Tag: Jesus

Football Window on Life

NFL star quarterback Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts) shocked the football world this weekend when he announced his retirement at age 29 from football. Two aspects of the Andrew Luck retirement are a window to what is so very wrong in this country.

First, on hearing the announcement of Luck’s retirement at the start of a preseason game, the fans actually booed Andrew Luck as he left the field before the game. A guy who threw up incredible numbers for Indianapolis was actually booed! This just shows how sports have become way, way too important to too, too many people in this country (and same can be said for the world). People live and die for sports, bet on it, and define their lives by sports. Don’t get me wrong—I’m a big sports fan. But defining who I am through sports and living/dying by it—no thanks!

Second, the Colts owner Jim Irsay said that Andrew Luck is walking away from $500 million. Here’s a guy in Luck, who LOVES football, but realizes that his health and mental status are worth more than $500 million. We define ourselves by what we are worth in dollars as opposed to what we are worth in character and soul.

I give Andrew Luck all the credit in the world for an incredibly tough and brave decision to walk away from the game he loves. He’s obviously not defined by sports or money. A LOT of people need to take a lesson here!!!

Have an AMAZING week!

The Only One Holding You Back is You!

Last week I wrote that the only one who can steal your joy is you. Well, right along those lines I’m writing today to say the only one holding you back is you. You can blame other people, and life situations, but the ONLY one/thing holding you back in life is you.

God has a special, unique purpose for you in life. One of the keys to life is understanding that purpose and pursuing it. Once you understand that purpose your focus in life should be realizing it. And the only one who can hold you back is you. Undoubtably, there will be obstacles along the way that you will have to hurdle or go around. But you can do it! God is in your corner (if you let Him).

There is a reason why I believe the first Secret to Life is LISTEN. Listen for and to God. Spending time with God and opening up your mind and heart will lead you to understanding your purpose in life. Then, with faith, no one can stop you from pursuing that purpose. No one. Only you.

Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Mark 11:23

Once again, I know this sounds way too simple. Life is much more complicated than this. No it isn’t—or shouldn’t be. God means life to be so simple. We are the ones who make it so difficult by complicating it.

Spend some time (REAL TIME!) with God and LISTEN for/to Him. You have a special, unique purpose in life. I don’t care who you are. We all do. You just need to understand it and then point your life in the direction of pursuing that purpose. And don’t let you get in the way. Because you are the only one who can stop you!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Have a AWESOME day!!!

Don’t Let ANYONE Take Your Joy!!!

There is only one person in control of the joy that is hardwired into you. And, yes, you are hardwired with joy. More on that in a minute. The point I want to make is that only you can make you feel. No one else can make you feel. And only you can let anyone else steal your joy. You are in complete control of your joy.

God made you. He made you with joy. I know, I know. Things can happen that make you feel less than joyful. A death, a breakup, any kind of loss can be a joy killer. But you are in complete control. No life situation, no person can take away your joy unless you let it or them steal your joy. Yes, it is that simple. God is simple and He means life on this earth to be simple. We are the ones who complicate life. We are the ones who let our joy fade away.

Let go, let God. If you don’t feel joy in your life, let go. Let God do the driving. Give in to Him and you will find your joy. Your joy is in Him, in you. No matter how “down” you may be, let go. Joy is in you and God will help you find it.

Have a day filled with JOY!!! 

Guns and Hate

I’m tired of guns and mass killings! I don’t like guns but I don’t want to take away anyone’s guns except for military assault weapons, which have no place in a civilized society. Bad enough we need them in the military.

I’m even more tired of hate. We’re letting hate consume us. And I don’t want to hear any excuses that it’s President Trump, members of Congress, or anyone else spewing hatred. It’s up to each one of us to “love” each other, as God commands us to do. And that‘s the God of all of us. God is about love; hate is anti-god (call it Satan, devil, demon, or whatever you want to).

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1 John 4:20-21

Each one of us needs to drop the hate in our lives. Smile more. Help someone in need. Pay it forward. Don’t hold a grudge. Move towards love and move as far away as you can from hate.

No, none of this will stop the mass killings. We need to do something about gun violence and mental health. That’s a big societal issue that we all need the politicians to stop jabbing at each other and do something constructive. Now!!!

But in the meantime we can all do our part by starting with a smile and a good word. Forget how someone makes you feel. Only you can make you feel. Feel good! Make others feel good today! It’s a start.

And have a FANTASTIC day!!!

Faith or Love?

What’s more important in your life: faith or love? If you picked “faith” you just heard the wrong answer buzzer going off. If you picked “love,” congratulations. Certainly, faith is critical—a faith in an ever unceasingly loving God who demonstrated that love by sending His only Son as a living sacrifice for us. But, reread what I just wrote. A “loving” God. Because that’s what God is: LOVE!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 

Paul said it all—the most important out of faith, hope, and love is LOVE. You can think you have all the faith in the world but if you don’t have love you’re a “resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Translation: without love you can’t have faith. Your faith is empty.

I see a lot of professed faith out there in my travels but very little love. So, do a “love” checkup today. Do you really love? Everyone? Remember: it’s easy to love those who love you. God loves all of us unconditionally, regardless of whether we love Him.

Have a great day walking in love. The faith will follow!

Nails In; Nails Out

Someone drove those nails into Jesus pinning Him to the cross. And I have news for you—it wasn’t some Roman foot soldier. What??? Sure, physically it was a soldier but in reality we all had our hands on the hammer. Jesus died to erase our sins. And it is those sins that pushed those nails into the bloody cross. It’s time to take the nails out!

I know this sounds like some religious mumbo-jumbo. It isn’t. Jesus died for our sins and our sins put Him on the cross. So, reversing those sins by realizing what we have done (or are doing!) wrong in life, and sinning no more, removes the nails and brings Jesus down from the cross. It’s that very simple.

The next time you do something wrong (sin) picture your hand on the hammer striking that nail through Jesus and pinning Him to the cross. Screams, blood, and agony! That’s the visual. Then, think about how you are going to remove the nails. Not easy, but needs to be done. Only when the nails come out can Jesus come down from the cross and rise in glory—in our lives. For real!!!

Pull the nails out today. And have a FANTASTIC day doing it!!!

Be the Glue!

Let’s face it—our world is divided. Everywhere. Divided. The U.S. is a virtual armed camp of right/left, conservative/liberal, this/that. Even the Catholic Church is a dived camp with a growing chorus to declare Pope Francis an anti-Pope. We’re talking Catholic Church (I am Catholic, BTW) that tracks its roots directly to Jesus. Divided. Angry. Certainly, not Jesus.

So, each of us can be a wedge, further dividing life. Or we can be the glue, trying to bring people together. It’s not always easy but I want to be the glue in bringing people together. Doing my little bit to help heal and stop divisions.

Jesus talked division, even about families divided against themselves. But the objective was coming together in a spirit—the Spirit—of love. After all, as he faced His death, Jesus left us with one command: “Love each other.” John 15:17

I have a news flash: We’re not following that command. Even a little bit. We’re following the devil’s command to hate each other. The venom coming out of mouths of politicians and priests (supposed holy men!) is appalling. They are the wedges, not the glue.

Be the glue! Love. As Jesus commands.

And have an OUTSTANDING day!!!

God, Hope & Notre Dame

Yesterday, firefighters briefed France President Macron that they did not believe they could extinguish the fires at the Notre Dame Cathedral. Today, Notre Dame, although badly scared, stands. Most if not all of the relics and art were saved, including the magnificent windows. And business have already come out pledging millions to rebuild one of the most iconic sites in the world. Hope. God. It and He spring eternal!

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There is no doubt that God was standing behind those brave firefighters helping them extinguish the flames. It’s a miracle that few may admit. But it is a miracle.

God is always there to smooth out the rough seas, to put out the flames, and to simply provide hope in your life. That’s the message of this Holy Week. Out of the bad, tragedy, and even death springs Resurrection and life. God. Jesus. Sprit.

My downbeat mood of yesterday has given way today to the glory of God.

Have a glorious day!!!

My Heart is Breaking as Notre Dame Burns

I have been thinking all day about a post for this afternoon. Normally, something pops into my head and it just flows. Today was different. Then, the news of Notre Dame burning down hit my computer. My heart just sank. I feel like someone died. Someone, something did die. Two hundred years in the making. An iconic site in Paris. A house of God. And the fire can’t be stopped. Notre Dame will burn down to the ground.

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I’m so lucky to have visited Notre Dame and actually to have gone to Mass there. It was such an amazing experience. And now it’s burning down to the ground.

There are just no words to express the loss!

As a Catholic, this Holy Week is a conflicting time of death and Resurrection. Jesus died an ugly death that left all His followers hopeless, alone, and devastated. But out of that death rose a Savior that changed the world forever. He brought life, hope, and a future.

I am hoping that out of this Notre Dame tragedy comes life, hope, and a future. Maybe the loss of Notre Dame will rally people to rebuild it. Maybe an increasing secular France will rally around a church—the house of God. Let’s hope. Let’s pray.

I’m not much into symbols but the burning of Notre Dame may be saying something. God is less a part of our lives than ever. That’s a major part of our problem. As I wrote recently, we’re like the Israelites roaming the desert for 40 years, constantly turning our back on God. The result wasn’t pretty then. All but two of the original group of Israelites made it out of the desert. The result isn’t pretty now.

Sorry for a downbeat post but this is a downbeat day. A symbol of so much is lost. Let’s hope out of death there is a Resurrection!

God

I’m even questioning the title of this post. But it’s as simple as that. God. We can have faith in God, and throw our trust with Him, or ignore God and trust in the world. So, very, very (VERY!) simple. After all, God means life to be simple. We’re the ones who complicate it.

I’m not given to religious mumbo-jumbo. I don’t have a halo (far from it!!!). And I don’t go about my day floating on a cloud. But I know from my life that when I stray from God bad things happen. When I focus on God even the bumps in life are smaller and easier to navigate.

I just wrote about this. The Israelites took their focus off of God and paid homage to false idols. Bad things happened. They couldn’t get out of the desert. Fast forward. Humans are less focused on God. Bad things are happening. We are lost in one world of a desert.

It’s simply all about God. There is no magic. There is no special prayer. There is just God—and His one commandment to love. Focus on God. He gave us an entire handbook on life (it’s called the Bible). Don’t go around professing religion. Just focus on God, tune out the siren song of the world, and live in love. It’s that simple—if you don’t complicate it.

God. Simple.