Second Chances

 I have been reading and thinking a lot lately.

Most recently, hell, is there a second chance once we die and haven't accepted Christ?

It made sense to me that when you died without acknowledging that you have been saved, you would go to hell.

Not the hell of fire and brimstone, but of the concept of the total separation of God for eternity.

But then in my reading a couple things hit me like a sledgehammer between the eyes.

God is omnipresent, He is everywhere all of the time especially inside of us, so we can never be separated from Him, even in Hell.

And, He is a God of love and a God of second chances.

I am still not sure how I feel about this concept, but God is a God of love, compassion, mercy, always there for us.

And He is not like us when it comes to love, etc., He is an example of it that we cannot comprehend, it is that strong.

If you are like me, your first reaction to this is that it is wrong because, more often than not, that is how we are raised and led to believe and it makes complete sense.

But God's love doesn't make sense if you think about it enough.

And maybe that's what I have done here.

Humanity Matters

Illegal immigration...it's a problem. A major problem.

Two million illegals are coming into our country every year and they're entering other countries in Europe also.

How do I feel about it?

I mean, how can I be so against immigration and I am not especially legal immigration because at some point my ancestors felt same way these people are and hopped on a ship out of Europe.

I've benefitted from it.

But can we take them all?

No.

And even those who support illegal immigration have a point in which they are against it.

Unfortunately,  humans have become political pawns, but we've seen that everyone has a point of "it's too much".

As Texas and Florida have sent many of these people coming in illegally to places that were willing to let them come into our country, as they started to tax their area, they've changed their minds.

From Martha's Vineyard to sanctuary city New York, the politically supportive of open borders, suddenly change their minds when they are inconvenienced.

What do we do about it?

Well, we either have borders or we don't.

We have laws or we don't.

So I am supportive of laws beings enforced with our borders, but I am also supportive of helping the less fortunate.

Yea, I guess I'm not really taking a stand, I just want consistency from those who are in charge or support those in charge.

I want The Right to be more like Jesus in their dealing with this issue, and I want The Left to understand it's a major problems and their hypocrisies are shining through also.

Will that solve the problem?

How many problems are actually solved?

I just want logical empathy to rule the day and not for human beings to be used as political pawns...

By anyone.

E Piph A Ny

I have been down on USA Christians for awhile now.

We tend to not live like Jesus, we have led so many of us to believe that Jesus would be a Republican, we are not nice to people who are different from us and our presence on social media does not draw non-believers to want to follow Jesus.

It's true, but it hit me recently because I have felt my own heart harden and feeling distant from The Holy Spirit.

We surround ourselves with bitter, angry people because they are tired of being pushed around and told we are wrong and mocked, and ridiculed because we cannot believe or even understand the changes that are occurring in our culture.

And as we are pushed, mocked, and stand for what we believe in, our hearts harden.

In fact, there are people on social media and you may even have friends who like to troll you, they want to make you upset, they want you to behave the opposite of what Jesus would do, they get joy from it.

And it hardens our hearts more until this happens so much that we have descended into being angry, Republican Jesus followers...and that's just wrong.

Maybe that's not you, but I can tell you as I have wondered why God seems so distant from me, I realized how I have been the one who has traveled away from Him...God is not going anywhere.

So I am in the midst of heading back to Him.

I am trying to listen to more worship music, I am trying to not check Twitter or even read the negatives from any side on an argument, and I am trying to let the trolls, well, lose because they're not getting a reaction from me.

I am reading my Bible more, reading faith based books more, and trying to remember what Jesus would actually do by doing it and not just wearing a bracelet.

And I can feel that slight sound of "come home" in my ears.

We live in a tough, negative world that is doing everything it can do to remove you from your relationship with Jesus...are you aware of it? 

Are you really?!

So here's what I plan to do.

1. Understand it's happening.

2. Turn to my Bible and faith based books.

3. Be proactive in listening to worship music.

4. Don't get trolled online or by friends.

5. Go...to...church.

Hamtramck, Michigan

The summer of 2023 was an up and a down.

I wasn't able to go to Azerbaijan because of visa issues which were all of my own making.

But I did go to Michigan for a week and help out Sports Reach's Zac Arrington in Hamtramck which is just outside of Detroit.

Hamtramck is the first majority Muslim city in the USA with a Muslim city council and Muslim Mayor.

Hamtramck was first full of Polish immigrants, but it has changed drastically with Yemani and other Arab groups moving in.

I got off the interstate after driving through Detroit, but when I drove through Hamtramck most of the businesses were in English with Arabic underneath in parentheses.

Lots of women were wearing burkas, the full length hijab which I had seen before even in the USA, but not this many.

The kids were a little rambunctious, didn't really want to be there at times, the basketball court was outside and we had no cover from the heat, but I enjoyed it.

Kids are kids and you have to understand that, and I do, maybe I am just becoming the bitter old man as I age.

I don't know if I will go back, but it wouldn't be bad if I did.

It Happens

I am alone in my own thoughts, a lot, in fact, too much.

I wish I didn't think that much about every little thing, most of which do not matter.

I wish I didn't take every single thing so personally.

But I do, and I do.

I feel I will only feel better once I quit coaching and/or my kids aren't playing organized sports anymore.

Then I can just go to school, do my job and live my life without worrying about what anyone thinks (Yea, I know, shouldn't care, but I do).

But then it will be time for grand kids and I will worry about them.

So, I guess the question is not when will I be able to relax, but would I feel "right" if  did or could?

I've learned to live the way I am believing that any slight by any single person must have some deep, well thought out reason for them to negate me, bad talk me, think less of me, or even not think of me because that's what I do.

I think too much.

I play some imaginary world in my head.

And I am usually wrong...or am I?

Dear Maddie

Dear Maddie,

You are graduating from high school and "moving out" in a couple of months and I am not sure how I feel about it. 

As I type this, I am probably feeling more emotional than I have. 

I will never forget the day you were born and I saw my daughter...the feeing of love was nothing I had ever experienced in how I loved you in that very moment.

It was a wave of love, excitement and fear. Fear because I was now responsible for a person and you can't mess around with that.

I've often joked if a pet dies everyone goes "awwww" that's too bad, but if something happens to your child, there's an investigation.

But it has been an absolute joy, but also honor to be your dad as you have reached this point.

I have learned so much about myself and about what matters in life because of you.

I took you to your first day of kindergarten (pictured above) and was there when you walked out as a student for the last time, and it seems like it happened in a blink.

Time is moving at two speeds all the time, quickly and slowly.

I know I haven't always been the best dad, and I am so sorry for those moments (okay, this is making me a little emotional), because I am not perfect and you are to me in so many ways, I failed you.

But never ever doubt that your mother and I love you.

Mom shows it other ways, but she would literally kill for you. Me, too...I am just more vocal about it and people know to back off!

Anyway...

I am so impressed with you. You're the best human I know and how I feel now with you graduating and moving on to the next part of your life is "a job well done".

Your mom had more to do with it than me, but I know I had a hand in it even if just backing up your mother.

But, I have zero doubts that you're going to do wonderful things and you're going to keep your mind on Christ as you do it.

And that's a win.

So congratulations, I love you, and there is never anything you could do that I won't love you.

I may get agitated, I may wonder what the F is gong on? 

But I will never not love you.

Know that while walking in and out of our door at home, it is just that...your home. A place you are loved unconditionally and the door is always open for you.