The God Connection

I saw the movie, Avatar, with my wife and youngest son when it was released in December. It is no surprise to me that the movie has received nine Oscar nominations including best picture. It is also no surprise that the movie is getting over 70% of its revenue from overseas. In the David vs. Goliath scenario, the primitive people on Pandora stand up to the mighty Goliath, AKA the United States as we battle to take their precious resource,"unobtainium." The world loves to see the underdog win against all odds.

There is something really special about the main character, Jake Sully. He is a marine who fills in for his brother at the last minute when his brother dies. He is untrained and can no longer walk. He is chosen because of the genetic match to his brother and the body he will use on Pandora is made from human and alien DNA. Jake's mission is to get to know how the aliens live so that we can defeat them.

Jake falls in love with the people of Pandora as he learns what they are all about. For me, watching the scene where Jake bonds with one of the banshee animals, made me think about the connection our Creator is attempting to have with us. Once Jake and the banshee have "fused", the two are in harmony. This is the final step in Jake's journey to bond with the aliens.

Jake must rely on Neytiri to teach him how to bond with the banshee. She tells him that he will know he has found the right banshee when it attempts to kill him. He must overcome the banshee's resistance in order to form a life-long bond.

Deep down inside of us, we know that our Creator wants to bond with us. Just like the banshees on Pandora, we resist. Perhaps we are afraid of what will happen if we surrender to our Creator? Our lives will change, but will they be better?

Once Jake Sully is able to bond with his banshee, the two soar like eagles. The connection is everlasting. Our Creator has big plans for us if we are willing to step out of our comfort zone and "fuse" just as Jake fused. God will not force Himself on you but he has already chosen you and wants to form an eternal bond. Are you ready? All you have to do is say yes...

The Blog Counter

“What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” - Ralph Waldo Emerson


The other morning as I was waking up, I had a dream that the little blog counter on the left margin of this blog mysteriously began to spin out of control. New visitors were coming to the site faster than the blog counter could tabulate. At the end of my dream, the counter surpassed the 10,000-visitor mark. This marked a huge milestone in my life-long journey to publish all the good that Jesus has done and is doing in my life.

Soon, the 1,000th visitor will be visiting this six-month-old baby blog. If that visitor is you and you would like to be recognized, please send me your first name and a picture that I will publish along with a blurb if you would like to share with this group.

The reality is that anyone out there in the blog world can share on this site. I promised you that I would be bringing in guests to share their stories for the benefit of all. You don’t have to be a movie star or pro athlete to participate. I encourage you to come out of your comfort zone and share your gift just as I have come out of my cave to share with you.

My final request is to ask your help in spreading the good news. Help me to attain my dream of getting 10,000 visitors to this site by the end of the year by coming back often and by sharing this site with your friends and family members. Thank you for supporting me and encouraging me on this very special journey. I promise to keep publishing every day until I am “called up”. Have a great day.

Body Care

My wife's uncle Chuck loved to fix up classic cars. He attended car shows all over the country. Before he passed away, he found an old ford convertible from the 60's that was in very bad shape. He spent years finding the right parts and when he was done, his pride and joy was fully restored to it's original showroom condition and it looked similar to the picture in today's post.

My kids were so thrilled to ride in his red Thunderbird as we drove through the town with the top down. Uncle Chuck had a unique ability to see beauty in vehicles that others had discarded.

If my body were a vehicle, it would qualify for consideration as a classic. I am from the baby boomer generation and we are all approaching the time when we have to deal with keeping our bodies on the road. Some of us have already ordered replacement parts.

If we take care of our bodies like my wife's uncle Chuck did with his classic cars, we can enjoy a healthy and fulfilling life. If you feel like your body is turning into a clunker, lets look at a few ideas to get you back to showroom condition.

The first step is to believe that you can be restored. Visit your doctor and get a check up. Fill up your gas tank with premium gas and get the motor running properly. Get the gas with lots of color, the kind you find in fruits and veggies.

How are those spark plugs? All of us need joy in our lives. Healthy relationships give us the spark we need to energize our engines. Forgiving others that hurt us is like having an oil change. This needs to be done regularly.

Take a look at your tires. The proper tires are needed for the road conditions you face. I recommend a great pair of running shoes for those early morning jogs. If you prefer hiking, get a nice pair of hiking boots and explore nature in your area.

A good road trip is important. Get those RPM's up into the red zone and clean that tired engine out. If your engine has not experienced this in a long time, start slowly so the engine does not overheat. Soon you will be ready to race again.

Whatever your make or model, recognize that it is a one-of-a-kind. Restore it to its factory condition and the world will appreciate its natural beauty. Remember, the world would be very boring if every vehicle looked the same. Appreciate your uniqueness and let it shine as you travel on the highway to Heaven.

The Little Things Matter

A smile. A compliment. An act of kindness. All of these things take just a moment to do. They have the power to change the world around us. These little things matter.

I remember the story of how a young man started passing out ribbons to people who were important. The idea was to pass it on to others along with some words of encouragement. These symbols of recognition changed attitudes and lives of the people who received them.

A man who felt un-appreciated at work received one of these ribbons from his boss. It touched him deeply. He thought of his son and decided to give him a ribbon and tell him how much he loved him. The son immediately broke into tears in front of his father. He told his father that this act of kindness came at a critical time in his life. He felt unloved and was planning on committing suicide that same day. All he needed to know what that he was loved.

Yes. The little things matter. Show appreciation for the people around you and watch them light up. Everyone needs a pat on the back. You can make a difference.

Love

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Restaurants will be overcrowded, flowers overpriced and most couples will only celebrate their love for each other for one day. This is the main reason why so many marriages fail. We let our challenges and other priorities get in the way and we fail to show our love the other 364 days of the year.

I am so guilty of being one of "those" people. I procrastinated until the last minute to pick out a Valentine's card for many years. It is amazing just how many of us men will wait until the last minute to get ready for Valentine's Day.

For me, the best way I can express my love for my wife is to look in the mirror and see my weaknesses and then resolve to change for the better. I never want my wife to feel short-changed.

I promised my wife that she would get a love letter from me every day until the day I die. It is not easy for men to express themselves but it is necessary if a relationship is going to grow to its potential.

The biggest lesson that I have learned about love is that it is a reflection of our Creator. Do not take love for granted. Become unselfish and resolve to show your love for your spouse every day and not just on special occasions. Our Creator thought of the two of you long before you ever existed and your union is sacred. If you are single, He will one day reveal someone very special for you to love. When you discover this emotion, you will get a glimpse of just what is waiting for you in Heaven when you meet the One who knows every hair on your head and loves you perfectly.

May you experience deep love, not just on Valentine's Day, but every day.

Recall Notice

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
(from Melody Beattie)



Recall Notice:

Today's post comes from one of the first followers of this blog and I told her I would share it for the benefit of all. Enjoy and have a great day.


The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype unit's code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed "Sub-sequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:

Loss of direction
Foul vocal emissions
Amnesia of origin
Lack of peace and joy
Selfish or violent behavior
Depression or confusion in the mental component
Fearfulness
Idolatry
Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers' Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.


Thank you for your attention!

GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'.

Find Your Passion

Is waking up every day a chore? Is it hard to get out of bed? Is what you do every day worthwhile? If you don't like the answers, you may not be pursuing your passion in life.

Take a moment and think about what you would like to do today if you had unlimited time and money. That is your true passion. If you are not pursuing it, you are always going to have that nagging feeling that you are trapped.

If you are a paint, paint. If you are a singer, sing. If you are a writer, write. Even if your current job or activities limit you, make time each week to focus on your passion. Watch what happens as you discover and pursue your passion.