2020, The Last Week Of.

 I don't know about you, but I am tired of 2020. I am tired of being told to wear a mask where ever I go. Tired of not being able to eat inside a restaurant. Tired of being told whom I can spend time with and who I can't. Where I can travel. Tired of not being able to go to see a movie. I think that you get it. I'm just tired of the whole thing, as I'm sure much of you are. This Christmas season hit me hard this year. With both of my parents gone, not being able to have our annual family Christmas party and not being able to celebrate with my brother & his family, it really got me down. I don't know about you, but I am ready to shake the dust from my sandals as we exit this year.

Matthew 11:28 New Living Translation

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

I do have to admit that this year hasn't been all bad. The place where I work is considered essential, so I have not had to miss any work during this pandemic. I have been able to spend extra time with my daughter that I wouldn't have had if this hadn't have happened. My wife's job told her to work from home, so I get to see much more of her as well. Bonus!

But still, this whole thing is wearing me down. 

I try and be as positive as much as I can at work, or where ever I go. I try and be the light of Jesus to whomever I come across. Say hello, smile, give a little wave. Whatever I can do to let people know that they are seen.

Galatians 6:9 New Living Translation

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

So I am looking forward to 2021. Do I think that this pandemic is going away? Probably not. At least for not a while anyway.

So as we come to the end of this stink bomb of a year, I am thankful that I have a Savior whom I can rest in. One who encourages me to keep on doing good, even when things aren't so good.

So I urge you brothers and sisters. As we get ready to enter into the new year, and people are tired and weary and worn out from this last one. Tensions are high, emotions are high, tempers flare. Lets remember to be kind to each other. Give each other a break. Don't be so offended by everything.

Ephesians 4:32 Amplified Bible

32 Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Happy New Year. God bless you all.

Keven

Drowning!

 

This picture. This picture was posted by a band that I follow on Facebook, Seventh Day Slumber. This picture and the post that followed started me thinking about the meaning behind it. I believe that this is Jesus reaching for Peter after he sank in the water after taking his eyes and focus off of Jesus.

Matthew 14:30-31 The Message

29-30 He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” 31 Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?”

When I look at this picture (as I do often, like everyday), I remember the story of Peter, but I also think of us. You and me. What are we drowning in? Are we drowning in secret sin? Drowning in situations that we get ourselves in? Work, home, finances? What is it that is overwhelming us and causing us to sink and think that we are drowning?

What I love about this picture is that Jesus is reaching for us. We are not out of His grasp. All we have to do is reach back. Allow Him to take us by the hand, and set us on solid ground.

Deuteronomy 31:8 New Living Translation

8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

So no matter where we find ourselves. Whether we think that we are in far over our head and think that we are drowning, Jesus is right there with us. All we have to do is reach out and take a hold of His hand and He will pull us to safety.

Romans 8:35 New Living Translation

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

Remember that God loves us. He wants the best for us. We just have to believe! 

Amen!

Christmas Lights.

I've been seeing on social media probably since late October that people had started putting up their Christmas trees, decorating their houses, inside and out. They string lights around windows, railings on the stair case. Outside they would string lights along the roof top. Decorate their trees, bushes, mailboxes, and whatever else they could. With the way that 2020 has been going, people were looking for something good and positive. What's more positive than Christmas, right! Putting up the tree and decorations, hanging lights everywhere gave people joy and some hope during this pandemic.

I started to wonder if people would get as excited for the light that Jesus provides. He gives us much more hope than a Christmas decoration ever will.

John 8:12 New Living Translation

12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

We have several big Christmas light shows around us locally. They have a huge display, draw lots of people, and just like that, it is over. The Christmas season has passed. The lights are turned off, taken down and put away till next Christmas.

That is what is so good about Jesus' light. It never goes out. Never dims or runs out of power. His light is always in season. Unlike the lights that we put up around our own houses for us and our neighbors to enjoy, Jesus' light is for the whole world to see.

The world is a dark place. Jesus wants us to be lights in the world. To shine brightly for Him. His light should reflect off of us, to others around us.

Matthew 5:14-16 The Message

14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Christmas lights are great. They are nice to look at and enjoy for the season. Make people happy and cause them to smile, but only for a brief moment.

Jesus' light shines bright and lasts forever. That's the light that I want to put my focus on.

Clearing The Windshield.

My wife and I went shopping today. She went into the store as I waited for her in the van. It started to rain, so I turned on the wipers to clear the windshield. I'm watching the rain drops collect all over the windshield and then the wipers come and clear it away. I watch this a few times and I can feel the Holy Spirit saying to me, "this is how I clear your sins away." Your sins can and will collect on you, but Jesus came to take them all away. Essentially cleaning your "windshield".

Psalm 51:1-2 NLT

1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.

I (we) sin everyday. Don't really mean or want to, but we still do. Things happen. Stuff comes up and all of a sudden we realize that we have committed a sin. I know that I apologize a lot to God! For things that I say in the heat of the moment. Or a reaction that I have when something that happens to me. I don't know why I still say things that I do. Or still act the way that I do sometimes. It really drives me crazy. I am a work in progress!

Romans 5:8 Amplified Bible

8 But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Can you imagine? Having a God that loves us so much, that He sent His one and only Son to die for us, even though we were still sinners!

I watched today that even though the rain came and covered my windshield and the wipers cleared it off. The windshield wipers only kept the windshield clear for a moment and then was covered again.

That's how Jesus is. He came and paid the ultimate price for our sin. Our "windshield" has been cleaned, but then we sinned again. 

Romans 6:23 The Message

22-23 But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

We deserve death because of the sins that we have committed. Jesus came and took on the wages of  sin Himself when He was crucified at Golgotha!

I pray that I (we) live as if Jesus' death wasn't for nothing. That we live Holy and upstanding lives. For Christ!

Preoccupied.

 As we enter into the Christmas season and draw closer and closer to Christmas day, I can't help but to think about the birth of Jesus. How His parents had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem because a census was ordered by the Roman Emperor. That distance was only about five miles, but could you imagine traveling those five miles nine months pregnant, riding on a camel? Only to get to Bethlehem and find out there was no room at the inn. The only place available for Mary to give birth was a stinky, filthy old stable. 

Now do you suppose that the innkeeper had it in for Mary and Joseph? Do you think that he turned them away because she was pregnant? Had a hard heart, or was hostile towards them for even asking such a question. 

I doubt it.

I think that he was preoccupied with what was going on. His inn was over crowded, his hands were full with other people looking for rooms. The baby they were about to have was of no concern of his. Oh, how little did he know, right!

Unfortunately, many of  us are like this. We are to preoccupied with other things to welcome Christ into our lives. People aren't necessarily opposed to Him. Or even hate Him. They are just to preoccupied to be concerned about spiritual matters.

I ask you, how many are so devoted to the perfect meal and presents and preoccupied with the details that you forget about what the day is really all about.

Luke 10:40 Amplified Bible

40 But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me and do her part.”

This story could be so many of us today. How many of us could have Jesus over and then be so preoccupied about how clean the house is. Get out the good silverware. Use the good china. We do all of this instead of spending time with The Lord.

Luke 7:46-47 The Message

Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”

How many of us are just to caught up in everything going on around us and what needs to be done that we take Jesus' presence for granted. We know He is there, we just don't acknowledge Him like we should. He is after all the reason for the season. Presents are nice. Family meals are nice, but Jesus is so much better!

So I urge you this Christmas season, take a break from all of the hustle and bustle and spend time with your Savior. Rest in His arms, bask in His glorious presence! He is worthy of it all. After all, He is the perfect gift that God gave to us.

John 3:16 New Living Translation

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

May you all have a Merry Christmas!

Rev. Kev.

Bent, Not Broken.

 As the year 2020 winds down, and thank God that it is, you may feel a little weary. Worn out, tired, depleted and maybe even a little angry at how things have played out this year. With this virus raging on, causing a stay in place order earlier in the year. Business's labeled as none essential being forced to shut down, or close all together. We are being told to wear masks, social distance from each other, not have anyone over to each others houses. You may feel like you cannot take it anymore. You may feel like you are at your breaking point. Your mind is tired, your body is weary. Your just done with it all. 2021 has to be better.........right?

A pastor friend of mine used this in his sermon last Sunday and it gave me an idea. We may feel like God is going to finish us off. This is it. We are at the end of our rope.

Matthew 12:20 New Living Translation

20 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

We are feeling like the reed that is weak or that our flame is about to go out. Remember, the reed is just bent not broken. Our candle is not out, it's still smoldering. God is not done with us yet. He still has work for us to do. Maybe He is using this year to shape us more into His image, and use us in ways that we never dreamed that we could be used.

Isaiah 55:8 New Living Translation

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

So as we wind down this year and are looking forward to the next. As weary and heavy burdened as we are, God gives us this.

Matthew 11:28 English Standard Version

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

This is a comfort to me. To be able to rest in the arms of my Savior! He will comfort us, renew us and give us strength for what He has next. Nothing surprises Him, or catches Him off guard.

No matter what happens. God is still on His throne and still in control.

Rev. Keven

One Year.

Today marks the one year anniversary of my moms passing. It has been the fastest, yet slowest year of  my life. I had often thought of how I would react when she would pass. Let me tell you, it has been nothing like I thought it would be. I always thought that I would be a hot  mess. Bawling like a baby all the time. Not going to work, never getting dressed. Not facing reality. It has been nothing like that at all. I give credit to God for my reaction to her passing.

Proverbs 3:5 New Living Translation

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

You see, in the my mind, I thought that I would be out of control with emotions. God told me to trust in Him, so that is what I did. He has comforted me through this past year. I have felt His presence every minute, hour, day and month for the last year regarding my mom.

There has been a song running through my head that have they lyrics "It's Been One Week." I'm not sure who sings it, but I am going to change the word week to year.

It's been One Year since:

I got the call that you thought you were coming to the end of it all.

I was able to look at you and have you look back at me. 

Kiss your face.

Tell you I love you and you understood.

Hold your hand.

You said my name.

I miss all of this and more. I miss the fact that I just can't pick up the phone and call you for advice. Just come over and visit you.

You are loved and missed by many, many, many people. You definitely left a legacy for those who knew you.

Matthew 5:4 New Living Translation

4 God blesses those who mourn for they will be comforted.

I know that I have been blessed and comforted during this time by friends and family who either called, texted, visited or just plain listened. You all are a blessing to me and my family!

Philippians 4:7 Amplified Bible

7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

I pray that we all continue to feel this peace as we head into the second year and all the years to come.

God bless you all.

Keven

Separated, Social Distancing, What Ever You Want To Call It.

Ever since this pandemic began back in March, we've been told that one way to help stop the spread is to social distance or be separated from each other by at least six feet. Health professionals thought that, that distance was far enough away from each other so no one could pass the virus along by breathing on them, or coming in physical contact with them.

So with that being in place all of a sudden the one way aisles started showing up in grocery stores. Little red x's were placed six feet apart by the checkout lanes. At work they put lines on the floor six feet apart of where we were supposed to stand while waiting to punch in. They removed a whole bunch of chairs, limiting the number of people who could sit at lunch tables. They even separated the tables apart from each other. Then if the table could have two people sitting there, they put little x's where each person was aloud to sit. Now they have allowed more people to sit at each table, but now they put up little dividers to keep everyone separated.

Then of course there is the mask issue. My work place requires us to wear them all day long, as long as we are not eating or drinking at break or lunch. So that separates us from seeing each others faces. To see smiles or frowns, whatever kind of facial expression that someone is making. All we can kind of really see are their eyes.

So with all of the separating and social distancing going on, there is one thing that I implore you not to do. Do not separate yourself from God. Or social distance yourself from The Holy Spirit. In this season that we are in now, we need to get closer to God, not further away. It even says it in His word.

James 4:8 English Standard Version

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

We need to be in constant contact with The Father. Reading His word, communicating with Him through prayer. We need to really press in and see what God has for us. Although the world around is changing by the hour it seems with this pandemic and what the "authorities" are telling us, one thing will never change. And that is God. 

Hebrews 13:8 New Living Translation

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

No matter what the government is trying to mandate about this, trying to keeping us away from our family and friends during this time, God still desires to have a relationship with us. He still loves us. No matter where we are at, He is there with us. The government can't make Him separate from us, or social distance Himself from us.

Joshua 1:9 Amplified Bible

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

God bless you all!!

Promises.

 Have you ever meet someone or known someone who makes a promise to you and keeps it every time? So much so that the next time that they promise you something, you are pretty sure that they are going to keep it. Not to many people are like that. Mostly promises are broken, or not fulfilled. It takes credibility away from that person. You don't trust them as much as you used to. Well you do trust them in away. You trust them not keep their promise.

I know a person who has kept every promise that He has ever made, and His name is Jesus. The Bible is filled with promises that He made to us. 

Promises about His goodness. Promise to be with us. Promise of provision, protection. Promise of answering prayer. The promise of salvation. The list goes on and on.

The one promise that He hasn't fulfilled yet is His imminent return.

Titus 2:13 Living Bible

13 looking forward to that wonderful time we’ve been expecting, when his glory shall be seen—the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

That is the hope of all believers. The return of Christ to call us all home to Him. We will spend eternity with Him. No more pain, no more sorrow, no more sadness. Hallelujah! 

But, there is this also.

Matthew 24:44 New Living Translation

44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

Are we Christians living in a way that is ready for the return of Christ? Are we doing what he commanded us to do until He comes back? Are we living God fearing lives? Are we serving each other with the love of Christ? Do we show peace, kindness and hospitality to our neighbors?

His promises are yes and amen. He is going to come back for His church and His people. We just don't know the hour or day that it will happen. 

My question to you is,

Are you prepared!

Annoyance!

The place where I work, I am the only shipping and receiving person. That means that I am responsible for every shipment going out and every shipment coming in. We have an R&D department that gets a few incoming packages a day. It seems like every time I turn around there is a package from UPS, Fed Ex Express or Fed Ex Ground. I call it nickel and diming me. Why can't they just all come at the same time? Or better yet, why can't they just all come on the same carrier? I'm trying to unload full trucks here. Each truck has at least 20 pallets on them. I don't have time for that nickel and dime stuff. Uh, gets to be very annoying. 

How many times do we think that our prayer isn't big enough for God. That we annoy Him with what we think are small piddling prayers. I mean come on. There are people that have huge prayers of healing from God, and here I am praying that I have enough battery life left in my forklift to unload this truck.

Here's the thing. All prayers are important to God. None of them are insignificant. Not one is to small or to big for God. He can handle them all.

Jeremiah 32:17 Amplified Bible

17 ‘Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too difficult or too wonderful for You.

That's right. God can handle anything that you petition Him in prayer. 

Jeremiah 29:12 The Message

12 “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.

God loves you and cares about what happens to you. The big stuff and the little stuff. He doesn't have a filing system for prayer. Filing one under important or urgent, and another as not as important. They are all important to Him.

1 John 5:15 Amplified Bible

15 And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.

So, I say come to Him. With what ever kind of prayer you have. Big, little, doesn't matter. We are God's children and He wants to hear from us. He will not consider us an annoyance!

The Ultimate Sin!

The Ultimate Sin was an album released in 1986 by Ozzy Osbourne. The reason that I mention this is because a radio station that I stream at work was playing a song off of this album. It started me thinking, "what is the ultimate sin?" 

The Bible tells us that there is one sin that God will not forgive. That is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, or speaking against the Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:22-30.)

My question is this. Is there an ultimate sin? One sin that is worse than any other? Is there a level of sin? To me, murder would be the greatest sin that a person could commit. Taking someone's life, I think would be very high on the list. As opposed to say, stealing a piece of candy from a store. To me, that would be very low on the sin list.

God doesn't prioritize sin. Each one is as bad as the other. 

Romans 3:23 New Living Translation

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

In Proverbs 6, God gives us 7 sins that He hates. But it's just a list. Not one sin listed is worse than the other. All on the same level with God.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 New Living Translation

20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.

So you think that a sin that you are committing is something small and insignificant compared to what someone else is doing. You would be wrong. Murder, lying, heart that plots evil, adultery, etc. etc. It's all the same to God! He detests it all.

Come to find out, there is an ultimate sin after all. If you don't believe in, or you reject Jesus and the forgiveness that He offers. That is the greatest sin!

But there is hope!

1 John 1:9 New Living Translation

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

The Bible gives us a way to avoid such sins.

Psalm 1:1-2 New King James Version

1 Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

Lord, I pray that every sin I commit, I repent of and accept Your forgiveness, and seek to become more like You!

Shaming (Fat, Body, Etc. Etc.)

 Lately as I've been scanning through celebrity news, I've come across a lot of stories of popular celebrities being shamed in some way or fashion. Not that I really follow these people or know what they do, it just amazes me that fans can shame an artist (or anyone) just because they did something that they didn't like. Or looked a way that they didn't like. 

Take the artist Lizzo. She is a singer who is very popular right now. She was fat shamed because of her popularity. A commentator was saying that she is only popular because of her weight. Not because she is a good singer and writes good songs. No that can't be the reason. It has to be because of her weight.

Another example is singer Billie Eilish. She is only 18 years old and already has been body shamed because she was photographed wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts. People where saying that it wasn't appropriate for her to wear that type of clothing with her body type. She already wears very baggy clothes to cover up so no one can body shame her as it is. If they can't see her body, they cannot comment on it.

My thought on this is, who cares. I mean who cares what someone writes or thinks about you and your body. It's real easy to hide behind a keyboard and shame someone for the way that they look or dress. I'm sure that these people who are tweeting out these mean statements are not the best looking or the most physically fit person either. It's real easy to judge someone else on their appearance.

Genesis 1:27 New Living Translation

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

So when I hear people shaming other people because of their appearance, to me they are shaming God who created them. God doesn't make mistakes. These woman are both beautiful & talented. I'm sure that there are plenty more that I am not aware of, but these two always are the lead stories.

Luke 6:41-42 The Message

41-42 “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

Another type of shaming I am reading a lot about is mom shaming. Mom shaming is when a mom does something different or unconventional than what another mother would/might do with their children. I was actually dad shamed before this even became a popular term. I let me daughter do things that a conventional parent might not let their kid do. I let her eat with a fork. I let her ride the escalator by herself. The looks I got. Some of the comments I heard. "You can't let her do that." "Why not?" "She needs to learn."

So again I say to the moms/parents being shamed for the way that they are raising their children. Who cares? Raise them the way that you want. They are your children! As long as they are not put into any danger, or causing a ruckus. Of course your idea of a ruckus and my idea of a ruckus might be two different things.

Proverbs 22:6 New Living Translation

6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

So my challenge is this. Live your life. No regrets. Don't let people shame you into doing or becoming something that your not! You do you!

God Bless!

Prideful Anger!

The company that I work for has an attendance bonus that you can receive if you punch in and out on time everyday of the month. Before covid, you used to have to punch in and out for breaks and lunch in addition to punching in and out for work. Now they just expect you to punch in and out at the beginning of your shift and at the end. Sounds pretty easy right. Think again (well at least in my case). Two weeks ago, in the middle of the week, I was switched from one of our facilities to the other. Now anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a creature of habit. So my whole habit was upended. I've worked the other place before, but it had been many months since I had been over there. So basically relearning everything all over again.

One day, a truck was running late to deliver some product. I really don't want the overtime and was kind of mad that they expected me to stay. My pride was getting in the way. "How dare they ask me to stay to unload a truck". "Don't they know that I have things to do?" "I don't live to work here." So long story short, I did stay and unloaded the truck even though I wasn't happy about it. So with my pride being hurt, and being ticked off, I failed to punch out when I went home. Because of my prideful anger, I just lost $150.00. That is the monthly bonus amount.

Proverbs 16:18 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall.

So because of my pride and haughtiness, I destroyed my paycheck by $150. Because I thought that I was more important, I let my anger get the best of me, and it cost me.

Proverbs 14:17 The Message (MSG)

¹⁷ The hotheaded do things they’ll later regret;

It wasn't until the next morning when I realized that I hadn't punched out. My boss emailed me to ask, and I told him that I was sure that I did. But then I started thinking about it. In my anger and being upset because I had to stay late, I just grabbed my stuff and headed right out the door, bypassing  the time clock. In my hotheadedness in the moment, I regretted that I just had blown my bonus for the month! We depend on that extra money each month. It was easy peasy to attain. Punch in, punch out. Pretty simple, right!

 The company doesn't always ask me to stay late, but sometimes they do. I can't ask God to provide money for our bills and then He provides overtime and then I get mad about the overtime. Who am I to question God and His provision.

Proverbs 19:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹¹Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger,
And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].

I pray this verse the next time something like this happens!
    

 

    

    

    

Proverbs 16:18

Memorial Bench.

 

 

When my mom passed last December, family, friends and loved ones generously gave us money in her honor. We were overwhelmed with the generosity shown to her (us). We were trying to figure out what to do with the money and how to honor her memory. We thought about putting a flag pole out at the pond in Maple Park. We decided against that. Then we thought, "why not a memorial bench?" So that is what we decided on. We contacted a local stone company to make this bench for us. We gave them all the specifics that we wanted and they said okay, we'll get started on it. We could not have been happier

with the final result. Red, white and blue boards on the back. All white boards to sit on, and a plaque with her name on it and two flags on either side.

  

 

 

Now the decision on where to put it. We again thought about that pond in Maple Park. Others had placed theirs out there. No, we didn't think that would be the best place for it. Then we had a epiphany. Why not place it at the old school building. Right by the ball diamonds where she spent hours upon hours and years watching me and my two brothers play ball. Perfect. As an added bonus there is a picture of her Dad's (our Grandpa's) gas station on the side of the building. So her memorial bench is right by the ball fields underneath the picture of her Dad's gas station. How neat is that?

 

So thank you to all who gave to make this bench a possibility. We love it, the family loves it, and I pray that whom ever sits on it will enjoy it watching whomever play's ball there.

 

                                                 

 

 

John 15:1 Amplified Bible

¹³ No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.

 

My mom never laid her life down for anyone. Not saying that she wouldn't have. But she sure put her life on hold or pause for many of us. She was there for me on so many occasions, as I'm sure that she was for a lot of you. Family, friend, didn't matter. If you needed her, she would be there. It didn't matter what she had going on, she would drop it and help out where and when needed. Because of this attitude that she had with her family and her friends, it showed with the outpouring of generosity to us during her passing. This what this bench means. It is memorial to her, but a reminder of what she meant to everyone that knew her.

 

God Bless you all!

 

 

RAGE!!

I have never seen so much rage in this country. In all my life, never have I seen such rage against our President. Rage against our police men and women. Rage against each other. White, black, Hispanic, etc. etc. Rage against Christianity.This whole country as been in a total state of rage the last few months. With social injustice and the corona virus, people are at their breaking point. There was a song by the rock band J Geils. It was called "Rage in the Cage." With what is going on reminds me of this song, in title only. America is in one big cage match, and we are all raging against each other. The riots, looting, vandalism and violence towards each other, unbelievable! Aren't we all Americans? Why are we fighting against each other?

Gods word teaches us to love one another.

Leviticus 19:18 Amplified Bible

¹⁸ You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the Lord.

 

Why do we get so offended so easily? We can all have different opinions and still get along, right? Well, we used to anyway.

 

Matthew 5:39 Amplified Bible

³⁹ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person [who insults you or violates your rights]; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also [simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

People take offense to the littlest things now a days. Can't even look at someone crossed eyed anymore without someone getting upset about it.. Just let things roll off your back. Keep your cool.

We are becoming a nation of self. Me, myself and I. What can I do to take care of number one? I believe that is where a lot of our problems stem from. Selfishness.

 

James 4:1-3 The Message

4 ^1-2 Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

 

If we all started to look out for each other, and take care of each other, I think that we would all get along much better. Take the rage out of the world. Imagine what that would look like?

 

Isaiah 26:3 New Living Translation

³ You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you

 

So let's trust in The Lord, and keep our eyes fixed upon Him. The Prince of Peace!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where Were You?

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" is a song written and sung by country super star Alan Jackson. The song and it's writer are asking "where were you on 9/11/2001. That morning terrorists carried out the most evil attack ever on American soil. Four planes were hijacked that morning. Two of them were crashed intentionally into the Twin Towers in New York City. One was crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington D.C. The fourth one was thwarted by passengers before it could get anyplace else and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

I remember exactly where I was that morning. I was at work loading a truck when the driver came in and said that one of the towers in New York had been hit by a plane. "No way" I thought. Drivers come in all the time telling tall stories. I went into our shipping office to get paperwork and my boss had WGN news radio on. They were going on and on about what had happened in New York. Okay, so the driver was correct. I could not believe what I was hearing. How is that even possible? Then the unthinkable happens. A second plane hit the other tower. What?? Is this really going on right now?

I make an immediate call home to my wife at the time to see if she had heard. She was home caring for our 3 year old daughter. She said that she had and wanted me to come home as soon as possible. As I was on the phone with her, the one tower fell. We were speechless. Could not even fathom that this was done deliberately. How could someone even think this, let alone do it. And then, the second tower collapsed. Oh my goodness.

The good that came out of this tragedy was that instead of alienating us, it brought all of America together. Everywhere you went the American flag was on display. Flying outside of buildings. Bumper stickers on cars. The little flags that you could hang on your car windows. They were everywhere. Every American was proud to be an American. This tragedy unified us. Bonded U.S. closer together.

For a little while that is.

Fast forward 19 years. It is now 2020 and the people that swore they "would never forget" seemed to have forgotten what happened on that September morning. The police who were some of the first responders to run towards the towers and help people as they were trying to get out, were hailed as heroes. Now, they are seen as the enemy. They are hated and despised by many across this nation. A lot has changed in the last 19 years, and not for the better. Instead of a foreign terrorist attack dividing us, we are divided and fighting against each other.

Oh, how I wish that we could go back to September 12, 2001. We were all one people. Americans. Standing for one and for all.

This attack on our great nation shook us to our core. Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. Hopefully it never happens again.

Thankfully we can look forward to what God has in store for us.

Hebrews 12:28 New Living Translation

²⁸ Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is unshakeable. Nothing can come against, neither foreign or domestic. My prayer is that we can become a united nation once again. Quit fighting against each other. We need each other. We need a healed country.

 

2 Chronicles 7:14 New Living Translation

¹⁴ Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

 

   

                                     

United States, Not Divided States.

The last time that I checked, our country was still The United States of America, right? USA and proud of it. Lately it seems to be a different story in our country. It seems that certain people want us to believe that we are becoming a divided nation. Division on race, politics, gender, etc. etc. To me that is just what Satan wants. He wants us to be divided and fighting against each other. He does what ever he can to distract us from Jesus and His truth. Satan is the father of lies.

John 8:44 Amplified Bible

⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths.

 

So in our fleshly nature people believe the lies of the enemy. People believe the lies and hatred that he spews towards all humanity, no matter race, creed or social standing.

 

Luke 11:17-20 The Message

¹⁷Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Any country in civil war for very long is wasted. A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces.

 

We as Christians know better than to believe that garbage.

 

John 14:6 Amplified Bible

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

 

Christ wants us to be unified. Standing together as one.

 

Psalm 133:1 New International Version

¹ How good and pleasant it is
  when God’s people live together in unity!

 

So my challenge to you all is this. Let's do our best to combat the enemy who is trying to drive us apart and have us fight each other. Let's put on the full armor of God and go into battle.

 

Ephesians 6:12 New Living Translation

¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

 

 

 

August 28th.

What is the importance of August 28th you may be asking yourself. Well, to most people probably nothing, but to me and my family it is my mom's birthday. She would have been 77 this year. She passed away last December, a little more than 3 months after her 76th birthday.

This year is her first birthday without her being here, and it is hard. Hard not to pick up the phone to call and wish her a happy birthday. Hard not to go and visit her, hug her and give her a kiss. Let's just face it. The last almost 9 months since she passed have been hard. Still can't believe she is gone.

But, I have my LORD & Savior to lean on during difficult times thinking about her.

Philippians 4:7 New Living Translation

⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 

I'm so grateful for His peace!

 

I felt more of that peace when I found out that she accepted Jesus as her Lord & Savior the night before a surgery she was about to have. She wanted to know what she had to do to make sure that if she did not survive the surgery that she would go to heaven. A visiting pastor friend explained to her what she had to do and she did it. The difference from the night before the surgery to the day of the surgery was amazing. From being super anxious to being super calm. She had called on the name of Jesus and He gave her His peace.

 

Acts 2:21 Amplified Bible

²¹ ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] shall be saved (rescued spiritually).

 

Fast forward to that fateful night in December. I got the call around 1:30ish A.M. I was told that she thought that she was not going to make it much longer. So I head to the hospital, praying that isn't true. I thought that we have plenty of time left with her. Turns out, it was only a few hours. As I was sitting next to her bed holding her hand, I heard The Lord speak to me. "Do you trust me if I take her?" I'm like "of course I trust You." "She has been my mom for 52 years, but she has been Your daughter for 76 years." "She is Yours, she was only on loan to me and my brothers."

 

So The Lord took her home to be with Him for eternity and we were left with memories.

 

Matthew 5:4 New Living Translation

⁴ God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

 

Wow. How The Lord really blessed me and comforted me since that day. How you may ask? He blessed me with an abundance of family time with my Aunts, Cousin and brother that we wouldn't have normally had. We spent so much time together from the day that she passed until her funeral. It was definitely a blessing. Mom had a way of bringing family together.

 

I miss you Mom, today on your birthday and everyday in between. But I know that I/we will get to see you again someday!

 

Love your son, Keven

A Game, A Broadcaster and a Homophobic Remark.

By now, probably most people have heard of what a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team said live on air. He made an anti gay remark after coming back from a commercial break and didn't realize that his microphone was live. He was promptly removed from the broadcast booth and subsequently suspended by the Reds. This broadcaster also calls games for the NFL for Fox Sports. He has since been removed from their broadcasting lineup for this year.

I understand the backlash against this guy. What he said was definitely inappropriate and wrong, but let's remember, he is not perfect. In fact, none of us are. There isn't a person who walks this earth that is perfect in everything that they do. No matter what it is. Speech, actions, lifestyle, etc. etc. We all fall short.

Romans 3:23 New Living Translation

²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

 

This verse says that "all" fall short. Not just this guy who did this or that guy who said that. We all fall short. Let's be honest. If we all had a 'hot' mic in our cars or in our houses, how many of us would get fired for things that we said that weren't appropriate? More than likely, most of us. Everyone is quick to point out his sin, but how many of us have done the same thing?

 

Matthew 7:3-5 The Message

7 ^1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

 

To be transparent here. I used to be the king of that kind of talk. I've said things to people and about people that I am not proud of. That was in my BC (before Christ) days. When I accepted Jesus, one of the first things that He worked on was my corrupt speech and bad language. Not going to lie here. When I get heated I may still utter a curse word or two. I still get angry and irritated, but I'm also still a work in progress.

 

Colossians 3:8 The Message

^5-8 And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.

 

So maybe we cut this broadcaster a little slack. Let him serve his punishment and face what he has done, but give him a second chance. The God that I serve is a God of second chances. Look what happened to Peter after he denied even knowing Jesus three times. God used him to build His church upon. That's quite the second chance in my book. Then take a look at our own lives. God pulled us out of the muck and the mire that we were living in and set us on firm foundation, which is Christ.

 

Ephesians 4:32 New International Version

³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

Amen!

 

 

 

Water Bottle!

The water bottle pictured was a gift from a woman as a thank you for serving her and her family every week. She comes through a food distribution site once a week to get groceries for her family. We have team of 5 people that serve her (and many others) every week. I am humbled and honored to be a part of this team. I am trying to show Jesus to her and her family.

 

Matthew 25:35 New Living Translation

³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.

 

Matthew 25:40 New Living Translation

⁴⁰“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

 

Now, I'm not saying that she is the least of anything. She is just in a difficult season right now and needs a little help, which we are happy to provide.

 

God calls us to serve, so that is what we are doing for our community.

 

Hebrews 13:16 The Message

¹⁶ Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

 

 

 





 

 

Now back to the gift. The water bottle. To you it may seem like a simple water bottle, but to me it means so much more. You see, our friend thought enough to seek out our names. Not only did she learn my name, she even spelled it correctly. Then on top of that, she even did it in my favorite color. How she knew, I do not know. Let's not forget that she only comes in once a week and we see her for maybe about 5-10  minutes. 

 

So you see, it's more than just a water bottle. It is a gift of appreciation for taking the time to be kind, love on someone and their family. To let them know that someone cares about them. Talk with her, have some fun with her kids.

 

John 13:34-35 The Message

^34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

 

Amen! Go out and love on someone and serve someone!



The National Anthem. Stand? Kneel?

To stand or kneel for our national anthem seems to be the hot button topic for both the NBA and MLB  (I'm not sure about the NHL). With the death of George Floyd on May 25th, a lot of the players from these professional teams have decided to kneel during the national anthem at the start of a game. They are kneeling to protest police brutality and the social injustice that has been happening to people of color. What I don't understand is, why? Why the national anthem? The anthem isn't just for police departments and it's officers. It's for every American. It's for the American Flag whom so many have fought for and died for, so these people could even play a sport. So to me, by taking a knee during the anthem is disrespecting the flag, our country and the men and women who have bravely fought for it.

 Of course the NFL has already had kneeling going on for a few years now. Tim Tebow started it with kneeling to honor and thank God, for something good that had happened during the game. Then Colin Kapernick started kneeling to protest police brutality and social injustices towards African Americans.

In my personal opinion, both of these players were run out of the league because they both took a stance and kneeled for something that they believed in. Tebow for his belief in God and Kapernick for his belief of injustices against African Americans.

 So opening day of baseball, there was a game between the  L.A. Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. Both teams knelt during the national anthem. Except for one player. Pitcher Sam Coonrod. The reason that Sam did not kneel is because he is a Christian. He feels the only time to bow or kneel is before God.

 Joshua 23:16 Amplified Bible

16 When you transgress (violate) the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you [to follow], and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.”

 This whole scenario reminds me of the story in the book of Daniel. Daniel and two of his friends were told to bow down to a golden statue that the king had made of himself. They refused to do that and that made the king very angry. You can read the entire story in Daniel, chapter 3.

 Daniel 3:16-18 New Living Translation

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

 So Sam did not kneel during the anthem, because that meant that he would be kneeling for something other than God. He made a bold statement about his faith and belief in God that day. May we all be so bold.

 Matthew 10:33 The Message

32-33 “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?

 There might not have been a fiery furnace that Sam was going to get thrown into for not kneeling during the anthem, but there is the court of public opinion. And you can get roasted pretty good there. If I remember correctly, he took some heat for his stance (literally) during the anthem.

 I don't know where y'all stand on this issue, but for me I am going to stand for the flag! I'm going to stand for the anthem! I'm going to kneel at the feet of Jesus!