Conversation With God

I sat down in my quiet place, and let my breathing settle and my heart slow down. I had read my Bible at home, then took my dog out for her walk into the upper field. I let her run chasing unseen scents from where various animals crossed in barely perceptable trails. The mist softly rose off Green Mountain across the street. That morning mistthat clings to the mountain always seems to settle me down, it has a calming effect on me.

I sit on my rock, taking in the sounds of nature, the rustling of the breeze through the grass, the occasional soft neighing of the neighbors horses, and even the sound of the trucks out on the main road past the end of our property. I take a deep breath and try to clear my mind and then begin my daily ritual of prayer. I should say it is more like a one sided conversation with God. Money has been tight, and I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Our savings has been completely drained, and we live day to day off my job in Internet Sales at a car dealership, where sales has been dreadfully slow. My wife works two part time jobs, one she loves and lives to go to on Fridays and Saturdays, ond one she hates and drags herself to 3 days a week. I start my monologue, “Dear God, I have faith you exist, and that you watch over us, but why do you let me suffer soand not answer my prayers. I need so much and you are very capable of providing, but you seem to turn a deaf ear to me.You don't answer and always seem to leave me hanging.”

A stirring inside of me and a warmth seemed to eminate from within, rising from my toes, up my legs into my stomach and chest, despite the morning chill in the air. My head spun and a dull ache in my heart stirred to life. I heard, or I should more aptly say I felt a voice stirring deep inside of me. I can't quite explain it, I didn't hear the voice in my ears, but rather heard it with my heart, but could understand it just the same.

“What troubles you my son,” it said to me, and I realized it was God speaking to me. It wasn't the deep booming voice from heaven we think of when we see movies like The Ten Commandments, but a soft whisper, neither male nor female.

“Abba,” I responded, “Why don't I hear youwith my ears?”

“Because, my son,” the voice responded, “I speak to you through the Spirit, for when I breathed life into Adam, the life I instilled in him was that of the Holy Spirit, which is in place in all of you my children. It is there before you were born into this world, and it will be ther long after you pass from it. It is what sets you apart from the animals in my kingdom. You have a piece of me dwelling inside you, and I am with you always.”

I felt at peace, and instantly realized this was true, and I started, “so the Trinity...”

“Yes my son, the Trinity does exist,” the voice responded. “I am God the father as I have been called, but more accurately I am God the Creator. Look around you my son, everything you see was created by me. I set the world in motion right down to the great glaciers that set this stone in place that you sit upon and talk to me. Before you Willis Willis would sit upon this rock and rest from his tiring work in this very field, and as a boy he would climb upon this rock as he watched his father toil in the summer heat.” I realized he was talking about Willis Gale and his father Daniel Gale. Willis was my wife's great uncle, and Daniel his father. They owned this farm before I bought it from my in-laws., but this was no secret. They left it to my mother in law, and were very well known in the area, people to this day talk fondly of old Willis Gale.

The voice went on, “So I am God the father and creator of all that was, is, and is to be. I am the common ground that unites all of existance. Inside each of you is your soul, the inner you, the part of you that wasbefore you were. It dwells inside of you, and always will be even after your body passes on to become the dust I created you from. Along with the soul that exists inside of you I have instilled a part of me , that man has come to call the Holy Spirit. The Spirit talks to you on a daily basis, even though mankind has lost the ears to hear it, but you feel it. It is that tugging at your heart, trying to get you on the right path, trying to guide you past the pitfalls in life, and to my heavenly purpose. But you as man through the original defiance you have come to call the original sin, have allowed another to dwell inside of you, and that being controls you through the EGO, and tells you how great you can be, by worshiping things that do not matter, like money and possessions. Essentially when you follow ego, you edge God out of you life and let the dark power take over, aqnd control the direction you take in your life.

Look at the mess in this world, the collapsed economies, the lost jobs, the devalued properties, it is all a result of greed. Man wanting more than he truly needs, houses were getting bigger and bigger, as were the mortgages, and deceptive ways were devised to cover up the debt incurred. Things are considered neccesities that aren't necessary at all. They ar enice to haves and it would make my life easier if...but not necessary at all to live. Cars had to be fancier and bigger.Things considered neccesities may be nice but truly not neccessitie to live. Things had to be bigge, fancier, more economical. All because the one who controls the ego said it should be. You as a society have strayed from your roots. You government fills your headwith lies and like the rest of you, lives well outside of its means, but no one wants to sufer the hard cuts because of a sense of entitlement. You learned nothing from my earthly incarnation in the form of the Christ. He came to earth as an example of how to lead your life, and howit should be lead, and to hopefully awaken you to the existance of the Spirit inside of each of you. He was sent to be the part of me that exeperienced what you experience. He was sent to be the Rabbi of all Rabbi's. I have listened my son, not only to you but to generation upon generations who were like you.” the voice said unto me.

“How do I know you listened my Lord, I mean my life is so messed up and seemingly empty.” I cried.

Is it now? Empty you say, I would say just the opposite, your life is rich and full. I have instilled in you a purpose to minister to your fellow man, and you have found your niche in caring for your fellow warriors. You warriors hold a special place in my heart because for the most part you fight the evil in this world. You put you lives on the line to fight tyranny and hatred, but you also pay the price with your thousand yard stares, and metal anguish from experiencing the horros that man can inflict on their fellow man. This is a result of evil getting inside and messing with the EGO, and filling the mind with self centered thoughts which result in Edging God Out of your lives.” the voice inside my heart continues, “ now to your original prayer, when have I not answered your prayers? You prayed for help in heating your house and I arranged for one receptive to delivering wood and accepting payment over time, then I went a step further and got you a load delivered free of charge from another source. You prayed for relief of a car loan...”

“Now wait a minute God,” I say,, “ I got out from under the car payment because my daughter totaled her mothers car, now that can't be the same thing.”

“Now my son,” God went on,” why does it have to work out exactly as YOU want? Yes she was in an accident, and totaled the car, but didn't I protect her from injury, as well as the other driver? Didn't you get exactly enough to pay off the loan on the car? I would say it all worked out for you.” “You Prayed for money to pay for truck repairs, and didn't I provide work that paid enough to cover those expenses, as well as provide a lady you have become friendly with and is a huge fan of yours?You prayed fervently for a job when your unemployemtn ran out and I provided one. Ialso provided finacial help whn you needed it to pay your bills. When you though Christmases were going to be dismal, didn't I provide money for you to buy presents for your girls, and you admitted yourself tha those were two of the best Christmas's of your life.”

“So okay God,” I ask, “Why do you let bad things happen to good people?”

My son,” God responded, “I don't let bad things happen to good people, you people alone allow bad things to happen to yourselves. Again you rely on EGO to sort things out, and rely on your own understanding. You Edge Me Out, even when you come to me in prayer, rather than listening to the stirring in your heart, and the murmeurs of the Spirit, you rely more on your own intuition and the direction of the EGO. Yes I created the EGO as an instrument for you to develop some pride in your accomplishments, but you have pushed it furhter and further ahead in your life, and placed it above me. Many people worship themselves above me and fail to acknowledge any control I have over their lives. They turn only to themsleves for answers, and take credit for all the good things that happen in ther lives, but blame me when things go wrong. There are two things and two things only I ask of you as humans, and that is to love your fellow man as you love yourself, and two is to in all ways acknowledge me. You must remember that Gratitude is an attitude, and that it is catchy. Just as you like your children to be grateful for the things you do for them, I like all my children to be grateful for the things I do for them. Just as when your children are grateful , you are willing to give them and trust them more, I am also. However, just as you are dismayed when all your children do is come to you with their hands out looking for more without acknowledging what you have already done for them, I get upset when people come to me in prayer and just ask for blessings in their lives. It is totally within my power to make everyman wealthy in ways you can only imagine, but I do not do so because if you are not to be thankful for the small things in your lives, you will never be for the big things either.. Additionally with the benefits of my treasures comes the awesome responsibility of sharing the treasure with those around you as I share them with you. Do you understand what I am saying? You give so freely of yourself and that which I have entrusted in you, but others do not. They think the amassing of gold and jewels make them rich, they fail to realize it is not the ability to amass the vast amount of riches, but the ability to share what I have trusted to you with others that makes you truly rich..”

“My big fear my Lord,” I muse, “is that I am not praying properly.”

“My son,” my heart murmurs, “is there a proper way to pray? You tell me.”

“I don't know Lord,” I reply, “So many people in the Bible seem to have it wired, with the right amount of formality, even people at church, yo uknow the pious ones that use the flowery words and kneel with their heads bowed. That just doesn't feel right to me, I don't know, I just want to do it right.”

“There is no right way, and there is no wrong way to pray,” the voice assures me. “There is only what is comfortable to you. How do you talk to your friends? Are you all formal and correct when you talk to them? If you are comfortable on your knees, then by all means do that. If you are more comfortable sitting on a rock in the middle of a beautiful field with the sounds of nature all around you, then by all means do that. I really don't care, what I do care is that you share with me and come to me with your joys as well as your fears. I care that you have a sense of gratitude for what you have. Talk to me as you wold your wife and kids. What is right for you is right for me.”

“Okay, I say,”I can see that, but it seems that you don't hear me or care to answer.”

“I always answer you Paul,” the voice assures me, You just have to remember, your time is not my time. To me a day is like a millenium, and a millenium is like a day. I answer you when the time is right, in my time, not yours.

“But God,” I cry, “How do I know that if I don't hear you?”

“Paul, Paul, Paul,” He goes on, “You also have to remember man has forgotten how to hear me. I didn't stop communicating with you, you stopped learning how to listen. Abraham, Enoch, Daniel, David, and even Paul learned how to listen to the murmur in their soul just as you are doing right now, that is how I communicate with you. I also send you messages through your surroundings and nature. Remember when you decided it was right to start a ministry, you were talking to me in a garden. What happened then?”

“I remember,” I said, “A hummingbird landed on abranch right next to me and sat there looking at me. I felt so peaceful and everyhting felt so right.”

“And was that not an answer to you?”

“I see what you mean my Lord, I see what you mean.”

“My son just because I don't ensure you have all the things you think are the finest in the world, I have entrusted you with some of the most precious gifts life has to offer. A good woman at your side, the sound of giggling children at play, the beauty of a sunrise and sunset over the mountains. And you do show gratitude for these, and I am appreciative of that, for many don't and just grumble about what they don't have even when I have given them so much. So go forth my son and enjoy the pleasures I have given you, and remember this, the most precious gift is time, for even though it goes on eternally, your time in this physical body is limited and finite,and you can't replace any of it once it is gone, so spend it wisely, and enjoy every second of it.”

With that the voice subsided and my heart went quiet, but the glow remained and I knew my conversation with God was over, for now. But I also felt if I continued to speak, God would be ther listening. I walked back to the house a few minutes later with a new fresh perspective on life, and my relationship with my Creator.

The Great Equalizer

There is no promise,
of an easy life,
For any God's children
here on earth.
Life is filled
with toils.
Life is filled
with tribulations
No promise is given
of riches untold
or condemnation made
of abject poverty.
We shall toil
On a daily basis
Through the sweat
Of our labored brow
Some will see riches
beyond imagination.
Some will not
see any at all.
The world seems
So unfair,
But the true reward
lays not on earth,
but in heaven above,
In God's own realm.
For death becomes
The great equalizer
For we all
leave this earth
with nothing
but the name
we made for ourselves.
We stand before
our Lord
To answer for
the lives we lived.
Can you be proud,
Of the name you built?

Paul Bartoswicz

DeStress

I read once a long time ago that every person should have a place they can go that is within 5-10 minutes of where they work, and where they live that they can destress and just get back on track. I was thinking of this the other day when Pastor Mitchum and I snuck away to talk for an hour at one of my secret locations, and Dan had made the comment that "it was so nice to get out there and hear the river in the background rather than the clicking of keyboards, and the hum of machinery, and people's voices in other offices. I was thinking about this for the last couple of days and realized how blessed I am to have so many of these "secret" places to get away to even though I haven't really taken advantage of them to their fullest potential. My own back yard up in the field is one of the first places, and they are all in their own way God's outdoor cathedrals, a place where we can reflect on the grandeur of His great creation. It may be noisy as in the river but it is God's noise not man's noise that predominates, and it can be a place that is very quiet for the most part as it is in my field, with the only real noise being the wind blowing through the trees and the rustling leaves. I think we all need to find such places, and if they were utilized I think you might find our stress levels as a country decrease, and with the decreased stress levels, I think we would find that our medical needs go down also.

Just a thought.

The Awesome Journey

The Awesome Journey


Don't be anxious
Wait on the Lord
Don't let fear take hold
Trust in the Lord
Your life is a journey
Let God be the guide
Let God take hold
And follow His will
And His patient hand
Guide you on your way
Let His eternal calmness
Settle your troubled soul
Let the whisper of His vice
fall gently upon your ear
Open up your senses
And let Him into your life
Feel the warmth of His love
wash over your body like the sun.
Let His desire for your life
change your eternal soul.
His still hand allows
you to reach beyond the grave.
When you learn to trust
In His will for you
You set upon a journey
of awesome proportions
Don't be envious
of what others have
Be joyful of what you have
In God's great plan.
And enjoy your ride
On God's awesome journey.

Paul Bartoswicz 7/26/09

I wrote this poem during church on July 26th as I reflected on what life had to offer as well as a reflection on Pastor Dan Mitchum's sermon series he has been preaching on. The whole financial mess we find ourselves in today is in part due to envy, we must be able to keep up with the Jonses and have everything they have regardless f how much debt we must bury ourselves in to get it, then our financial lives are so finally balanced, that one little blip in our finances slips us over into the abyss of despair.

The Reason For the Season

We have a tendency during the Christmas Season to forget the true Reason For The Season. It has become such a hectic time of year running from one place to another. Christmas parties, shopping, wrapping presents, visiting friends. If we are lucky we might squeeze in one or two Advent Services, and if time permits we will try to get to the Christmas Eve Service at Church, but even that becomes a visistation of people we haven't seen in a long time.

The following story was sent by a new friend, and it sums up the Reason for the Season. God sent His only SON to us not to judge us but to redeem us from our sins, and essentially ourselves

~ A Baby's Hug ~

We were the only family with children in the restaurant.
I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly
sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and
said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby ha nds on the
high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his
mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and
giggled with merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It
was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast
and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was
dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers
were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so
varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he
smelled.. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.
'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya,
buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks,
'What do we do?'

Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and
then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with
my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting
from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know
peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously
drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all
except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for
the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with
his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door.
My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in
the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the
door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to
me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I
turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he
might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm,
reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up'
position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled
himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby
consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total
trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the
man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I
saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of
grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom
and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so
deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in
his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He
said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this
baby.'

Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that
contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as
though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man
said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my
Christmas gift.'

I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my
arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was
crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying,
'My God, my God, forgive me.'

I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the
innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no
judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a
suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a
child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you
willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared
His for all eternit y. How did God feel when he put his
baby in our arms 2000 years ago.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To
enter the Kingdom of God , we must become as little
children.'

If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it
on. Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is
really important. We must always remember who we are, where
we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about
others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive
or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it
is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you
are.

This one is a keeper.

'It is better to be liked for the true you, than to be
loved for who people think you are......'

I need Your Help

My family has been on a terrific journey for the last 23 years. We are a family that steps up to the plate and helps people and groups when they need help. It is not uncommon for us to spend our vacations and free time helping out in some volunteer capacity. To me it can be much more rewarding and relaxing then just laying around on a beach somewhere. I have bitten in lately to several projects which are to say the least huge.

A minor project which is no less important than any of the others is where I need the help right now. In an effort to collect can tabs for the Shriners Hospital of Boston


One man's trash is another man's treasure, and in this case the little aluminum can tabs are collected at approximately 1300 tabs to a pound. The tabs are sorted and then sold for recycling value to help pay for the Shriners Hospital of Boston which provides free care to children up to 18 years of age.

My family is undertaking a collection drive for these tabs, and help raise money for this much needed project. I need 5 gallon buckets to help in the collection and storage of these tabs. I strongly encourage anyone to collect these tabs, and if you have clean 5 gallon containers that we can use at collection sites and for storage in my barn I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Please e-mail me at bartoswicz@roadrunner.com

Be careful what you ask for

Many people do not believe in God, or they don't believe that God answers prayers. I was out picking blueberries this evening, as has been my nightly and weekend project since late June. I was down in the field in the midst of a patch of low bush blueberries that were hanging like grapes. The mosquitoes were like a black cloud around me, and all you could hear was the constant buzzing. It sounded like the world war II movies when they show the planes all over the sky, and that incessant drone. I looked up to the sky and there were rain clouds off in the distance, and I said, "God, I know these mosquitoes are some of our creation, but can you do something to control them while I pick my berries. Just then the sky opened up and the rain poured down on top of me. I considered coming down out of the field but I decided I was already soaked and by the time I got to the house I would be soaked through as I was way up at the top of the field, so I just kept on picking, and picking, and picking. When the container I was putting the berries in was full I stood up and the rain suddenly stopped, and a rainbow came out ending right on my property. I am amazed about how many blueberries are out there this year, it is like a carpet of blue out there.

This does bring up a pet peeve of mine. I have all these berries and I am picking like crazy, but I will never harvest them all or even come close, I offersd a local food pantry to let their customers come over an pick berries for themselves, and was politely told they couldn't do that, they can't require their customers to do any work like that, but if I wanted to pick them and bring them over they would gladly give them out to the people who came in for food.

Lives

Publius Syrus once wrote, "We should not live one life in private, and one life in public."

Those who know me well know I love to collect quotes, as a matter of fact I have filled two journals with quotes I have collected and am currently working on my third. This is one quote that seemed very very appropriate just after I found it. It was shortly after I wrote it in my journal that we got news of the John Edwards affair. This was definitely a case of a person living two separate lives, his public personae of a man who adored and supported his wife's battle with cancer. A loving man who was there for her ignoring his personal needs (but not his public ones in running for President) to help her with her battle. Then there was the personal life where he sought and acted on the relationship with another woman during this time. he stated that he grew into the assumption that due to his successes he could do whatever he wanted without any reprisal or ramifications, he had become a legend in his own mind.

We must live transparent lives willing to let what we do in our private lives be as upright as that which we let be seen in our public lives. If anything we should be more upright in our private lives as our giving spirit should be a private matter. God knows our hearts and He knows our intentions. If we do what we do for public acclaim it may be for the wrong reason.

March Out

I meet the most amazing young man yesterday at the annual family concert at Camp Sentinel in Tuftonboro New Hampshire. He went to college to play baseball, and after an injury changed his life around he now plays guitar, writes music, and sings for a group called Fort Pastor. A group who challenges all their fans to join a group called Social Justice Army. The challenge is to donate an hour per month to a worth while cause such as Habitat for Humanity, Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens, and spend some time helping your fellow man. I am actually thinking of joining as it would end up giving me some extra time each month if I only donated an hour a month instead of all the volunteer time I do give each year. The young man's name is Brant Christopher, and if you ever have a chance to hear him and his message, or that of Fort Pastor, I strongly advise you to go and see him. The following video and song really has meaning to me.



FORT PASTOR MUSIC VIDEO

Heroes

It seems a lot of times when I am working on a piece to post, I go to church on Sunday and the Pastor talks on a subject very close to the subject I am working on. It happened again today. I was working on a piece listing heroes in my life, and when I got to church this morning Gordon McDonald was preaching on a hero of his. He started the sermon with the fact that when he is getting to know someone one of the questions he invariably asks is "Who are your heroes?" He says he can get a lot of insight out of how a person answers this, and I agree with him. I have been amazed for years by several people who have become heroes in my life, some more recently than others. I would like to take the opportunity to list them today.

Jesus Christ for some obvious reasons. When I state someone is my hero I am saying I would like to be like that person, or there is something in that persons life that I deeply admire and would like to emulate. well in the case of Jesus, I strive to be more Christ like in my life. I strive to treat people fairly and the same regardless of their station in life. I strive to be happy with what God has bestowed upon me. I try not to be bitter when bad things happen to me. I strive, but because I am an imperfect person I know I can not ever gain that lofty goal, but I know that God loves me anyway.

The second hero in my life is the Apostle Paul. He makes the list because when confronted by the reality of God, he did not take the easy way out. He left his life of privilege and became an outcast to most of mainstream society of his time. He strove to do what was right and just. He supported his fellow Christians and helped them grow in their walk with God.

Third on my list is Ronald Reagan, again because he strove to do what was right even when unpopular. He brought some pride back to both the country and the military, both of which had been devastated after a long protracted war in Vietnam. When I joined the Navy in the early 80's it was still a negative connotation to be in the service, but when I got out the attitude had come about 180 degrees. He helped the country back on a path of prosperity and growth. he lived by his convictions.

Fourth on my list is more a group of people than a single individual, it is the likes of Milton Olive III, Jack Lucas, and every other person to ever receive the bauble we call the Congressional Medal of Honor. These are men who gave their all to save the lives of their fellow soldiers, sailors, marines or airmen. They gave no thought to their own safety, and I can never help but wonder if I were in the same position coul I bring myself to do what they did, for no man has a greater gift to give than his own life.

Fifth on my list would be William Bartosiewitz my paternal grandfather ( name has changed several times) I never really got to know the man except through stories my father and grandmother had told me, but he was a self made man who worked hard to get where he did in life. The stories about him have inspired me in work, and my personal life. Those stories taught me the importance of voting, and hard work.

And after today's sermon I have added a sixth to my list in the person of Barnabas as told about in the Book of Acts. He personified courage and was an encourager, he worked hard at being generous to a fault, and encouraging people on their walk with Christ. I try to be the uplifting person who helps people to see the bright side instead of dragging them down all the time. I try to be generous to a fault. As Gordon talked you realize that there is two prefixes that you can add to courage with two totally different results, En/courager, the person everyone is glad to see, and the DIS/courager, the person every one is glad to see....leave. The encourager builds up and supports, while the discourager tears down and demoralizes.

Those are the heroes in my life, the people I strive to be more like....Who are yours? Feel free to write me and let me know.

Service

I was at part of the towns Fourth Celebration this morning at the parade, and someone asked me why I had joined the service when I did. I went in after Vietnam when people still treated servicemen badly. I didn't even have to think about it. I pointed to a flag that was waving proudly in the breeze, and said that is why. I was born in country where you can be anything you put your mind to.There are no guarantees, but if you work hard and apply yourself and have a solid plan behind you you can achieve just about anything. There are those who say the American Dream is dead,that there is nothing you can do about it.I say that is bull crap and you can still achieve if you desire to. We live in a country where regardless of the station of your birth you can become active in the political function of the country. Regardless of your status at birth you can become a business leader. College dropouts can become one of the richest men not only in the country but the world.

This is why I joined the military and served my time. I believe it is the duty of each of us to put something back into this country without thought of personal gain. For me it service time in the Navy, for others it may be the Peace Corps, or Teach America. In Israel every person has to serve in the military for a certain amount of time. I do realize that some people are not cut out for the military, but there is some level of service they can give back. I carry this philosophy forward with me to this day, I try to give back to the community I live in by making a better, more enjoyable place to live in. I don't do it for personal gain, I don't do it to get my face plastered all over the paper because of all the great things I do. I do it because it is the right thing to do, and I do it because it helps the people of my community. I do it to see the smiles on the faces of people who benefit because I do it. Personally I get frustrated by the people who ask, "What's in it for me to do this?"

When I can I love to anonymously leave a Thanksgiving Basket for someone who is having a tough time of it. I also love to buy presents for Christmas for people who might otherwise have anything. Having been on the receiving side of the coin at Christmas one year I can tell you personally how it feels to have some one think of you in a time of need like that. Some years like this year I am struggling to put food on the table to feed my own family, so I can't do as I would like, but other years I can be very generous, and I love to be. People seem to look for my ulterior motive when I do things like that, but believe me there is none, my only reward is because I know it is the right thing to do, and to to see the smile on the face of someone who benefits. My wish is to have foundation that can just help families in need, and not have to worry so much about my own needs all the time, and God willing it will come, but in the mean time to see the smile on a little boys face when he finds the quarters that just happened to fall out of my pocket on the way into the store, when I know his dad is having a hard time of it, and the little boy would like a candy bar every now and then. That says it all. I served my country proudly in uniform, and would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to, but I also enjoy serving my community and fellow man when I have the ability and the chance.

"Stress Buster"

Before I start today I have to make a disclaimer the title of this blog post is not my own but borrowed from Pastor Dave Kemper of the First Congregational Church of Ossipee. It was the title of his sermon this morning and I was deeply touched by the sermon. While I try to live a Christian life it is very hard because the minutiae of day to day life seems to always bog us down. We do things that cause us guilt, and we lose people and things close to us that cause us grief, and people do things to us that cause us to hold grudges. Because of the three g's guilt, grief, and grudges it causes us to live tension filled lives, and inhibits our relationship not only with God but also with others.

The three g's drag us down into the mire of our pasts and do not allow us to concentrate on the future where we can make the changes that would allow us to live less stressful lives. Guilt of our past actions, grief of what we lost, and grudges held against people all drag us into the mire of that stress. We cannot change the past but we can change and affect the future. by putting those things behind us and turning them over to God can we look forward to a bright new future with less stress in our lives. We have all done things that are wrong, but through turning our lives over to Christ, and believing the sins of our lives were nailed on the cross with Him then we can live guilt free lives and work on correcting those actions that we know we should not be partaking. When we lose something or someone dear in our lives, by concentrating on what we do have rather than concentrating on what we have lost we work on the future instead of living in the past. We may not have the person in our lives, but we will always have the memories of what made them special to us. My father passed on when I was a young man and just married, my wife was pregnant with our first child. Yes I miss my father deeply, but I have memories of fishing trips and camping trips with him. I also have my home, my wife and my daughters. I have made some bad decisions in my life, and at just shy of fifty years old find myself essentially starting all over again with little left in savings towards day to day living let alone retirement , but I still have modestly good health, I have a loving wife working with me to start all over again, I have dreams of where th e future can bring me, I have three lovely, loving daughters, and I have the ability to start all over again. (It takes a lot for me to be able to admit this on a blog like this but it is in a sense a part of starting all over.)

Grudges for me are the hardest part to give up. We have a tendency to hold things against people for things they have done or things they have said. Who does holding a grudge hurt? The person we hold the grudge against.....guess what for the most part they probably don't care. I held a grudge against a minister for years for things he did an said, such as basically telling me I had nothing to offer in my life. Does he care I held this grudge? I can tell you in retrospect he does not even care that I held this grudge against him. All it did was affect my life and turn me sour against the church for several years.

Let me tell you this, forget about the 3 g's turn your guilt, grief and grudges over to God and get on with you life and making yourself a better person. As Pastor Kemper said the difference between being BITTER and being BETTER is I so it is up to me. This reminds me of a saying that was drilled inot our keads at a sales meeting this winter.."IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME"

Light of our Lives

After yet another snow storm in New Hampshire this winter, it brings the growing piles of snow even higher in front of my windows. After clearing out the driveway for the umpteenth this winter, I again went out on my snowshoes. This time was a lot harder than some of my previous expeditions because I was sinking almost knee deep in fresh powder, and it was tiring, but as I got up closer to the crest in the field behind my house I was greeted with the scene at the top of this entry. As I often do, I reflected on how this is an illustration of our lives. No matter how dark and bleak our lives seem, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If Jesus is in our lives he supports us as I have said in some of my previous posts, but He also lights our world and gives us hope and illumination. There are some who would try to tell you that organized religion is nothing but a method of keeping the masses down and locked in despair. I am telling you that it is just the opposite, a strong faith and belief system give us the hope we need to go on in an increasingly crazy world. It gives us a structure of morals and values to work with and base our lives. With this belief system we can see the light ahead illuminating our way on the road of life, and when the road seems darkest, alight bursts forth giving us guidance and hope in our lives.

Support

I have now been rebitten by the snowshoeing bug. I went out again this afternoon fr abut 1 1/2 hours. I trekked over the field and down into the woods beyond. My dog Regal was having a ball running on the snow. Being light enough she just skimmed the surface of the snow supported by the icy crust below the surface. before I get totally into the gist of this post I do have to relate a story. When I got down to the bottom of the access road to the wood lot, I noticed some old moose tracks, and wanting to get a picture of the depth of the snow for Anya, at college I put one pole into the hoof print and another pole even with the surface of the snow to show her the approximate depth of the snow in the woods. I looked up and Regal was gone so I whistled and called for her. Just then I heard a nise of branches snapping and turned around just in time to see a large brown shadow about 50 feet away moving off into the woods. The moose who made the tracks had made his appearance. I snowshoed down to where I had seen him and found an obviously fresh pile of his leavings still partially steaming, and a spot where he had obviously lain down in the snow. When my breathing evened out I could hear him off in the background crashing through the branches in the woods. Regal heard him too, and was not to eager to leave my side.

Now for the main reason for my post, as I have a penchant for and as the three pastors who preach at my church often say, I am always looking for illustrations to base my writings and musings on as they are always looking for sermon illustrations. During this trek out through my field, and on into the woods I was noticing how well the snowshoes held me up on some of the deepest snow we have had in a long time. They would sink down briefly into the soft powder on top but the overall size of the snowshoe and the webbing would keep me up on the surface of the snow. If I did not have them on I would be breaking through not only the powdery layer but also the crusty surface underneath and buried in snow most likely up past my knees. I would tire out very easily, and most likely not get very far. With the snow shoes I would be able to just sink briefly into the powder but the snowshoe would spread my bulky weight out over the entire expanse of the shoe and support me on the crust underneath. Occasionally I would crack the crust but not sink very far into the snow at all.

The illustration I found this supports is my walk with Christ. My belief in God is like the snowshoe. He keeps me buoyed up in the quagmire of life's trial and tribulations. I break through the surface of the muck of life, but with God's support through my belief in Christ helps keep me from getting bogged down like being stuck in quicksand. Our lives are not completely trouble free, and God does allow us to get into scrapes and situations, but belief in Him does help support us form getting bogged down in the mire of despair that we could be. He is the snowshoe that keeps us on the surface and traveling down the path. In a note written by Sue Dorian thanking people for their support after the passing of her dear husband Paul, she noted that she could rejoice in his passing because she knew through her belief tat Paul was with God in heaven, but on the earthly side there was a void in her life now that could never be filled. Her belief in Christ is keeping her from getting to mired down in the snows of life, that our earthly bodies can find ourselves

I was going to wait to unveil this piece, and my plans today was to write a piece to honor Paul Dorian, who's time on this earth was cut short last Thursday evening. I will mis his memorial service today due to work commitments. However the more I thought about it, the more I realized this piece was very appropriate for Paul's life. Please read and celebrate Paul's life and journey on earth.

It is a long piece but from the heart.

212 Degrees

Judges 16:23-30

Have you ever seen the screws also known as the propellers on a large ship? They are immense. I had the opportunity to stand beside a pair for an LPD in a dry dock and they dwarfed me as I stood next to them.. I don’t remember the weight on them but it was a very heavy amount, and the shafts that they attach to aren’t just toothpicks either. While I was in the Navy I was always amazed at the engineering types. They lived most of their lives below decks in the bowels of the ship working their magic that made the ship work. When you did see them above deck they always looked like their eyes were closed in a permanent squint in the foreign sun. I always thought they preferred to emerge from their catacombs in the peaceful serenity of the new moon so the sky was as foreign to them.. They sequestered themselves for hours on end in the nether reaches of the ship in such places as the boiler room, shaft alley, and the machine rooms. When they did emerge they always had this oily dinginess about them that never did quite come out. They were the givers of life to the ship. Without them working their magic in the black hole of the engine spaces, the ship wouldn’t move, the guns couldn’t aim, the radios wouldn’t work once the batteries died. In short without the engineers our glorious Navy would basically be a bunch of big piles of steel rusting away in the ocean. One of the things that the purveyors of Naval life understand is the difference that one extra degree can make. Many people talk of the advantages of going to the Celsius scale where water freezes at zero and boils at 100 degrees. How many of you know the Fahrenheit scale is based on the comfort range of the human body 0 was commonly thought to be the lower end of the comfort range for a moderately dressed man and 100 degrees is the upper range of that scale where the human body is comfortable. Of course we know now that there are other factors such as wind and humidity that play into the equation., as well as length of exposure. But using this premise as a basis, water at 100 degrees is fairly comfortable for the human body for a period of time. I have been told because I am not a coffee drinker that 180 degrees is the ideal temperature for a cup of coffee, so we could safely say 180 degrees is hot. Water at 211 degrees would be very hot, wouldn’t you agree?

But we know from basic chemistry, not one of my better subjects, and basic physics, which I enjoyed more, that water boils at 212 degrees, and boiling water transforms the water from a liquid to a gas we call steam.. Steam under the right circumstances can be used to produce a power that drives the huge propellers that move a ship through the water. Without going into it the steam is heated even higher than 212 degrees under pressure to become superheated steam, but it requires that 212 degrees to become the steam in the first place, and steam is required to turn the massive shafts that drive the propeller that pushes the ship through the water. If there are any naval engineering types out there I apologize for the simplicity of my explanation here, but it is the essence of how the system works that illustrates my point. It is that one degree that takes the water from the very hot, or scalding hot, to the driving force turning not only those massive propellers, but driving many tons of steel though the ocean at very impressive speeds. Aircraft carriers for example The USS RONALD REAGAN displaces 104,000 tons, ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND TONS. Think about that for a moment how heavy that ship is….ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND TONS. And it is propelled by steam. The vaporous form of lowly water that we all take for granted. It is nuclear powered but the nuclear power is just a way to heat the water and bring it to steam. Think of the power that one extra degree can produce. Can you imagine one hundred four thousand tons driving though the water at over 30 knots? 30 knots being a nautical mile is the same as driving your car at 34 miles per hour. The actual top speed is more than that but is classified. ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND TONS OF STEEL, with six thousand give or take men, and almost one hundred aircraft driven by steam. Not only does steam drive that massive ship though the water, it is also used to launch aircraft form a standing start to flying speed in an amazingly short distance. I once was told that the catapult of a carrier could launch a Cadillac up to one half a mile , now that is power. Steams launch those wonders of Naval aviation so they can ply the sky above the seas. One extra degree takes plain water and produces not only power, but mighty power, impressive power, unstoppable power.

I saw a film once while I was in the navy, of a high pressure steam leak. You couldn’t see the steam leaking out of the pipe, but you could hear it hissing it’s deadly warning. The instructor waved a broom handle through the path of the steam leak, and it cut the handle cleanly through as if it had been cut by an invisible saw. Now that is power. It is the power that that extra degree gives you.

In our passage today Samson summoned up that extra degree when he asked God to help him one last time. He summoned that extra degree that God gave him and brought the temple down on the Philistines. Samson could have just given up and let himself be put to death but he summoned that extra degree and went down in a blaze of glory.

Abraham summoned up that extra degree of courage when he put his pride and joy son on the alter to sacrifice. Noah showed the extra degree when even though he was probably subject to tons of ridicule and jeers while he was building the ark in preparation to the flood. Daniel showed the extra degree and tolerated the extra degree when he was cast into the fiery furnace with Meshach, Shadrech and Abednego. They all showed that extra degree of confidence that God would take care of them. Moses wavered but did show the extra degree in trusting God by leading the Israelites out of Egypt. In the sermons John Babson has been preaching Nehemiah turned up the extra degree and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.

What can we do if we apply that extra degree. We work on a daily basis some of you in an office, some in a factory, my wife works in a grocery store, and my 16 year old daughter works in a restaurant. Both of them show that extra degree in their jobs. My daughter is respected and well liked by the people she works with because she puts her all into the job. She doesn’t treat it as a lowly job of bussing tables she looks at as an opportunity to grow in responsibility, and in herself. My wife Janet works at Valuland as a cashier. People I run into all the time tell me how lucky I am to have her as a wife, and I am truly very thankful for that. What makes her special is she smiles and greets people, she makes them feel very special when they are at her register. She makes them feel like they are the most important person in the store when she is dealing with them. She goes the extra mile to remember what they like and how they like their groceries bagged. When she can she helps those who are struggling out with their groceries. I have had people tell me how upset they are when they go into the store and learn that Janet is not working on that day. Janet turns up the heat that extra degree and goes form being hot to being a driving force in what she does. She tries not to drag people down, even on days when I have seen her drag herself out of bed in excruciating pain, and come home in so much pain she was in tears, she still makes her customers the most important feature in the store.

I work on the road in sales, and I meet all kinds of people, form the ones that make you feel like you are an imposition on them for being a salesman to the ones who make you feel like you are their long lost brother. I know how hard it is to keep that smile on you face and work to get the person the right product of their needs, and it is not always what I have to sell. I struggle to find that extra degree, yet I know how important it is.

Jesus shows us examples of turning up the heat that extra degree all over the gospels. From the feeding of the multitudes at the Sermon on the Mount, He could have just packed it in and told the disciples they didn’t have enough food to take care of all those people. No he dug right in and worked his miracles. He raised Lazarus form the dead. He healed the lepers. Where in the Gospels can you not find an example of Christ turning up the heat. Right to the end of his earthly ministry when he was nailed to the cross and sacrificed for our sins. And guess what, he didn’t stop there, he rose again and overcame the bounds of death, he walked with and talked with His disciples and prepared them for the trials and the work ahead so they could in turn, turn up the heat to become a driving force in society. They were the steam that got the mighty juggernaut of Christianity going, and we are the steam that keeps it moving forward instead of becoming a rusting hulk in the ocean of society as many churches have a tendency to do.

God is always asking us to turn up the heat and put out that extra degree. He wants us to be a driving force in society instead of society being a driving force on us.. The First Congregational of Ossipee has gone from being a hot church to being a superheated church. FCCO is more than a force in the confines of Ossipee, it is more than just a driving force in the confines of this lovely valley. The extra degree that God demands of us has taken this church beyond Carroll County, beyond the borders of New Hampshire. That driving force has taken us out of Northern New England, and even out of New England overall. God’s driving power has broken the bounds of the nations borders. FCCO is a driving force in the world. By applying that extra degree that God has demanded of us It has driven FCCO’s reach into Mississippi with Paul Dorian and his group that went down to help rebuild after Katrina. It has manifested itself in the dedication of Rusty Reinhold, and Doug Kimball, and the rest who travel to Haiti to help minister to those in need down their. That extra degree manifests itself in Oscar and Janet while they labor in love in Peru, teaching and spreading God’s word. That extra degree manifested itself in the new Bible they were able to provide to the people they serve. That extra degree drives us to assist missionaries in South Africa, as well as other African countries. It drives our people into the Muslim strongholds of the Middle East. That driving force drives us to support missionaries all over the world.. That driving force drives us to support the missionaries in our own back yard who go into the halls of Kingswood to work with our teens and help them find their own driving force in the world, and to mentor them into that force being a positive rather than negative force.

If that driving force can take a plain quiet, unassuming woman, like my wife and make her a bright spot in many peoples day, how can it change you?

By asking God to apply that one extra degree to your life, could it make you the life change force for that one co-worker, or friend who is looking for something more? By adding that one degree could it make you the shining example that would attract people to FCCO through your example.

By adding that one extra degree could you help even one person break the shackles of a destructive life, of alcohol or drug addiction? By adding that one degree could you bring the pillars of Satan’s temple down that had been built up around someone?

What driving force does God want you to be in today’s society?

This was the life of Paul Dorian. He turned up the heat in everything he did. He was a moving force, and got things done, whether it was raking the beach at Loon Lake, organizing a work party at church, or organizing a mission trip to the storm ravaged Gulf Coast after Katrina. I respected and liked Paul deeply, when he greeted me he always did so with a smile and pat on the back and a cheerful Paulie.

Paul I will miss you, but I know through your trust in God and love in Christ, you are in a better place. I do know I am a much better person for having known you.

Slow Down

I am including a piece I wrote about twenty three years ago, but it is as meaningful today as it was back then.

The Mountains Will Always Be There

It was one of those days that you dread seeing, the pressure of the job was getting to me. The head office had started putting more and more pressure on me to get more and more done and I didn’t have the personnel to get it done. I started the day jumping down one of the shippers throats to get more done. He looked up at me, smiled and said, “Calm down sir, the mountains will always be there.”

The statement flew over my head, as I hustled about trying to get all my jobs done. The pressure just kept piling up, and I kept running around and getting more and more frustrated. The burden on my shoulders kept feeling heavier and heavier. When I finally got home and started reviewing the day’s activities, and planning the next day, I remembered that quote, “Calm down sir, the mountains will always be there.” I looked out over the fields behind my house, and saw those majestic peaks in the distance. The snow covers them all winter in a cloak of white splendor. In the spring the chilling wind whistles between the peaks. In the summer the baking sun basks those peaks in warmth and glory. In the fall they put on their coat of many colors for all to enjoy.

I realize then that no matter what is thrown at them, the freezing snow, the boiling sun, the beating wind, or even the blazing glory, they stay almost virtually unchanged. Yes it was then that I realized, “Calm down sir, the mountains will always be there.”

We live in a time where we seem to always be in a rush. Kids to friends, wife running on this errand or that, and ourselves running off in this direction for one reason and that direction for something else. Meetings, practice, school, events all seem to fill up our lives on a daily basis. We don't take time to smell the roses anymore.

I live in one of the most beautiful areas and people come here all the time for vacations and weekends away, yet even then they seem to always be in a rush, I'll be driving down the road and an out of state car will fly by me at what appears to be the speed of sound. We don't take the time to slow down and really see the beauty around us. When was the last time you noticed a real beautiful sunset, or even sunrise. After a snow storm, have you really taken the time to notice the snow clinging to the firs and pines, and the golden glow of the sunlight on them as it starts to break through the storm clouds? Life is a journey, for some of us it is a long journey, for others it is tragically short, but what we do with that journey is up to us. We have to make the most of it.

One thing our family does is try to have dinner together every night, some nights, yes, it is a hectic time filled with bickering kids, but at others it is a time that we talk and learn. We even say grace and be thankful for that which we are blessed to have, as you should.

So my wish for you today is to slow down smell the roses, and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you each and every day.