Thank you God, when my pockets are empty and when they are filled...

As this year concludes at the end of day, I thank God for all the times my pockets were empty and when they were full. I did not differentiate my love of God when I was at my lowest or thank him more when things went my way. To do so would be defining my love of him in a temporal means. No God is always loved by me no matter the events that occur. I trust that he will see me through the hardest times and share with me the good times. As I look back on the years that have past in my life I can see it was the hardest times that offered me the greatest opportunities to grow as a person and to learn to be compassionate towards others. This past year was filled with great joy and great pain, with laughter and tears and all these things I shared with my best friend, (God). I have seen family members and friends die this year and others born, and I know that God is in charge of this all. Yes he blessed those who came to this earth to begin a new life and blessed those who returned to him after theirs had ended.

I do not know what this new year will bring if I will stand with pockets empty or full, if I will live or die. In the end, it does not matter to me for there is someone greater who watches over me and you. In him we live, move, have our beginning, in him is my faith and trust for the rest of this day and the new year ahead.

I offer a prayer for the end of this day...the end of this year... a special prayer from one very special....

Dear God,

I want to thank you for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the kids are asleep and the house is quiet, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive and I made it through the day's difficulties.

I am thanking you for I have walked around the obstacles. I am thanking for I have the ability to be better and do better for I can love..

And most of all I am thanking you for not giving up on me, even when I did so....

Bravo New York Times and reporter John Tierney

My hat is also off to the Psychological Bulletin with their soon to be released article on religion and spirituality. First for Mr. Tierney's article in the New York Times Science section, December 30, 2008, titled, Findings: For Good Self Control. Try getting Religious About It... Mr. Tierney speaks to the fact that if you want to keep your New Year's resolutions maybe you should try religion and spirituality as a means for learning self control for keeping your resolutions. Mr. Tierney article is very well written and comprehensive on the subject matter I refer you to it. I also refer you to a soon to be released study on religion that will be the Psychological Bulletin after a 8 decade study on religion and belief and the benefits.

I have a family member who is a psychiatrist and he tells me that the AMA now has protocols for incorporating spirituality into counseling, a big right on to them as well...

So if you want to stay current in the New Year ahead, get with the program, get out there and find God... he is easy to locate ... if you need assistance, email me and tell me your locale and I will forward a place you can go to, or better yet open your heart to God and he will lead you personally...

Time is running out

It is true there is only two days left to this year.... not all will make it and see the New Year... some will leave time as we know and enter into eternity.... Many are talking about how they will spend New Year's Eve... forgetting that some may not see it... At the risk of sounding like a downer it is true, time is really running out. "Reality shows" are really big, people love to watch them, so here is a "reality check".... The time of salvation and forgiveness for you, is not in the future, not in one day or two, it is right now, grab a hold of it while you can.

People do not want to hear about their own demise, yet they are fascinated with the "Second Coming" or the year 2012 (said predicated to usher in the end of the world)... Disaster films and TV shows are very popular about the Wrath of God to come, the destruction of the world... I find this illogical, to think of such yet not to think of ones own immortality in the here and now. What motivates a person to think destruction in the future and not care about the present condition of themselves? Those who are preoccupied with the "Second Coming" or any other coming signs, do you not know that this coming of God is not for salvation but for judgement. You need to get right with God in the now and get right with your fellow brothers and sisters here on earth and be of love to all. You cannot say you love God and not neighbor, no matter who they are. To say you love God and not your fellow man is not going to fly with God...

Yes indeed, tick- tock, tick- tock, time is running out....

Save the last dance for me

This past weekend I attended a wedding. The event was a joy filled magical affair, my "hat" is off to the family who planned this wedding and I rejoice with the couple who were married on this day.

There was dancing, laughter and conversation shared at the reception, meeting new people and reconnecting with those I have not seen in many years. There was also a high level of spirituality present at this wedding, not the kind that many associate with being "spiritual". Unfortunately many think to be spiritual you have to behave in a certain way or dress in a certain fashion. This might be true but not in the manner thought, ones behavior should always be of caring, loving and mercy to all. One should always dress themselves in forgiveness to others and never place on yourself garments of judgement towards others. I have learned in life with most people... what you see is not what you get. ... with this statement I would like to "tell a story" of a classic misjudgment of others upon someone..

It involves someone who has died...

During this man's life, I will call him, "Bill", people in his family came down hard on him. They with reason, for he manifested in his life alcoholism and when he drank he was a nasty drunk, an abusive man to say the least. His wife was the object of this abuse many times, so the family took her side always when it came to this man. Now this woman predeceased her husband and he lived for another 3 years, in said time I got to know Bill on a level that I never knew him before. Bill shared very intimate and detailed accounts of his life, from his time as a youth, to his time in the navy to his married and family life. I learned of the deep and personal traumas this man went through in life how they affected his thinking, how he was molded by past trauma and events that were out of his control. He spoke about his relationships with his dad and his mom, he spoke of his own father being an drunk and his own traumas with his mom. Bill also had a chemical imbalance that manifested in his being bi-polar, and this was not picked up until his later years. So when one took into consideration all Bill went through in life one could see why he drank so much as a younger man it was his means of coping with events that he could not deal with on any other level. For underneath this man's "personal issues" there lived a good and honorable man, sharing and caring for those around him whom he loved. I knew this man my entire life, yet it was not until his last years did I understand that I never really knew him, I knew his behavior prior not him... I will always consider myself to be graced and gifted to know Bill for the man he really was before he died. This is why I think his wife stayed with him, I think she saw beyond the behavior to the man within...

And I believe this is what God does with us all, he sees beyond the "human behavior" to the man/woman within and this is who he deals with. We are all weak in the flesh for reasons within each and everyone of us and by being predisposed to said by sinful natures. I believe on the day Bill died he went right to heaven, our merciful God looked into the heart of Bill and saw all his kindness and charity given to others and welcomed him with open arms.

Yet anyone who judged Bill on a "human standard" would find that hard to believe and this is why I thank God for being the Savior and not allowing any one of us at the end of the day (our lives) to be judge over us... for no one but God sees into the heart.

So at this reception there was a lot of "human behavior", on face value maybe some looked less then "spiritual"... on a level of God I am sure he delighted in all his people and laughed and danced with them...

And speaking of dancing the Bride and Groom requested that the last song played at their reception be "Save the last dance for me"... I thought this a really good song choice, so much so that after the reception, prior to going home I went to the Chapel. There I spent time with Jesus in the tabernacle for he is the one I seek to have the last dance with here on earth and then to dance throughout all eternity with... So, yes Jesus on this night and all nights I saved the last dance for you...

G.P.S.

I have been doing some holiday traveling to visit family and friends also to attend different social affairs. While I do not own one, those who I travel with do, that being a GPS, (global positioning satellite) ... My friend has one of these devices that is built into the car, one family member has a portable GPS. . These are very handy devices you just type in your destination and then let the GPS take over, it gives you a map plus it "speaks" to you, as where to turn, etc.

Being that I am basically a big time screw up in most things, even with the GPS on I get lost. Especially if it is dark or if there is traffic, being that I am dyslexic there have been times that I confuse my left from my right or the numbers that I am looking for I "reverse", them ... So even with this modern marvel of navigation I can still manage to get myself lost.

When you do get "lost" or make a wrong turn with a GPS... a "voice" will come on and say the following... "recalculating"... yes this lovely voice compensates for my screw ups on the road and tells me how to make it better, to get back on the right road to get to my destination.

Upon thinking about this GPS at the Chapel.... I have come to the following conclusion.... God is a GPS of sorts....

Yes, Jesus said there is no one who is without sin, his rhetoric is more lofty then mine, I using the modern vernacular, (we are all screw- ups). Even when we have a "spiritual or faith based GPS" we still can get lost on the road of life and God in his mercy "recalculates our path", if we would just listen to his voice, (that small still voice within), like we do with the "voice within the GPS". We could all arrive at our destination, which, is "home", not the white picket fence home here on earth, the "real home" with God.

So dear God, please keep that GPS of yours charged and guide me with it, and recalculate my path when I go astray.... and for me GPS...stands for GOD PLEASE SAVE me, I am a screw up... I am always getting lost...

One last thing, there are times a GPS in the car can lose the satellite connection, such as when you are under a bridge...The "voice in the GPS" will then say, "lost satellite connection".. This is never so with God's "GPS" he never loses track of you and your position in life. So do not worry if you find yourself within a dark tunnel as you travel through life, God knows where you are and he will get you out of it...

Too many toys

On Christmas Day I visited with very young family members. One of my favorite, a 2 year old little boy. Now this little guy usually finds delight in talking with me and playing with me, and I with him... Yet on this day, Christmas, I became a non-entity to him, he preferring to play with all his new toys. Then I called two other, "favorite little children" in my life, on the telephone. They usually speak to me readily on the phone, yet on this day, they refused to speak to me preferring to play with their "new toys"... They were to "busy and to distracted" to do anything but play with toys.... Now as an adult I understood this, it was Christmas and children get distracted by their new toys... But I have to say it did hurt my heart a little, these little children are very much loved by me and I enjoy speaking with them and playing with them...

.......Which, made me think of God and all of us...

We for the most part, throughout our lives, are like these little children on Christmas Day, playing with all "our toys" and refusing to interact with those around us, especially those who love us. None more so then God, yes we are all so distracted by "toys/things" of the world, we become self absorbed, self centered creating our own little world... where everything is "Ours" and we have no need to interact. We forget that playing is much more fun when you have others to play with, toys/things are made more special when shared. And it is most fun to share with God, who gave you everything in this world, for he can show you how to use these gifts correctly. There are many among us who have genuine gifts that go unused or kept to themselves and not share. So take all those "toys/things" given to you in life and share them, and most importantly share yourself with God and others, for you are the best gift given!

A Song for Siggy

I spoke with Siggy's mom and she was going to remember Siggy in a very special way on this the 1st anniversary of her death. Laurence is going to start a tradition for Siggy and I think it is beautiful so I ask all who may read this blog to join us. This being a "song for Siggy" to be sung every year on the anniversary of her death, the song her mom picked is Silent Night... Siggy was blessed to have a mom with deep faith and her faith allows her now to sing on the anniversary of her daughter's death. A song that embraces the God/man come to earth to save us all. Laurence knows because of this event in history, her daughter was saved and resides now in heaven. Siggy was not saved from the horrible events that happened here on earth to her last year, but she was saved in the only way that matters in the end, for she will live eternally now, not subject to drunk drivers, disease, or any other pain and suffering here on earth. No Siggy is in a place that is safe and free from sorrow... and truly this is a reason to sing... for we must love each other enough ... so when we lose a loved one to death, we too will sing for them... that they are finally safe... they are home where no pain can touch them ever again...

I am posting a link so you can hear Silent Night and sing along... the rendition is by Sarah McLachlan.... if you cannot pick up the link.. do a google search...type in youtube...Sarah McLachlan, Silent Night... then open link, listen and sing !!! Sing for Siggy and sing for us all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmwGHAyw6gM&feature=PlayList&p=a268eoe4fe295632&index=85

In closing I do ask for your prayers... for the man who killed Siggy, his first name is Timothy. He died as well at the scene, I am sure he did not start off his day thinking that he was going to kill himself and our beloved Siggy, yet even if he did, he is still a child of God. Even the most wretched, the most misguided among us here on earth are still children of God. They would not exist if God did not allow it... we are called to love... even when it is the hardest thing to do... and the Siggy I knew and loved would ask for forgiveness for Timothy... As I do now and ask you to join me, not only for Timothy, but for all who have harmed you and your loved ones.... pray as such ..."Father forgive them for they know not what they do"...