Little Gangster (Part 4)

His name was Carlos but his homies called him "Cuate." He loved the gang. He believed in the gang. There were 20 of them between the ages of 14 and 19. They were known. They were tough. One day Cuate and three of his homies were walking to a 7-11 store near Cuate's house. Five dudes from another part of the county were cruising the area to see what they could see. Cuate and his friends were not quite prepared for what was to happen next. The dudes in the car started yelling and flipping off Cuate's group. Cuate flashed his gang sign and yelled for them to stop. Unfortunately for Cuate, they did stop and they got out of their car. The driver of the car stayed in the car. The other four ran toward Cuate and Cuate felt brave because he had the "backup" of his homies. At least that is what he thought. Cuate's homies ran and hid behind a long hedge at a house nearby. Cuate did not look behind him. He faced his attackers and just started throwing blows. There were no weapons involved. The invaders knocked him to the ground. They beat him. They kicked him. Cuate lost two teeth. He suffered a broken eardrum, two swollen eyes, a bloodied mouth and nose. He had a head injury. He had been kicked repeatedly. All of this lasted about 80 seconds. The attackers quickly left. Cuate's "friends" watched the whole thing from behind the safety of the hedge. Cuate was lying on the sidewalk groaning. He couldn't get up. When the attackers were out of sight, Cuate's "friends" ran up to him and exclaimed: "Man, who did this? We're gonna get em."

Little Gangster (Part 3)

"What they did to me really got to me. How can I forget it. We had been cruising around, smoking weed and drinking a few beers. We stopped at the park. There were four of us. I was leaning against a tree, just listening to some tunes. All of a sudden somebody started shooting at us. One bullet hit the tree I was leaning against. We ran toward a dumpster. All four of us had our guns. We all shot back........I thought. I got shot in the eye. I started yelling for my homies. All of them had left me. I was all alone. The other gang had left. When the police came, I didn't answer any of their questions. The paramedics came. I went to the hospital. I didn't tell them who was with me. I was arrested. I went from the hospital to jail, to court, back to jail, back to court and then to prison. I have one eye and no friends. I'm in prison right now. So far nobody has visited me. Nobody has put any money into my account. What they did to me really got to me. Not the other dudes..........my homies.........what they did to me."

Little Gangster (Part 2)

He was 13 years old. He was 4 ft. 10 in. tall and weighed 95 pounds. He was in the 7th. grade. He thought he was bad. He showed contempt. He had a sneer. He was an angry young man who did not know his dad. In school; he enjoyed cussing at teachers. He liked to kick classroom doors and run. He got suspended several times for fighting and for defying teachers. One day he was in the street being defiant. He forgot he was not talking to a teacher; he used the "f " word freely. He was disrespecting a cop. He quickly found himself lying flat on the sidewalk with a police officer's shoe stepping hard on the back of his head. He realized that a cop and a teacher do not share the same functions.

Little Gangster (Pt.1)

He was a handsome 14 year old boy. He called himself "Piloto." He thought he was a man. He was not a man. He was a teen-ager looking for recognition. He was a teen-ager looking for something he thought he deserved. He was a teenager looking for glory. He was a teen-ager looking for girls. Although he had never been in a fight, he thought he was tough. He joined a gang; he got "jumped in." He almost backed out after that experience. He was not a fighter. He wanted the recognition for being tough. He was confronted with his first "test." One friday he was at a neighborhood store with some of his "homies." A rival gang showed up. They wasted no time. Piloto got his nose punched and bloodied. Piloto ran so fast, he nearly knocked one of his homies down. He ran all the way home. He stopped for nothing. When he got home, he locked all of the doors and called the school he attended. He told the secretary in a scared but demanding tone: "Hey, I just got jumped, and I don't want to go to this school anymore." By the following monday he was enrolled in another school. He moved in with a relative in a neighboring community. He got interested in surfing. He changed the way he talked. He refused to be called "Piloto." He enjoyed wearing shorts and flip flops. He forgot about being a gangster.

Diverse, Noisy, and Opinionated

Rick Warren is a Christian pastor. He has been selected to give the invocation at Barak Obama's Presidential Inauguration. This is good news. It is politically wise, and it is good news for the country. Rick Warren is not a perfect human being. Nevertheless, he is not a drunk, drug addict, embezzler, thief, womanizer, nor does he conduct himself in a way reflecting a host of perverted and/or immoral acts. If he ever did; the media would not be denied a field day and celebration. Speaking of celebration; I celebrate the fact that Warren was the man selected. He truly believes it is wrong to hate another human being. He believes in a value system taught by the inspired Word of God. I know some disagree with him. Recently, he told a crowd of 500 that it is unrealistic to expect everyone to agree on everything all the time. I'm sure most of us agree with that statement. "You don't have to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand." Obama defended his choice last week, by saying: "During the course of the entire inaugural festivities, there are going to be a wide range of viewpoints that are presented. And that's how it should be, because that's what America is about. That's part of the magic of this country........We are diverse and noisy and opinionated." I agree.

Congratulations, Angie!

Angie; you have come a long way. You have no idea how proud your mom and I are of you. Or how grateful we are for you. You have worked hard. You have studied hard. You have paid some dues. In late July, you took the California State Bar Exam. During late November you were notified that you passed it. On December 4, 2008 you were sworn in as an attorney in the State of California. What a girl! What an intelligent, beautiful girl! The beauty of all of this is that you realize that you could not have done it without the help of the Lord. I love you Angie!Do you remember Your first grade teacher: Mrs. Long? In first grade you wrote an awesome paper describing a snowball fight. Mrs. Long's comment was: "Oh how fun!" That was some of your best work. A classic. Like I said: you have come a long way. The best is yet to come! You go girl!

Christmas Time

About a year ago I published a blog entry declaring that the Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. This has not changed. I am already enjoying the current Christmas Season in spite of the pressures and the demands. It makes no difference. This year will be the best Christmas ever. I plan to dress up as Santa Claus this year. One of my goals is to experience a White Christmas. I guess I will need to leave town in order for that to happen. I have never been far from home during Christmas. Have I spent Thanksgiving away from family? Yes, several times (years ago). I was even offered one thousand bucks to participate in an experiment at UCLA. I would have done it , but it was during the Christmas holidays. No way. Why all of the joy? Because of Jesus. He is the reason for the season.

Don't Be Afraid of Anything

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:9) Fear is the opposite of faith. My emphasis here is on not being afraid. Don't ever be afraid of anything or anyone. I know; easier said than done. Nevertheless, it can still be done. I mean it from a standpoint of practical Christian living. It is more practical to have courage than to have fear. When I talk about courage I refer to an attitude that declares first of all to yourself that everything is going to be fine. This attitude shouts out in a Godly manner that you will be safe. You will not be afraid of circumstances. You will not be afraid of the future. You will not be afraid of harm coming to you or your loved ones. God will take care of you. It is simple. Humble yourself before God. The benefits are greater than the sacrifice of your ego. "Draw close to God and He will draw close to you." (James 4:8) Please depend on God. Know that He has promised to protect you and defend you. Know it. And don't be afraid to be kind. Don't be afraid to forgive. How can we serve God if we are afraid? Study the power. Be a student of the power. By that; I mean study the Word of God. His word is replete with power. Know it. Love it. You can start by reading the following 5 chapters of the book of Psalms: 1, 23, 27, 91, and 121. God promises us beautiful things in His word. You will be blessed. Don't be afraid of anything!

If I Am A Hater

I don't agree with you and you don't agree with me. The question then remains: Where do we go from here? Obviously it depends on what it is we do not agree on. If I like coffee and you do not like it, I suppose it is no big deal. If I like the Chargers and you like the Raiders: no problem, actually I would prefer to agree with you ; but there are just some things we will not agree on. So what else is new? If I feel threatened by your intelligence or your good looks I may not want to agree with you because I might be jealous of you. If I do not agree with you and you happen to make sense. My jealousy might turn into hatred. If I continue hating; I need to stop. If hatred is like a comforter, then I need to find another comforter. If you are ugly and you are mean, it might be easier to hate you. But I must not hate you. If you have some bad habits I must not hate you. Hatred is connected to fear. A person hates because he fears. So, what is the solution? The solution is perfect love. Perfect love? Yes, perfect love. Why? Because "perfect love casts out all fear."

Some Thoughts On Prop 8

I refuse to hate anyone. Hating someone is serious business. It is such serious business that it produces serious consequences. Hating someone is not against the law, but it is a sin. Being jealous of someone is not against the law, but it is a sin. Lying is a sin. Stealing is a sin. Murder is a sin. People lie, steal, cheat, attack, destroy, burn, plunder and murder. Those acts are committed on a daily basis. People suffer from those actions on a regular basis. Sometimes people are disrespected. Sometimes people suffer offenses. This may not be a crime, but to the disrespected and to the offended ; it just doesn't feel very good. Being disrespected and being offended is an experience. It is an experience that is either imagined or very actual; and the offended are usually the ones who determine that. Do you deem it unfair, inconsiderate, intolerant or an injustice if I tell you that the institution of marriage is between a man and a woman, and only between a man and a woman? Homosexuality is not only a sin against God; it is an abomination to Him. The same applies to lesbianism. The Word of God declares it. Who is offended by such statements? Those who choose to be offended are offended. Homosexuality and lesbianism are choices. They are sins, therefore they are choices. Nobody has ever been born a lesbian or a homosexual. All cognizant people are born with the ability to make choices. Matrimony is holy. Marriage is matrimony. The fact remains that marriage is between a man and a woman. This is the way God has designed it. God has designed it for sexual expression and the development of the family structure. Sex is a private matter. If two men are attracted to each other and want to have sexual intercourse with each other, it really is not any of my business. I cannot stop them. I do not agree with what they are doing because based on my faith; what they are doing is morally wrong. If they demand that they want to get married; then it becomes my business because then their actions are legally sanctioned by the government. If those actions are legally sanctioned by the government under the banner of legal marriage; then the institution of marriage is under attack. It is under attack because marriage is between a man and a woman. Homosexual and lesbian marriage; as a legitimate institution; will then be taught in the schools as a viable and legitimate alternative to marriage between a man and a woman; and it is not. It is a sin against God. This issue is not about civil rights. This issue is about a segment of the population seeking to gain the legitimacy and the sameness that God- ordained marriage currently experiences. How can this be possible? Never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever imagine that I would someday vote on an issue of this nature.

Prosperity and Prayers of Power

The United States is a prosperous nation. There is freedom in this nation. There are opportunities in this nation. There is wealth in this nation. There are opportunities to study, learn, work and thrive. The opportunity to succeed is available. So what is the problem? The problem is this: Prosperity does not come easy. One must work. Not all can get government jobs. Not all can get a job with decent hours, health benefits and vacations. But jobs are available. I repeat: one must work. The greatness of this nation was not accomplished by the feeble efforts of lazy people. Other nations have hard working people. many people work very hard just to stay alive. Other nations have greater natural resources than are found in the United States. I believe that the greatest product that the United States has is freedom. Freedom is a double-edged sword. The freedom to be creative is available. The freedom to pursue your dreams is available. Freedom has allowed men and women to study, experiment, research, discover, invent, innovate and improve the quality of life. Nevertheless, freedom has also produced a dark, ugly side. The side that claims: "I can do anything I want, inject anything I want, drink anything I want, smoke or ingest anything I want, sleep wherever I want, have sex with anyone I want, and have any lifestyle I want." Due to the fact that for every action there is a reaction, we face a dilemma brought about by prosperity and freedom. I am talking about consequences. Prosperity is not an entitlement in the greatest country in the world. Here lies the question: Am I entitled to the benefits of prosperity if I have not contributed in any way, shape or form toward having prosperity be a reality? Freedom has also produced the opportunity to worship as one pleases, and prayer is a contribution. The opportunity to have faith in God still exists in this country. I will finish this discourse with eight questions. What if we are taught the Word of God that says; if I pray, my prayers will be answered? What if we pray with faith and power? What if we pray for the prosperity of this nation and our prayers are answered? When people from other nations see prosperity and opportunity; will many want to come here? If they do come; will they also pray with power? Will the freedom to teach them be available? Will they be given the opportunity to say yes or no? Will they substitute a demand for entitlement in the place of prayers of power?

Young Man Don't Get "Bogged Down"

Sometimes when we practice common sense we are criticized. But I say unto you: Live the good life. Yes, live the good life. It makes good sense to live the good life. What is the "good" life? The good life is the best life. Go for it. Yes, but what is the "good" life? Some may say that the good life is a life of wealth and pleasure. A Mexican poet once said: "En el placer has poco uso porque no hay placer en el abuso." (Antonio Plazas) Although something is lost in the translation; here is the crux of it: "With pleasure; limit it's use, for there is little pleasure in it's abuse." DO NOT BE SOLD A BILL OF GOODS. What is this "bill of goods"? It is the BOG of life's deceptions that can cause you to sink. One deception after another. Don't get "bogged down." Do not be deceived into thinking that you need to drink liquor. Do not be deceived into thinking that if you obey the law you are weak. Do not be deceived into thinking that you are "free" if you do not believe in some type of moral code. Do not be deceived into thinking that having a rebellious attitude is the same as being creative and free. Do not be deceived into thinking that if you have self-discipline, and are able to say no to those things that can harm or kill you; then you are an unfortunate coward who is unwilling to take risks. Do not be deceived into thinking that only "certain people" can enrich your life and you must not be seen with others. Seek the good life. Seek the life of purpose. "The purpose of life is a life of purpose." (R. Warren)

Give Someone a Present

I am not suggesting this because we are approaching the holidays. Give someone a present. I am suggesting it because it is a great idea. About 5 years ago, in San Marcos, I was filling the gas tank of a van I no longer own. It was late at night, and I had all of the family in the van. As I was doing it, a young man approached me and gave me ten dollars. He left immediately. I was shocked but I thanked him. I have no idea why he did it. Although surprised, I felt blessed. It felt good, to receive a gift so spontaneously. I realize that taking gifts from strangers can, at times, be risky. Many teach their children to never accept a gift from a stranger. It is a good idea. However, I am not talking about that. Nor am I suggesting that you help finance someone's addictions. Give someone you know a present. Surprise someone. Show them your appreciation. Show them that you think about them sometimes. A long time ago, I read this maxim somewhere: " I lose what I keep, I keep what I give, and when I die; the only thing I can take with me, is that which I have given." (Anon.) I know it does not sound logical or mathematically accurate. And the first time I quoted it to a friend, he told me I was sounding ridiculous. Nevertheless, to me it made a great deal of sense. And it still does. One day I surprised that particular friend with a present, you should have been there. He tried to hide his joy, but he was unable to do so. The greatest teacher that ever lived once declared: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." His word lives on.

A Real Hero

This is a true story about an 11 year old boy. I did not know the boy. I don't remember the boy's name. I don't even remember where he lived. I just know he had his last experience of life in Southern California. I do not remember the year it happened. I am fairly sure it happened sometime between 1985 and 1993. This is a true story of a hero. This is the story as I recall it: Several families gathered together for a Thanksgiving dinner celebration. They all enjoyed their meal and dessert. They conversed, they laughed, they enjoyed each other's company. The 11 year old boy and his attractive 14 year old cousin decided to go for a walk in the neighborhood. They walked several blocks from the house. They kept walking, talking and enjoying. Suddenly, a van drove up beside them. The occupants of the vehicle focused their attention on the girl. They said things to her to attempt to entice her into the van. She paid no attention to them. She was scared. Her younger cousin was also scared. The van stopped. Two men got out and tried to physically force the girl into the van. She resisted them. She screamed. Her young cousin tried to defend her. He actually tried to fight these men off by himself, and he actually succeeded. But here lies the tragedy, cowardice, and heroism: someone in the van, (possibly a third passenger) came out with a shotgun and fired it at the boy at very close range. The boy did not have a chance, he died right there, bleeding to death on the street. The men did not stay. They fled speedily. The girl was safe. The boy was dead. As I said; I didn't know the boy. But at times, I think about him. I think about the price he was willing to pay for the safety of someone else. He is a real hero.

Humble Yourself, He Humbled Himself (Pt.2)

Do you want to survive or prevail? Would you rather do both? The greatest example for the human race did both. He survived. He prevailed. He survives. He prevails. He humbled Himself. He has all of the power. He will not relinquish His power, even though He freely gives it. He has all of the wisdom. He has all of the knowledge. He will never lose His wisdom or knowledge. He is perfect. He makes no mistakes, and never will. He humbled Himself. For Him, absolutely nothing is impossible. He is the creator and the owner of the universe. Yet, He humbled Himself. He turned the water into wine. He healed all types of diseases, He opened the eyes of the blind. He calmed the storm. He caused the lame to walk. He raised the dead. He fed 5,000 men with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. He walked on water. He did much, much more. He humbled Himself, yet He is sovereign. He is the one who said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:3) You must lose to win, sometimes. He is the one who said: "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matt. 23:11,12) He not only said it, He humbled Himself. Let us be like Him. "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil.2:3-11) IF HE CAN HUMBLE HIMSELF; WHO ARE WE TO NOT TRY?

Made in the Image of God

Yesterday I witnessed a young man have an accident on his bicycle because the chain broke. The young man was in his early twenties. He fell, hit the pavement and got up. I asked him if he was injured. He said no. I said: "You are not hurt because Jesus did not allow it to happen, let's thank him," I said. "No, I don't believe in God," he said. I backed off. Now, God will be doing something in that young man's life because I will be praying specifically for him. I don't know the young man, and I probably will never see him again. However, I do know this: he is made in God's image. To not believe in God is probably the biggest mistake a person can make. We are made in God's image, and unbelief in God is a deviation; an aberration which substitutes man's pride instead of man's respect for the sovereignty of God. Jesus Christ is God. He works, He moves, He operates. He answers our prayers. "If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it". (John 14:14)

"Cool" Overcame Him

"Cool" overcame him. His image and his identity as an intelligent, sophisticated and aware person was more important to him than anything else. He forgot to grow up. He forgot to move beyond adolescence. He chose not to listen to certain kinds of music because the music was not cool. He chose not to go to certain places because to be seen there was just not cool. He chose not to involve himself in certain trends because he was too cool for them. He chose to involve himself in many trends because he wanted to express his coolness. He only engaged in conversations that expressed how cool he was. He rejected certain relationships because they were not cool. He lambasted people for not being cool. He covered up his weaknesses with a blanket of "cool." He ate what was cool to eat. Figuratively speaking: "cool" ate him. Cool had it's way with him and overcame him.

Move On

Among the many things the Bible contains is good advice for living. It is the Word of God. Without wasting time; I must tell you first of all that God wants what is best for us. He always has, He always will. His mercy is everlasting. If you are troubled by a real or perceived injustice: move on. If you have been hurt as a result of a broken relationship: move on. If you have lost your job: move on. If you have just experienced a tragic experience: move on. Do not be afraid of anything or anyone. Ask God to give you His Spirit. He will never fail you. "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Move on.

October, Halloween, Fires, Crime and Graffiti

This is the month. Probably the most beautiful month of the year. Unfortunately, with strings attached. Because of the Halloween celebrations; fire and police departments are very busy this month. Fires started by arsonists favor this month. Assaults increase this month. Graffiti increases this month. Graffiti needs to be removed as soon as possible. Graffiti is a declaration and announcement that a segment of the population is truly delayed. They are either delayed emotionally, intellectually, or socially; or perhaps a combination of two or three of the aforementioned. Graffiti is disrespectful and thoughtless. It is a terrible expense to the public in more ways than one. "Tagging " has only one prerequisite: in order to engage in it; one must be an idiot.

Young men, Peer Pressure and Phony Friendships (part 3)

The young man's name was Theolic Yung Manning. He had been out of high school for two years and was approaching his 20th birthday. He was of mixed ethnicity. He was part Black, part Asian, and part white. He felt comfortable with Mexicans from the neighborhood. He enjoyed their company very much. All of them were Roman Catholic. Theolic was not. He was invited to parties, infant baptisms, quinceaneras, dances and other festivities. He enjoyed most of them. At every single function there was beer. He did not like beer. Sometimes a beer was placed in his hand. He could not fake it, so he drank. He learned to like the beer. He learned to like the comraderie. He learned to like the environment. It was pleasurable for him. Theolic had other interests as well. He enjoyed playing sports. He enjoyed studying. Some of his friends enjoyed watching sports; but none enjoyed playing them. His friends liked to just "hang out" and talk about music, girls, and parties. Theolic worked part time as a gardener and went part time to a community college. Sometimes he really enjoyed his classes. Particularly an English composition class. He had turned in some fairly good work. He tried to study on weekends but the pursuit of pleasure overcame him. Too many weekends were spent with friends that he felt he "needed." Maybe they needed him. Maybe they needed someone else to drink and smoke weed with. He dropped out of school. Not one of his "friends" encouraged him to reenroll. One night he was driving home from a party. He was drunk. He ran a red light and a car hit him broadside on the driver's side. He was killed at the scene. Three out of eight "friends" went to his funeral.

Young Men, Peer Pressure and Phony Friendship (part 2)

He knows how to play poker but he does not really want to play poker tonight. His choices are connected to the demands of his friends. Heavy pressure accompanies the request (demand). Is he really his "own man" ? No. He is too young to be his "own man." However, he thinks he is. Staying home, and watching television with his parents is definitely not an option. It is Saturday night, and he is a young man. He goes ahead and plays poker. He loses $40.00. It is not a great deal of money, but it was all of the money that he had. But at least he didn't "bail on his friends." Of course, his "friends" did not offer to lend him any money for gas or spending. However, they did laugh at him and thanked him for supporting the game and providing money for movie tickets. The young man is broke, but at least he knows some people who want to "hang out" with him.

Young Men, Peer Pressure, and Phony Friendship (part 1)

Sometimes young men become friends because they have enough in common to cause an association. Occasionally, these so-called friendships are not really friendships; they are relationships that have evolved to combat boredom or loneliness. There are some young men who are really worried about their image, identity or manhood. Maybe they are athletic, maybe they are not. Maybe they are intelligent, maybe they are not. Some young men, due to lack of wisdom, moral parameters, or self-control; decide that it is essential to drink liquor, use drugs, gamble, have a sexual conquest, (to brag about) or do something dangerous or daring. Of course this can be commonplace for some young men; but not necessarily for all of them. One thing that a person can be fairly sure of: young men do not usually like to do those things alone. This is where peer pressure starts to show it's ugly face. This is when value systems begin to take a back seat to the demands of so-called friendship. This is when a young man who does not keep himself busy enough to the demands of something wholesome, yields to the demands of forces that can destroy him. (to be continued)

Use of the Word "Stupid"

It is a mistake to call people stupid. I know, I know; sometimes people make some serious mistakes that would prompt one to use that term. We all make mistakes. However, I stay away from calling people stupid. It is a demeaning term. It is akin to calling somebody a fool. It is a form of condemnation. It is not wise to call someone stupid. It is definitely not the sign of a good leader , boss or supervisor. It is a sign of impatience, lack of self-control, arrogance and hatred all lumped into one word. It demonstrates an inability to communicate. It usually accompanies the loss of temper by the user/accuser. It reflects a wrong spirit. I encourage the reader to never call someone stupid. Increase your vocabulary. Find a better word or words. Be kind to people. If you do not know how to be kind to people; then make an effort to learn how. In conclusion; I have noticed something in particular about many of the people who like to call others stupid. The term tends to describe them or their actions. However, I won't call them by that word. But I might think it.

Make Good Use of Your Time

We are builders. Time is one of our tools. It takes skill to use that particular tool. Make good use of your time. You have made good use of your time when you have used it to improve yourself. You have made good use of your time when you have used it to help somebody else. You have made good use of your time when you have used it to promote actions that benefit humanity. We are builders. What are we building? We are building better relationships. We are building better attitudes. We are building our futures. We are doing our part to build a better society. As you make good use of your time to build something positive; remember to demolish. Remember to demolish thinking about past injustices. It is over, let it go. Demolish thoughts of hatred and vengeance. Demolish bitterness. It really gets in the way. Demolish envy or it will demolish you. When you see a really bitter and angry person; please remember that he is wasting valuable time obsessing about things he probably cannot change. Make better use of your time than that. Sometimes bitter people want to "take you with them." As the old saying goes: "misery loves company." Why waste your time being miserable? Make good use of your time.

Conversation Is An Art

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man." (Col.4:6) This may be a tough request for many of us, but nevertheless; it is what God wants from us. We need to work at it. It is part of the "good fight." Let us develop conversation skills. When we write something on paper or type it via computer; we can usually look it over and correct what we said. Jesus states in Matt. 12:34: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Many pencils have erasors. But in the course of interchange of thoughts by means of spoken words; there are no erasors. I remember the days I was a teacher at the junior high level. A young person would offend someone and then say "trick" or "trix" or "psych." Sometimes we hear the words: "just kidding." The aforesaid are not erasors. Giggling and laughter after an offensive comment are not very good erasors either. You said it; that means it is in your heart. I offer 9 easy steps to improve our conversation skills: 1) Pray to God for grace in your speech 2) Don't gossip, or "dig" for gossip 3) Pray for the person to whom you are talking 4) Be a good listener 5) Ask appropriate questions 6) Be prepared by studying your Bible, also, be aware of what is going on in the political arena, the world of sports, entertainment, music and the economy 7) Love the person to whom you are talking 8) Be enthusiastic, but not phony 9) Do not allow your conversation to become a competition. Is conversation a competitive sport? Is it a match of egos? Be a good conversationalist. Maybe there are no awards, but there are plenty of rewards. There is much more on this topic.

A Great Coach

I have often wondered: What is needed for a coach to be a good coach? Or maybe even a great coach. Let me talk about great coaching. What shall we use as a criterion to label a "great coach"? Let us use just one: championships. Some coaches have told me that they don't care about championships. They care about helping to develop young men into responsible men. Who wants to argue with that? Do little league coaches care about winning? Do little league players care about winning. How about high school football coaches? What do they care about? How about high school football coaches in the state of Texas? Do they care about winning, or do they care about building "strong young men" in mind and body? Let me get to the point. Let us talk about college football. A college football team needs 5 things: 1) facilities 2) a coaching staff 3) players 4) a supporting staff (administration) 5) fans. Insert the word "great" before each factor and you will really have something. I will refer to the five factors as 5F. What I am talking about is not rocket science. It is akin to common sense. Nevertheless it is still deep because it is about dealing with people. It is about hard work. It is about inspiration. It is about leadership. It is about motivation. It is about skill. It is about DIHLMS (the aforementioned). Of the 5F; factor #2 is the most important. He is the leader. He is the motivator. He is the teacher. He is the inspirational force. He is the responsible one. He is the one the critics lambast or praise. The great coach deals with every part of the 5F. He will get the great facilities. He will bring out the best his coaching staff has to offer. He will make sure great players are recruited. He communicates well with support staff. He loves and appreciates the fans. In a very real sense: the game is played for them. A great coach must have DIHLMS, but DIHLMS will not work without PLK. What is PLK? PLK is: PASSION for the game, LOVE for the game and KNOWLEDGE of the game. DIHLMS is the means. It is the transporter. PLK is it's substance. DIHLMS is the vehicle. PLK is the passenger. This is an idea. It is also idealistic. Is not a championship season an ideal come to pass?

That Parking Place

It is not worth it. It is just not worth it. Be happy, don't stress. Sometimes we go to places and we try to find the closest parking place possible. It is okay to walk. Are you not glad that you have healthy legs? So, use them. Also, if someone took the parking spot you had your eye on, let them have it. (no, I don't mean it that way) Do not stress over a parking space. Human beings were designed to have faith. They were designed to practice faith. That is just the way it is. Do you consider it normal or intelligent to fight over a parking space? How would you feel if someone got injured or killed over a parking space? If you are going to fight, fight against your unbelief. Ask God to give you a parking space. If God wants you to have a certain parking space; just remember, He will make sure you get it. Nothing is impossible for God. I know that not all people have faith. If you have faith, and someone else does not, you are in control. It may not always appear that way immediately, but nevertheless it is true. The Bible says: "Don't worry about anything." (Phil. 4:6) It means exactly what it says. The Word of God promises to increase your faith if you live by it. Embrace it, love it, heed it. Love God. Do not fall in love with a particular parking place. Also, please remember: communicate with people. Do not be afraid of anyone. It is a sin to be fearful. If someone is not courteous: introduce them to Jesus. Invite them to church. If you are not a Christian yourself: become one. Give your life to Jesus. Be regenerated. Be born again. Walk in the Spirit and you won't fret over a parking space, and your own pride will not harm you, because Jesus is in control.

It Is All About Attitude

I want to say good-bye to the month of June, 2008, with this entry. It has been a great month, a very special month. June came in with gloom and left with a heat wave here in San Diego. There is something beautiful about a gloomy day. There is something beautiful about a sunny, breezy day. There is something beautiful about a cold, or wet day. It is all beautiful. Every day is beautiful. Every day is beautiful as long as I am alive : Living, loving, thinking, walking, talking, enjoying, planning, working and just plain relishing. Yesterday I heard something I have never heard before, and probably will never hear again. I told someone: "It is a beautiful day as long as we are alive." "It is a beautiful day even if we are dead," he responded. He went on to explain that the real beauty is on the other side. Of course, to talk like that takes faith. Faith operates. Faith creates a good attitude; or at least it should. If a person is wealthy but has a poor attitude, he will get less benefit from his wealth. If a person is educated but has a poor attitude, he will get less benefit from his education. If a man is intelligent, witty, handsome and healthy; a poor attitude can diminish all of the aforementioned. It is all about attitude. I have seen great athletes that were never able to realize their potential; all because of a poor attitude. What a shame. What a waste. Attitude is every thing. In the NBA, NFL, and MLB there are great athletes who will never ever wear a championship ring. Just playing at that level of competition proves that they are extraordinary. No ring. Why? Poor attitude. A poor attitude is an invading spirit. It invades excellence. It invades determination and discipline. It corrupts cooperation and teamwork. It attacks the team's intangibles because a poor attitude is an invader. If a great athlete cannot "kick the habit" of having a poor attitude; he needs to become a tennis player, golfer, or boxer. Even those sports demand a certain amount of cooperation with others, however. When I coached baseball, I remember discussing a particular player with another coach. He told me : "yeah, he's a great athlete, but who wants him? You can never win with a guy like that." It is all about attitude.

Remembering George Carlin

The main reason I am writing this entry is because I used to work with a guy who practically idolized George Carlin. To be quite honest, I don't remember much about Carlin. I do remember reading somewhere that he hated religion and Christians really annoyed him. He goes on record as stating that "superstitious religion" caused guilt and many mental health problems. Many say he was a genius. Philosophically, this is what I have observed in many instances, beyond George Carlin: The irony of hating something that many people hold sacred and then making a good living, and even becoming wealthy off of mocking it, criticizing it, and lambasting it. Of course one needs to be clever in order to do this. Talent is talent. I usually admire it. How a person uses his talent is another matter. How a person uses ( or doesn't use) his talent is of major importance. This is how he declares to the world who he is. As for me: I guess I just need something more powerful to get me through the day and through my life. Call me weak if you want. But I need something to edify me and not just amuse me. What happens after the satire, comedy, derision, blasphemy, dishonor, irreverence, and more, ends? If the aforementioned have a purpose, they have a minor purpose. Unfortunately, many have given them a place of such importance that they were left empty handed. I need some purpose in my life. I need something that lasts. I want joy that lasts more than a few minutes. I want joy that lasts forever. I do not want empty laughter and "fake hope." I want power over destructive forces. Sarcasm and cynicism cannot provide it. They never will.

Nick Vujicic (part 1)

This entry is dedicated to all who are young, healthy, educated, lazy and unmotivated. Please consider Nick Vujicic. Nick is a motivational speaker. He claims to have no problems and no worries. He is friendly. Children love him. He is an inspirational young man with a college education. He is eloquent. He has much faith in God. He has many goals. He plans to be wealthy before he reaches the age of 25. He plans to do this through wise investments. He dedicates his life to helping people. He wants to continue doing it. He is a very happy young man, and a busy one. He is the type of person who does not take "no" for an answer. You might ask: "What is so special about that"? Nick is special. (in more ways than one) He was born with no arms and no legs.

"Nor Effeminate"

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." ( ICor. 6:9,10,11)Everyone makes mistakes. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:23)
My God is a kind, merciful and loving God. He forgives us our sins. A problem that besets our society and religious communities throughout the land is that many people are mistakenly persuaded that the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable to God as a legitimate lifestyle, and that homosexuality is not a sin. Not only is homosexuality a sin; it is an abomination unto God. What does it mean to be "effeminate"? To be effeminate means, being born a man; choosing to take on the role of a woman in one' s life. "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of error which was meet.(Rom.1:26,27) God created marriage. "Same sex marriage" is an oxymoron. Marriage is between a man and a woman. All of the rhetoric in the world will not change the Word of God. Basically, same sex marriage is an attempt to legitimize a lifestyle that is essentially a disgrace.

A Promise of Payment

Integrity is of major importance in our dealings with people. Honesty is still the best policy. We may be bombarded with ideas suggesting that deceiving others is in our best interest. Well, deceiving others is not in our best interest; and honesty is still the best policy. Usually, lies do not last very long before they are exposed as lies. I want to make this perfectly clear to all of the borrowers of money, liars, cheats, con artists, accusers, demanders of sympathy, purveyors of guilt, and all of those who have various addictions; including the addiction of borrowing money; do not pretend that a promise of payment is the same as a payment. It is not. If I lend you money, and I have the "audacity" to inquire about repayment; please do not look at me as if I have 2 heads sitting on my shoulders. Please do not ask me: "Do I look like the kind of guy that would not pay you back?" In the first place: what does a guy who does not pay his debts look like? If a man has a powerful presence, rhetoric, and good use of sophistry, and he uses those tools to gain a loan, and then never pays it back; he is just a liar. A promise of payment is not the same as a payment. A promise of payment is just a promise. A payment is an actual payment. They are not the same thing. They never will be.

You Reap What You Sow

I remember a saying from a few years back that went: "Whatever goes around comes around." The concept is Biblical, so it is true. God is righteous. This means He is fair. He is equitable. He is balanced. His ways are superior to our ways. This is why we often do not understand what He is doing or why He is doing it. Have faith in God. Everything He does is perfect. He is perfect. Do not worry about anything. His mercy is superior to His judgments. "Sow to the flesh, reap death. Sew to the Spirit, reap life." This makes sense to me considering that the flesh is temporary. It goes back to dust. It came from dust. Sow to the Spirit. Seek the higher things. You cannot go wrong. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isa. 45:22) So who can save? Only the saviour. There is only one. His name is above every name. His name is Jesus. What does salvation mean? It means eternal life. It means an abundant life while we are here. How can you go wrong? You cannot go wrong if you find Jesus. Wise men still seek Him. "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jer.29:13) God will reward your efforts. You will reap what you sow.

U S Marines and the Christian coins

"Where will you spend eternity?" "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Those are the two sides of a coin distributed by some US Marines stationed in Iraq. John 3:16 is more powerful than all of the firepower, and all of the weapons of war combined. It is the Word of God. It is considered the "Gospel in a nutshell." Are they not just words? Or are they? Why all of the fuss? If someone tells you something and you choose not to believe it, do not believe it. The Marines were just obeying the great commission. Were they bombing mosques? Were they murdering journalists who criticized their faith? Were they threatening those who do not agree with them? No. Jesus does not teach that. The Marines were acting as individuals. They were practicing the freedom that they are fighting for. Freedom, freedom, freedom. Have you ever heard of it?

Go For It

Please do not let insignificant events, memories, or experiences prevent you from realizing your dreams.Your bitterness and anger; even if you think has disappeared, has not disappeared if it continues to dictate to you in a way that represents nothing but failure. Demonic influences are "loser creating influencers." Far too many people have yielded to them. You do not need to do such things. Rise above those influences. Receive the influence of power. Receive the influence of triumphant living. Receive the influence of love. Receive the influence of joy and wisdom. Have you ever had the flu? If you have had the flu you have had influenza. The influenza influenced you because of a negative power. It harmed you. It caused you to have chills, fever, upset stomach, headaches, and other aches. It took away your energy. It was free. Think about it: the flu was free and it affected your attitude. Have God deposit His Spirit inside of you. It is free. Ask Him this way: Jesus, come into my heart. Come into my heart. You are God and I want to live for you instead of "influenza" who is trying to destroy me. Influence me with your powerful Spirit. The devil is the influenza of my soul. I don't want him, I want You. Jesus You love me more than anyone else could ever love me. I want to get to know You better. I can do this by studying Your Word. Your Word is a love letter to me that I must read often. Help me understand it. Help me to do what I must do to serve You. Help me to be with other people who have given their lives to You. Jesus, here is my heart. It is Yours. Go for it . Take it. I am going for this whole process. I will go for it. There is nothing better. Thank You.

Humble Yourself (Pt. I)

Please do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. It is actually a commandment from God in the book of Romans. The Bible teaches us that the soul of one person is worth more than all of the treasure on earth. Instead of making us proud, this should humble us. To think that the almighty God who is eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient could love us to the point of considering us more valuable to Him than the whole planet, demands some serious humility. Yes, humility, not arrogance and pride. The Bible teaches us that "All have sinned and come of the glory of God." If we come short of the glory of God, then let us humble ourselves before God. He deserves no less. Our greatest example is Jesus Christ. We owe Him our lives. We owe Him our humility. We are indebted to Him. He has been gracious unto us. Let us humble ourselves before Him. "Humble yourselves before God, and He will exalt you in due time."

Advice

Sometimes people give us good advice. Sometimes they give us poor advice. How do we know when it is bad or good? How do we know when food is good or bad? By tasting it. Sometimes we assume certain foods are good because we know the cook, and we immediately believe the food is good because we know who prepared it. But how can one "taste" advice? Is someone advising you to break the law? Don't do it. Is someone advising you to hurt someone else? ( or possibly yourself) Don't do it. Is someone advising you to severely offend your friends, family or anyone else ? Don't do it. Is someone advising you to violate your creed or religious code? Don't do it. Is someone advising you to harm your health? Don't do it. Is someone advising you to give up something of value? Don't do it. Please be aware that some of the advice you receive is at times triggered by someone's jealousy of you. This, of course, is truly sad. I am not encouraging paranoia, but I encourage you to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly." Ungodly counsel is self-explanatory. Do not take it.

Be A Glancer

I am a retired junior high school teacher, and currently chaplain of a jail. Through the years I have seen many people get upset, and be involved in violence as a result of someone staring at someone else. Inmates in jail do a great deal of staring. It is a form of communication. It is also bad manners. Staring is not illegal, however it could possibly constitute harassment in a given situation. Generally speaking, as I have already stated, it is bad manners. For reasons that I will not discuss at this time, I am persuaded that our society is becoming more and more a group of staring people. This is not good news, however for me, it is good news. It is good news if I have time to deal with it. Let me explain: I believe in the great commission. The great commission is: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved: but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons: they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover." (Mark 16:15,16,17,18) I have a human spirit. It is faulty. It is weak. It is human. But I also have another spirit within me. It is not a spirit of fear. It is a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It causes me to consider a stare as an open invitation to tell someone about Jesus. It causes me to have a burden for those who do not know the Word of God. It causes me to consider a stare as a plea for help. The great commission is replete with good news. People are hungry for it's benefits. Sometimes people stare because they are angry, or maybe they are looking for trouble. I am angry too. I am a troublemaker too. I am angry at the devil. I am making trouble for him. I plan to make more. "No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper." (Isa.54:17) Jesus came "to destroy the works of the devil," and I want to help Him accomplish it. Jesus said: "Watch and pray." Be a glancer. Don't stare, but be aware. Be a glancer. Utilize the GAT method. The GAT method is: Glance, Approach, Testify. Get yourself ready. Repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, be filled with the Holy Ghost. Who can stop you? Your "glancing will turn into dancing." Give your life to Jesus. Can anything be more important? God bless you.

Friends, Relationships and Identity (pt.2)

How you spend your time and who you spend it with can reveal your identity. Are you confused about your identity? Are you lower class, middle class, high class, or filthy rich? Are you a natural-born or naturalized citizen? What color is your skin? Do you speak with an accent? Do you wear an American flag on your lapel? How many languages do you speak? Are you embarrassed of your last name? What kind of music do you like? What kind of foods do you like? Who do you "hang out" with? Do you have a favorite movie, book or story. I will answer these questions myself. No, I am not confused about my identity. I belong to Jesus. He is my heavenly Father, Lord and Saviour. I am a child of God, my Father is King of kings.The color of my skin? Unimportant. My sins were as scarlet, now they are white as snow. I don't speak with an accent when I'm speaking in tongues. A flag? His banner over me is love. Languages? I spoke in tongues when I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and I speak in devotional tongues for edification. I have a scriptural right to have this experience. Please check Mark 16:17, Acts 2:4, and I Cor. 14:1-40. My last name? It is not as important as the name I am baptized in, which is the name of Jesus Christ. Music? Music is big business. Some people use it as a means to identify themselves as part of a certain class or ethnicity. It does bring pleasure to many, but only temporarily. I use it to praise my Lord and Saviour. His name is Jesus, He is the power of God, He has pleasures for evermore (not just temporarily) Please check Psalm 16:11. Foods? "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." "Hang out"? Jesus did hang on a cross for me. Therefore I will "hang tough" for Him no matter who I am with. My favorite story? It has no ending. It is the story of my eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God. In the days of His flesh He was a Jew. Which one of those two identities is more important?

Friends, Relationships and Identity (pt.1)

Everyone needs friends. If friendship is not available, one turns to family or social groups. One turns to activities, hobbies, pastimes, religion, politics, clubs, sports or gangs. One becomes a participant or observer. One meets people, and perhaps makes friends. Acquaintances and friends inhibit or influence our thoughts, words, actions and attitudes. Friends help us determine who we are. They give us feedback. They identify with us, and we with them. They also help us identify who we are not. One's identity is important. What defines it? Citizenship, gender, age, race/ethnicity, class, education, wealth and income, political party, religion (or lack thereof) tastes, profession, and how one spends his/her time. How one spends his time can easily explain his identity. Has anyone ever told you that he/she has a problem with relationships. Nobody has ever told me of a problem he/ she had with relationships in general. It has not been necessary. Their lives have revealed it. I think some people would like to be hermits but they do not want to deal with the stigma of possibly being labeled a "loser." Perhaps they associate being a hermit not necessarily with being a "private person," but with homelessness and being labeled as excessively weird. (to be continued)

Jealousy

"Jealousy is the rage of a man." (Prov.6:34) Jealousy and envy are the same thing. Do great things. Be a kind person. Be helpful. Be giving. Have nice things. Go on great vacations. Get a raise at work. Get a promotion. Have money, talent, good looks, a good education, good health and a pleasing personality. Have a pretty girlfriend, or handsome boyfriend. Be a great athlete, singer, writer, or actor. Be intelligent and have people like you. Get complimented. Excel on the job. Be in demand. Just remember; you will probably need to pay a special tax. "Envy is the tax all distinction must pay." (RW Emerson) Envy is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. It is cruel, cunning and merciless. It harms the innocent. The envious punish success. Much has been written about envy: "Envy is stronger than greed." (French) " Where there is envy, there is malice." (Greek) "Virtue conquers envy." (Latin) "Never be jealous of anyone," is a saying I had on the wall of my classroom when I taught school. Jealousy causes crime. It causes destruction of property; including vandalism, arson and graffiti. Jealousy causes disrespect for others. It is a cause of much crime, suffering, and mental illness. It is indeed the "rage of a man." What does God think of envy? "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's." (Exodus 20:17) I think He makes Himself clear. Never be envious of anyone. Ask God to help you. He will.

On Patience

Patience is an interesting virtue. It seems everyone wants "everybody else" to practice it, yet many cannot practice it because they do not have any , or they have never been taught to practice it. Please realize that I have seen patience in action. It is beautiful. It is a dire necessity in this world and in this country. It must be taught to the young, and it must be practiced by adults. Does patience come naturally to some people? Maybe, maybe not. I know this; you cannot buy it at the store, but you need it at the store. You need it on the road, in parking lots, with your family, friends, neighbors and strangers. You need it in discussions, on the job and in most business transactions. Patience is available, it is free, but it is not cheap. You may not buy it with anything except your will. The true practice of patience is a joy. It is a joy because it is a gift from God. It is a treasure because "In your patience possess ye your souls." (Luke 21:19) Is there something more valuable than your soul? According to Jesus Christ; your soul is worth more than all the treasure on earth. Somewhere, every single day of the week, someone loses his or her life due to the lack of patience. Practice patience. Seek the giver of patience. It is called a "fruit." It is one of the fruit of the Spirit. Patience is a choice, but it is a choice that God is more than willing to assist us with. It is God's will that we practice patience. "In your patience possess ye your souls."

The Law of the Flesh

The flesh cannot please God. The flesh has it's own rules and wants. The main rule of the flesh is: "Give me what I want." The flesh demands air, food, water, pleasures, safety, and honor. And then, it proceeds to demand more. This is a problem. But it has a solution. In the final analysis, it is simple: "Walk ye in the Spirit and satisfy not the lusts of the flesh." God knows our flesh has needs. It is His will to take care of those needs. Just let Him do it His way ; through us. We must be involved, we must let Him operate through us. First: give Him your heart, repent. Next, be baptized in His name. Next, be filled with His Spirit. Next, Walk in the Spirit. How does one do that? Good question. It demands an answer. It has an 8 part answer. 1) Love Him
2) Worship Him 3) Talk to Him (pray) 4) Study His word. 5) Obey His word. 6) Serve Him 7)Fellowship with His people. 8) Fellowship with Him. Go for it. The flesh cannot please God. Do you really want to spend your whole life not pleasing God? I am sure you do not.

Back up your ego

Performance is the key, not just feeling or an attitude. Just because you feel like a great ball player does not mean that you are. Performance is the key. Feeling that you are great, and then proceeding to strike out rather than hit a home run does not constitute greatness. In sports or in other fields of endeavor, performance is still key. Not fantasy, feelings or wishes. How well did you perform? One might hear this answer: " I didn't do very well, but I was able to insult the fellow that did well." Please do not let an over-inflated ego get in the way of what is really happening. You can do great things if you work hard. You can do great things if you prepare better than the person or persons you are competing against. You can do great things if you humble yourself and be aware that it is okay to dream, feel, wish, imagine and pretend. You are human, after all. However, those things are no substitute for performance. Produce, perform, give a good account of yourself and for yourself. Back up your ego with real action and great results, because boasting and dreaming is no substitute for excellent performance. Back up your ego. Back it up, even if the losers do not like it , or you.

Pick up The Pace

Please do not let the title of this entry deceive you. I am not suggesting that you do everything in a hurry. I am merely suggesting that you pick up the pace so that you can have and enjoy more of that "gold". The "gold" that I am talking about is ........time. Suppose you need to be somewhere in 3 hours. One thinks: "I have plenty of time." Remember that old adage: "Always expect the unexpected." Maybe it does not happen every time. ( it just seems like it does) You took your time to get ready, and then time took you. Three phone calls in a row. Someone drops by unexpectedly. You forgot that your car has no gas. You forgot that you must take something with you. You have not bought it yet. Something spills. Something rips. Something does not match. You don't have the address; who do you call? The line is busy. (remember, a teenager lives there) All of a sudden; your neighbor needs to talk to you. Now you are going to rush. Do you need to be at the airport soon? Don't get a ticket. "Stuff" happens. Practice PSFHTP. What is it? It stands for: "PREVENT STUFF FROM HAPPENING THROUGH PRAYER." Don't rush. I know, I know, sometimes you must. To help you avoid rushing in the first place; pick up the pace. Also, pick up the prayer habit.

Educate Yourself

Education is an investment. It pays dividends. It is an investment toward the future. Whose future? Your future. Your formal education, particularly when you take it to a higher level, will usually provide greater opportunities for you. Education costs. It costs money, time, effort, and sacrifice. At times it costs blood, sweat and tears. Once you have it, it cannot be stolen from you. It is yours. It is part of your very being. Go learn something. Get some training. Learn how to do things, repair things, research, learn a new language, learn higher math, learn how to prepare taxes, learn to cook, learn to read music, Learn about agriculture, landscaping, sales, carpentry, history, learn about sports. Become a computer expert. Study the Bible. Study, study, study. Learn, learn, learn. Learn many things. You will make some great discoveries. You won't be sorry. Maybe it is not always easy, but it can also be a great deal of fun. It can be very rewarding, financially and otherwise.

Don't Worry About Anything

I once demonstrated my frustration to someone and he told me : "Don't worry about anything." This is the best advice I have ever heard. I did not realize it at the time, but it is straight from the Bible. Philippians 4:6 starts off by saying: "Be careful for nothing." Obviously, we should not take one part of the Word of God, just focus on that part, and proceed to ignore the rest of the "counsel of God." Please know: God wants us to be happy! He did not call us and save us so that we could spend our lives fussing, worrying, fretting and fearing. His Word is a major love letter. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. Jesus is God; flesh or no flesh. Jesus said: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matt.18:20) Jesus is the Holy Spirit. If He were not the Holy Spirit, He would not be there "in the midst of them." He certainly is not there in the flesh, is He? Jesus is there to bless. There is no worry involved. Don't worry about anything! Have faith in God. Yes, but what about sickness? "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14) The result is: "and the Lord shall raise him up." Yes, but what about all of my other problems? What problems? Money problems, family problems, tough situations at work, problems with friends, responsibilities, and much more. Here is the solution: Pray, read the Word, enjoy God. Make your requests known unto God! "Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt.7:7) You believe the Word of God, don't you? Your faith grows by hearing it. You might be wondering about the part: "enjoy God." Where did THAT come from? It "came" from Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." Please do not worry about anything. Read Philippians chapter 4. Jesus loves you. He does not just want you to be happy. He wants you to have joy. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Its Only Money, Part II

"The love of money is the root of all evil." This is probably the most misquoted verse in the Bible. Money is not evil. The love of it is. We need to walk by faith and not by sight. If the Lord says that He will never leave you nor forsake you, then it is absolutely true. Jesus is God, and God cannot lie. He will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God is the owner of all things; this includes your wallet and all of its' contents. He is the owner of all of our treasures. God gives, therefore, do not be afraid to give. Do not be afraid to spend a little money. Money? Earn some, save some, spend some, give some, invest some. Ask God to show you what to do with your money. First of all: pay your tithes. Remember: 100% of your money belongs to God. He asks for 10%. The best investment you can make is to pay your tithes. What is the return on your money? God opens the windows of heaven and pours out a blessing upon you that is so great that you will not be able to receive it all. (Mal.3:10) Again, please remember: GOD DOES NOT LIE! God wants to give you a great opportunity to get blessed. He loves us so much that He wants us to be like Him. God is perfect. He has absolutely no flaws or imperfections. He wants us to participate of His abundance so that we can bless others. But how can we be a blessing to others if we are tightwads and cheapskates. Have faith. I am perfectly aware of the fact that you cannot give what you do not have. Try this thinking: "I have because I gave," not "I gave because I have." I have seen people with faith borrow money for the purpose of giving to God's work. They were determined to not pass up a blessing. Remember: Jesus said; "It is more blessed to give than to receive." I did not make up that system. God did. It will never fail. Money is one of God's tools. Use it His way. It will never fail.

The Joy of the Lord

"The joy of the Lord is my strength." That verse is part of a scripture found in Nehemiah 8:10. It happens to be one of my favorite truths. It is powerful and so very true. I have actually experienced it in my life. Because of it, my life will never be the same. "The joy of the Lord is my strength" is a philosophy, a mind set, a way of life and a win-win situation. Who wants to be sad and depressed anyway? Do you want joy? I could just say: Ask God for it. But better yet; get to know God first; and then ask him for joy. If you get to know Him; you will know what He wants from you; and you will know what He has for you. He has more in store for you than you can possibly imagine. Do you know of anyone else who gave you (and me) 100% ? In the first place; His 100% keeps on giving and never runs out. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (Jn. 14:6) With Jesus; life does not run out. It never ends. This causes a great deal of joy. And as a bonus you get strength. This particular strength is enough to take you, and help you through anything this life delivers. Knowing this: causes joy.......and more strength! I am telling you: It is a win-win situation. You cannot get better odds in Las Vegas or anywhere else. Please do not waste any more time. Give your life to Jesus.

When You Get Married; Stay Married; Work It Out

I was a school teacher for 30 years. The last school where I worked was Granger Jr. High School. I had a sign written above my door that students could see every day as they walked out. It read: "When you get married; stay married; work it out." I have not always believed this, however, time, age, experience and being married for 32 years to the same woman has convinced me that staying married is the best option. Marriage is beautiful, but one must work at it. Make it work. Work things out. Do the best you can. Be honest with one another. Forget about the hidden agendas. Be faithful to one another. Love one another. Communicate with one another. Be best friends with one another. Be kind to one another. Do things for one another. Buy presents for each other. Pray for one another. Be brave. Be strong. Marriage is not for sissies. Stay married. Work it out.

Sex Outside of Marriage

Sex outside of marriage is not the will of God. "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterersGod will judge."(Heb.13:4) Life is tough for all of us, and it does not matter if one is young or old or male or female. Life is tough for all of us. One of the major problems in life is that too many people do not know what they should do. Or how they should do it. Perhaps they have not been taught. Or perhaps they refused to listen. I do not expect for people to be obedient to God if they do not know God. I do not expect people to obey the teachings of God if they have been taught to worship idols. I judge no person. I refuse to hate anyone. Does that mean that I must agree with all lifestyles? I did not say that sex outside of marriage is wrong. God did. Whose side are you on? I remember being called intolerant. Let me give you an example of intolerance: Several years ago I read in the news that a young couple in rural Iran were living together in a conjugal relationship without officially being married. Islamic elders from the village took them from their hut and cut their heads off from their bodies. That is intolerance, fanaticism, brutality, and ignorance in action. I suppose it is one way of defending marriage. I have read reports of similar responses to such relationships by Islamic leaders. To kill people for fornication is not God's way. God has His Word. He shows us how to live. Either you believe His Word or you don't. I pray that you obey it. But I refuse to judge you. God will take care of that.

I'm Going to Foxborough

I have been a San Diego Charger fan since 1961, since the days of Balboa Stadium. I remember Ernie Ladd, Earl Faison, Ron Mix, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln, Dick Post, John Hadl, Chuck Munci, Kellen Winslow and a host of others too numerous to mention. I have been with the Chargers through the valleys and mountain tops. They are my team. I am not really prepared to discuss much history about them. At this time, all I can tell you is that early tomorrow morning, I will be boarding an airplane that will take me to Massachusetts where I will attend the AFC Championship game between the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots. I'm not too good at the trash talk. I only pray that the Chargers play their best game and not have any injuries. May the good Lord bless them. Congratulations Chargers! You have come a long way.

Its' Only Money, Part I

I am not a proponent of foolish spending. I know money does not come easy. I do not love money. I respect money for what it is. I realize that having lots of it can provide for a person, many opportunities. I invite you today to have a healthy attitude toward money. It is a controversial subject. Who has the answers for providing for us a proper attitude toward money. God does. He says: "The love of money is the root of all evil." This is a powerful statement. Do not love money. Please remember: All of the money, and all of the treasures in this world; all things of value belong to God. "For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." Does God "need a loan"? Emphatically no. God does not "need" anything I have. I need Him. I need to obey Him. I need to love Him. I need to know Him. I need to have faith in Him. He tells me "I will never leave you nor forsake you." He tells me that "He will supply all my need according to His riches in glory." He tells me "Not to trust in uncertain riches." If we put all of our trust in money, we will be seriously disappointed. "With God all things are possible." With money, not all things are possible. Money comes in handy. It helps. It serves the functions it is designed to serve. But money cannot do the impossible. God can; and does. All the money on this planet belongs to God. Use your money like a servant. Don't stash him away and refuse to give some and spend some. Don't be a cheapskate. "The liberal soul shall be made fat." God wants to give us an opportunity to be blessed and enriched. Pay 10% of your income to the Lord and His work. Give offerings. Give to missions. Give to special projects. If you give, God will bless you. Are we going to outgive God? No, because He gave 100%. He asks for 10%. Remember: Its' only money. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (luke 6:38) There is much more to say about this subject. I will save it for another entry.

Don't Procrastinate

There is a saying that goes like this: "Lack of preparation on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part." One of the problems about getting stressed out when you allow yourself to let time pass and ignore deadlines, is that you stress others around you as well. To put others on emergency mode just because you failed to to the things that you should have done is not fair to those affected, whether they be family, friends or co-workers. I also realize, however, that what happens to someone else can also happen to me. I need to help others when I can. It may be a battle, but I need to pick my battles and make sure that I, myself, am not defeated by any of them. I must remember the word s of our Lord Jesus: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Should I help someone who procrastinated? Should some-
one help me when I procrastinate? Should I procrastinate? The answers to those three ques-
tions are easy: What would Jesus say/do?

Laziness is an Addiction

"I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man." (Prov.24:30-34) An addiction sneaks up on a person while he/she sleepily, foolishly, ignorantly and consistently practices it. Poverty is one of the consequences of laziness, and "want" comes to rob one of his peace, reason, self-control and freedom. "Want comes as an armed man." Laziness is a bad habit. It can become a serious addiction. What is the solution to this bad habit? Much depends on why the person is lazy. On the other hand; every addicted person needs a counselor. I want to recommend the "Great Counselor." The great counselor knows your every problem. He knows your every need. He knows you better than anyone knows you. He knows if pride is causing you to refuse to work, because you might think you are "too good" to do certain jobs. He knows if you are bitter or argumentative, jealous or resentful. He knows if you got a "raw deal" along the way. The reason the great counselor can counsel you so well is because; not only does He know all about you; He loves you more than anyone can ever love you. He will heal you of your addiction. Call on Him He is available. His name is Jesus.