enticing. It’s why Satan used them on Jesus, but he didn’t fall for them like Adam & Eve did and just about every other human since. To follow Jesus and to remain true to Him, takes the strength, guidance, and indwelling/in-filling of the Holy Spirit within us.
Another favorite of Elvis’ songs is Burning Love. See some of its lyrics: “Lord Almighty Feel my temperature rising, Higher, higher it’s burning through to my soul.” It’s a great song and I remember watching a movie with our girls years ago. At the end of the movie, this song played, and as was customary, our girls and my wife would break out in dances. They’d do wacky moves, from spins to bends, to everything they could think of that would produce a great time and a great ending to an enjoyable movie. While the song is great, I can’t help be reminded of another meaning to the words “burning love.”
God really loves us all. We, however don’t all love Him likewise in return. We love ourselves more than love Him. We want Him to endorse all our ways-good and bad. His great love for us cost His Son, Jesus, His life. Because we haven’t heeded His everyday warnings, He has little recourse left but to punish us.
If we grab our expedition gear and dash into our spacecrafts and head to the not-too-distant future, we shall behold a very sad and solemn unfolding picture waiting to happen. The book of Acts tells us in chapter 17, verse 31, “For God has appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness…”
His burning love will be different from that of the song in the sense that He will destroy all we have and know. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2Peter 3:10). Mankind will continue to push God away and to implement its sinful ways until the day it will be too late to take any of it back. Personally, I prefer the lyrics of The Wonders of You: “When no one else can understand me…you give me hope and consolation…..I guess I’ll never know the reason why you love me as you do…” You have my permission to listen to the song. God can speak to us through just about anything. “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD…his compassions are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:40,23).
God Bless,
Sam

Back in 1969 my parents began taking us kids to Canarsie Park. It wasn’t much of a park but more of an abandoned section of one. It had short, but wavy roads. Any car passing through it would look like those Lowrider cars used in California that sink in on one side and then on another. We would go there to ride my mini-bike. It began with just my parents, an older brother, and my youngest brother. Soon, we were taking the guys on the block: Gil, Angel, Edgar, Georgie, Chicky, and Aaron. We’d have a great time riding around for hours. We’d ride through the curves around a baseball field, through the bumps, and through the side streets (alleys). There were tall grass stalks everywhere. This one time, I had Chicky on the back and as we went around the curves, we skid. I looked back to see him, but he wasn’t there! He had landed in front of me! My first question was, “Is the bike OK?” We both laughed because he would have asked the same thing, were the bike his. We always had lots of fun. My parents would take snacks, refreshment, and food.
There was this one day, probably a Saturday where my parents had roasted some chicken and cooked a huge pot of “arroz con gandules” (Yellow rice with pigeon peas) which is a typical Puerto Rican staple. But it was pouring! I looked out my parents’ window and to the left and below, saw Gil looking out his window. I then scanned to my left and across to the last building where Edgar, Georgie, & Chicky were at their window. We’d poke our heads out hoping the rain would stop and the sun would shine, but to no avail. We were rained out. The guys could probably smell the food and only dream of all they knew they wouldn’t get to taste! Sadly, the feast was spoiled! We know we can’t go back in time, but I look forward to a better feast (The Marriage Supper of the Lamb-Revelation 19:9). Friends and family members from all over the world will be present. What the menu looks like, no one really knows. There might be Manna-Angels’ food (Psalms78:25), might have chicken, sirloin steaks, cheeseburgers, who knows? Several things we do know: No darkness! No wickedness, No worries! No more sickness and no more death! No rain on our parade! No shortage of goods, No shortage of God’s love! True fellowship to last throughout eternity! The Godhead will be present! Trillions of testimonies or stories to be shared! Trillions upon trillions of angels will be present! All mysteries will be revealed! You’ll know what happened to that ham & cheese sandwich you swore you left at the back of the fridge so no one would find it! Someone will finally know it was YOU who took their chocolate fudge cake that rainy night!!! YIKES!! ‘Fess up NOW, buddy!! You will know everyone and everyone will know you! We’ll be able to communicate with everyone else! It will be the beginning of the end! We’ll be in eternity! We’ll have new bodies unlike anything we’ve ever imagined! We’ll enjoy God’s banquet for all “Eternity;” since TIME will cease to exist!
God Bless!

Sam

Oh, what a mess it was! “Bullets” flying everywhere. Three whizzed by Johnny’s head. The kitchen floor was dripping in ‘’blood” as the ketchup bottle tipped staining the recently-mopped surface. As he shot back, Nellie ducked narrowly escaping a sure-shot to her head. Pedro rolled on the hardwood floors into the living room and fired at Johnny from behind the couch hitting him in the chest. Johnny wiped the spitball off his shirt.
“This is serious!” he said, then decided that was the last straw! He threw away his straw and replaced it with the most powerful one in his possession: A large-diameter Red Straw! He reached into his pouch and checked his supply of ammunition. When Nellie and Pedro saw “Big Red” poking out from behind the side chair, they knew they were in danger of annihilation.
YIKES!! After 15 minutes of an all-out war, it was time to surrender. Nellie popped up with 3 spitballs on her forehead, several in her hair, and Pedro’s chest was riddled with twice as many. Johnny was the undisputed spitball slinger! He raised “Big Red” and blew a fake puff of smoke into its “barrel,” spun it around a few times and placed it in his holster (pants pocket) just as he had seen it done in a tv classic western movie.
In that movie, bullets were flying everywhere too. Five shooters, all bank robbers were firing away at Paco and his buddy Black Tooth (known for having one black tooth among several yellow/greenish teeth). In a last-minute double-cross, the pair decided to keep the loot for themselves. Now scrambling with their hides for a clean getaway, Paco was nearly hit, surviving when Black Tooth jumped in front of him taking a bullet to his chest. Both men miraculously survived and escaped under the shadows of darkness. With loot in hand, they sought to live a “New Life” in another town with new identities.
Oftentimes seen on the screen, someone’s life is spared by another man’s selfless heroics.
Multiple centuries ago, humanity was in an all-encompassing shoot-out. Men and women sought cover behind trees (Genesis 3:8), rocks, structures, etc. hiding from the presence of God as well as from their pasts. They erected temples and formed religions to try to appease Him through their ways, to no avail. In the midst of their “shoot-out,” as the enemy annihilated millions and billions of people, God stepped in. Satan has fired his fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16) into the hearts of men deceiving many. His goal is to kill, to steal, and to destroy all of mankind (John 10:10a). As the Deceiver, he has tricked many followers into believing that they can serve him and that he’s on their side. They falsely believe he’s their leader. But he’s a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44).
Jesus dove right in front of those “bullets” known as sin, and took them for us. No, He didn’t die from a gunshot wound, but went to the cross instead. He shed His blood, unmarked by sin because he was born from above (the virgin birth was needed to keep sin out of the lineage). That’s why He was 100% man and 100% God. Jesus stepped right in front of sin’s power and destroyed its effect upon humanity to return us to that rightful relationship we once shared with God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8).
But like those western flicks, If the saved man doesn’t acknowledge who saved his life and doesn’t change his ways, he’ll continue dodging bullets until the day he dies. Are your days of sowing wild oats over? Are you through dodging bullets? Tired of carrying your loot of sin and escaping through the veils of darkness? Are you ready to look into the eyes of the Man who saved you? Are you ready to start living the new life? God can change your identity. You’ll be unidentifiable by others. Can God relate to your lifestyle? Yes, He can. He will tend your wounds, heal your heart, and make you a new person (Luke 10:25-37).
Were Jesus in one of those Westerns, His tombstone would read: “Greater love has no man than this, that someone would lay his life for his friend” (John 15:13). “No one takes it from me, I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18).
God Bless,
Sam