Let Earth Receive Her King!!

  I am exceptionally proud of myself this Christmas season.  I did not once venture out amongst the sea of people and fight for my life in a loud, warm, Cinnabon, pumpkin spice latte smelling shopping mall.  No driving around aimlessly for hours trying to find the perfect parking space.  No standing in line listening to rude children berate their mothers for not getting them an Ipad or a smart phone.  And best of all, no getting sprayed in the face by an overly ambitious perfume sales girl.  I guess that's one of the benefits of being an empty nester.  You're free to plan things out more thoroughly without over sugared little children running around in a constant state of euphoria and excitement.  Yeah, ok so I miss that!  That will come back to us as grandparents when we can totally spoil them rotten then leave after a weekend to complain to their mom and dad why they can't be more like grandma and grandpa!  Anyway, you can shop online or in my case have a very organized wife who handles everything for our brood every year.  Now this is not to say I have been sitting around drinking copious amounts of eggnog in my ugliest Christmas sweater and jammies either watching the Hallmark channel 24 hours a day.  Instead I have been very busy in my annual yuletide bake fest.  Alone in my kitchen lab with my trusty laptop and archived top secret cookie recipes, I whip, stir, fold, incorporate, mix and bake until I have enough cookies and cheesecakes to cause an outright epidemic of sugar comas. 
  But enough about me already.   As my wife is downstairs putting all the trays together for our annual delivery route to family and friends, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and pray God blesses each and every one of you this season and upcoming new year!  Now, I wouldn't be me if I didn't remind you to make sure to take the time to slow down and worship the true meaning of the season, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  I know in the midst of all the headlines recently especially in Newtown CT, the fiscal cliff, the insanity in the middle east, the endless attacks on this Holiest of Seasons and all of your life issues each day that it's so easy to lose sight of Hope.  But believe me folks, He's there!  He grieves when we grieve, He smiles when we are happy, He loves us more when we are struggling and picks us up when we fall.  How do I know?   Because He does it for me and you everyday and you may not even realize it.  For every calamitous and tragic event there is always an outpouring of love and support afterwards that is more than human based.  It is divinely infused into the situation to bring calm and peace in the midst of anguish.  How else do you explain the massive outpouring of relief, love and sympathy in each of these occurrences?  He alone stands watch over and gives charge to His angels and us, His earthly children to mend and heal the brokenhearted.  We do so time and time again which reinforces in our hearts a greater love than we are capable on our own of giving.  So get away, pray, go to church, sing joyous carols to His glory and give honor to the King of Kings this season.   For that little manger in a dirty lowly stable over two thousand years ago is more than the centerpiece of a nice nativity scene on your lawn or in front of your church.  For placed in that manger by His heavenly father is the reason hope is still alive!  He is the King of Kings and His kingdom will have no end and He is coming very soon.  So from our family to yours may God keep you and make His face to shine down upon you and your family this joyous holy season!  Peace to you all!

Luke 2 9-14
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Keep Your Hands Off My Nativity Scene!

At first I was mad, I mean hopping mad at that.  These ungodly people and their annual war waged on Christmas and it's truly Christian and American tradition!  Who do they think they are?  The illustrious "Freedom From Religion" organization, the "Free Thinkers" or the usual suspect the "American Atheists Society."  All groups whose sole mission is to disrupt, redefine and all but remove anything associated with our beliefs and the singular most joyous and spiritual season of the year.  They not only want to separate and purify us all from the goodwill and renewed hopefulness of celebrating the birth of our Holy Savior but in doing so they believe they are doing us a favor.  What boils my blood more than anything is they are winning some battles and in doing so, we like sheep are not putting up much of a protest.  We need to be careful here people.  In this case our silence is deafening to the Ears of Heaven.  Using in many cases activist judges and their own self serving interpretation of the constitution, they harass and bully people by a well orchestrated campaign of shock and awe.  They are rude, crass and often times disruptive as well as gratuitously inviting themselves into communities where they don't personally live or raise there own children to overtly destroy decades of tradition.   What's most disturbing is the influence they have in the rapidly deteriorating and progressively evolving public education system by bypassing parental taxpayer influence and bulldozing all too eager and cowardly school administration officials into removing almost all references, programs, music and activities for Christmas.  Right now they are concentrating on public property issues i.e. schools, city parks, state and local government buildings, public monuments etc.  But wait, and mark my words it's only a matter of time before they start badgering private land owners about their outside displays of nativity scenes, lighted crosses and openly Christian symbolism because it offends them as they're driving by their house and totally disrupts their already sad and lost day.
  If you don't believe this will happen then just look around at all the American flags that have been forced to be removed from houses in neighborhoods because they were either to offensive to certain local immigrant and ethnic groups or in one case "in excessive prominent display."  Let me tell you what we are removing here and you tell me what's wrong, okay?  We are removing the only true symbol of hope and salvation man has ever known, Jesus Christ.  Here is all He did to deserve this.
He raised the dead to life, healed the sick, fed the poor, forgave people of their faults and behavior, loved unconditionally, gave us tried and true wisdom and purpose for life, ordained the sanctity of the family unit, set forth fair and just laws for us to live and govern by and never, ever, ever once turned anybody away.   For this He was and in many ways is still being crucified.  Even if Jesus could ever be disproved, and He can't and won't be, you need to find the bones first gang.  We won't because He is completely alive and sovereign and will soon come again to judge and reign forever!  Those are facts and frankly we should be thankful God is so patient with us giving us more chances to change our hardened hearts.  But mankind is now more hellbent than ever to shake it's collective fist at God.   We here on earth are just fabulous without Him or His merry, goofy and sadly lost band of believer's who still worship, go to church, give time and hope to others, pray earnestly and have lives that are fulfilled and full of deep spiritual meaning.  Hah!  The jokes on you atheists and look around you as soon a cruel one it will be.  We are rapidly collapsing under our blasphemous, atheistic and progressive freedoms in this world.  Our rush to self govern with no moral restraint and absolution is sending us headlong into the abyss.  I for one, will stay focused on He who saved a wretch like me.  I will love more, appreciate more and give more this year than last.  I will give Him all the credit because my life is better because of His love for me.   So stand up be proud to call God your father and honor Him this season of joy.  Celebrate Him who lives, came and died for you!  Don't be politically correct be spiritually pure!  Now if you'll excuse me I have to bake some Christmas cookies and go work on my "Freedom From Atheists" website! ;)

John 3:18
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Give Thanks Not Your Credit Card!

   Well as I sit down to write this I am a bundle of emotions.  You see for the first time in 28 years I am home back in Illinois for more than just the usual visit with "La Famiglia"!  Melissa and I are back here for awhile to stay until God moves us out on His next mission and great adventure.  It's not if that happens but when and those stories will be for your enjoyment on another day.  But in the meantime we are settled in to my parent's lake home on Fox Lake for the time being and care taking it for the winter.  I must tell you, even though they have both gone home to the Lord, I feel such an overwhelming presence of them here.  Their influence is everywhere in both the house and on the property and I am steeped in the memories of so many past seasons of family events and years of laughter, life lessons, a few tears and lots of grand babies.  My thankful quotient keeps rising along with my appreciation for their lives lived with such grace and blessing.  As we approach Thanksgiving tomorrow and all of you are rushing about cooking, shopping, packing or traveling, I urge you to slow down a bit and get way to give some thanks in private.  In private please!  That's right, not through the customary grace at the dinner table hurried through as to satiate the hungry masses drooling over the bounty of food and desserts.  That's fine but mostly ceremonial.  I mean alone, seeking Him before the day gives way to organized chaos, turkey and football games or should I dare say it, shopping! 
   If you are planning on going out tomorrow to shop and pander to the endless supply of soul sucking, money grabbing, greedy retailers that have now breached the sanctity of Thanksgiving too, then my friends you simply have your priorities screwed up.  Why would you leave the warmth of a family gathering and all it's joy and fellowship to venture out into the dog eat dog world of holiday retail madness.   That is an exercise in masochism of the highest order.  Let's run down the list shall we?  Fights in aisles, trampling over people to the point of death, running over people in parking lots, and shootings, yes shootings.  Not to mention, very aggravated petulant retail sales people forced to work on one of the last true holidays on the calendar not totally but almost degraded by the secular masses and their profit first, family second mentality.  I have three words for you all.  Don't do it!  If you are arranging your day around what deals you must absolutely have to buy for your loved one's because their lives are going to be so enriched by the material and temporal possessions of this world, instead of spending time in fellowship and food than I suggest you check yourself immediately and take stock of your life!
   I grew up when businesses were closed on Sundays and survived.  I grew up when you didn't have computers and the internet to shop, bank, work and conduct your entire life life on and survived.  I grew up without smartphones and the ever increasing annoying attention and self dependent crutches they have become.  I grew up when all my parent's talked about was the Christmas Season and all the the joy of family time and fellowship.  My mom and dad without the modern conveniences of 24 hour a day shopping and blockbuster deals, specials and Black Friday door busters, somehow managed to pull the entire season together and we never noticed any difference!  We ate, we laughed, we got together with loved one's and yes we even miraculously had presents to open on Christmas morning without the benefits, neigh strike that, the curse of this sanitary modern world!  So, if you think that substituting precious time with loved one's for a dose of UFC retail fight night is what you are desiring then I feel sorry for you.  I will look around the room, grab another slice of pumpkin pie, laugh and cry, complain about the Bears and look up and thank my precious Lord for the real gifts of the season.   Do it for yourselves but more importantly do it for your children and their children.  Time with God, with each other and in thanks and fellowship will better equip you and your families for life's challenges.  It will strengthen the tie that binds more than an Ipad will!  Be blessed and may God abundantly bless you this most sacred season!

2nd Corinthians 9:6
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Pastor or Politician, Is There A Difference?

   The other night on the news there were two prominent pastors on that were the guests on a segment about endorsing political platforms that support positions that conflict with christian doctrine and biblical values.  As I was listening to the commentary I was appalled to say the least and it spoke volumes to me about the state of affairs in many churches today in America.  The host was asking if the pastors had any hesitation or qualms about endorsing their candidate despite the fact he endorses Planned Parenthood's existence and funding and is openly pro choice.  Now, we all know that the abortion issue is the great unspoken tragedy in our society, like it or not, that happens in our country to the tune of almost 3,000 babies a day.  It's real, shocking and absolutely appalling to me as a christian man, father and human being.  Even more so these pastors are African American and in their own communities the abortion rate is as high as 6 out of 10 babies.  That means that their own population and existence is dwindling as a vital part to our country.  Needless to say the influence these men have over the congregations they are preaching to is powerful and dangerous in it's hypocrisy. 
   This is not an essay on race and the problems of individual ethnic and racial groups in our country.  Across the board racially and ethnically I am just stating a fact that is highly relevant to the issue.  However, this stark example brings me to the crux of my argument.  Many in the pastorate, many not all folks, have taken watered down positions socially that are in direct conflict with both church doctrine and biblical teaching.   The unmitigated dangerous rhetoric fostered through their weekly teachings and sermonizing is causing many a rift between the church and it's members.  When you have a belief system that is based on morality, ethics and a daily standard to live by, in this case the teachings and Lordship of Jesus Christ and The Holy Bible and you accept His gift of redemption and salvation wholeheartedly, then you believe or preach the opposite I am sorry but you are a hypocrite of the highest order.   You have no credibility and you have compromised your position as church leader and need to step down.   How many people today sit in church and are being taught false doctrine and manipulated scriptural references that modify their faith.  Too many! 
  Jesus reserved some of His harshest criticism for the religious leaders of His day and spoke of the importance of having a pure heart and mind in order to be a church leader.  Too often today there is little or no preaching about conviction of sin and the order of approaching the cross for forgiveness.   Pastors speak half truths and tell us all that we are all good and salvation is in order for us all regardless of our current depraved state.  We are leaving out the vital part of the salvation process and that is the changing of heart, mind and body for His royal service.   Church attendance is down and in many cases the belief systems and moral codes that defined our society have been under attack and changed by very progressive and secular forces for decades now.  The largest population sector in our country that has no religious affiliation whatsoever is the 30 and under group.  That fact alone is chilling, as this significant voting block and citizenry has the ample power to affect elections for the next generation or so.  What do you think that does for the Christian principles and values for America?
  The last book of the bible, Revelation deals with seven letters.  Those letters are not addressed to kings, presidents, governors or leaders of countries, but rather churches.   They are scathing in their critiques and cut to the heart of where we were then and where we are today.   Some of the harshest judgement will be unfortunately be reserved for the shepherds that have led the flocks astray.  I suggest you read The Word and see for yourself.  We need to be careful in what we say, how we believe and what we endorse and why.  Our own personal motivation is always in conflict with our faith walk and service to the Lord.   I've said it before and I'll say it again if we want to effect change then it begins with each of us.  Our leaders for the most part both in secular society and now the church have bought into the world system and that my friends is terminal and without cure.  There is no hope without the One who created hope to begin with.

Matthew 7: 21-23

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

  

Goodbyes Are Never Easy

   Wow, does time ever sure fly by!  It seemed like just yesterday we were arriving here in California for our working vacation and epic summer of fun.  If there was a family that needed to get away for a bit it was us.  As many of you know the past several years have been very trying emotionally for our beleaguered bunch, but our God is an awesome God and through the valleys we've come, stronger both emotionally and spiritually.  But it is time to leave our second home to return for a time to our first home, the midwest.   For my wife especially the visit has been somewhat bittersweet.  Her reunion albeit brief this summer has been full of laughs, stories, hugs and a few tears.  Now, she is leaving her beloved mom and dad, sisters, cousins and many lifelong friends.   That is never easy to do, as like my own immediate family they are very close.  Couple that with the sudden loss of both my parents the past fifteen months reinforcing the sad fragility of life, and she realizes that a goodbye this time could be her last with loved ones especially her mom and dad.
  Both Melissa and I realize that with each passing day the yesterdays add up and the tomorrows lessen a bit.  This sensitivity to our own mortality makes this summer and the time we have spent here especially precious to us.  For me the time spent with two of our daughters Alicia and Rebecca has been priceless.  No longer small children scampering around  but beautiful and gifted young women with their own designs on the world and their lives.   Our time together up at the lakes this summer or out to dinner or watching the sun set over the mountains has been to a word fulfilling.  The generosity of my sister in law Jennifer and her husband Jeff to open up their home to us these past four months will not be forgotten.  I have enjoyed my time reconnecting with them and helping my sister in law at the golf course this season.  Our nieces and nephews have grown up with absolutely gorgeous families of their own.  My inlaws Joan and Ole both show the change in years physically but their zest for life and boundless love has not diminished. They are and continue to be treasures indeed.  The world and certainly we will be a sadder place when God eventually calls them home.  But we leave them with God's infinite protection and holy seal upon them all.
  Finally, we leave the beloved mountains of NE California and their awe inspiring beauty.  So many good friends welcomed us back to their version of "God's Country" when we arrived earlier this summer.  I was quick to remind them all that NW Wisconsin is also God's country in spite of the Packers! lol   All of you need and should see this divinely beautiful area of California and visit Lake Tahoe once, you will never forget it!  So, it's off to Chicago on the next stop for God's Express.  We are excited and anxious all at once but know that the adventure continues.  To all my brothers and sisters we'll see you soon.  To our children, well, we can't wait to spend the upcoming Christmas season with you all!  So goodbye for now to our California family.  Parting is never easy but the solace is in the sweet memories and anticipated reunions.  God Bless you all richly.   Next stop the Windy City!

John 14.1-7
Jesus said to his disciples, "Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going." Thomas said, "Lord, we don't even know where you are going! How can we know the way?"

"I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him."

Numb and Number!

   I was busy at work last weekend, I am a sous chef at a resort in Northern California, and was abruptly struck by something I had observed while passing through the dining room.  We have two very large flat screen tv's on opposite ends of the clubhouse.  One is over the fireplace and the other is right over the bar.  Since we work at a golf course one always has the golf or sports channel on and the other has local or national news.  It was right on the tail end of the breakfast hour and we had a big tournament going on so we were quite full.  As usual the tvs were on and I noticed quite a few people watching intently one of them.  It almost looked like an old E. F. Hutton commerical where everyone in a restaurant abruptly turns around and looks when someone says, "My broker is EF Hutton and he says...  But to my surprise, it was the golf tournament not the news story that was on that diverted the attention away from the many tranquil tableside conversations.  It was a players golf shot not the incendiary meltdowns raging in the middle east and around the world against our country that captured their interest.  For a moment it struck me as odd, then normal, then odd again and sadly odd at that.  Now, I am not trying to downplay the importance of personal enjoyment and fellowship with friends over a great meal and good times on the golf course.   But these people are usually at the course almost every day as they are retired and seasonal residents of the area.  I mean they live golf!  It's not as if this is a privileged event, on the contrary it's their lifestyle.   These folks are mostly retired and worked hard for their money, raised their children and now are enjoying their golden years, but the irony of the moment seemed to be a microcosm of the world today.
   We act like we don't care or simply have accepted the sad fact that other people's or society's problems are not ours and won't be either.  We go on as if we have blinders on and run around conducting our lives as if we were a bunch of ostriches burying our heads in the sand.  Certainly I am not judging these folks as the vast majority of them are very nice and good people.  But this is a conditional problem that is seeping into our very souls and it's the greatest hinderance in my humble opinion to the restoration of our country and world in these very precarious and troubling times.  You've heard it before if you've read my blog.  It's the worst kind of malady and it's called apathy.  Because of modern technological advances in communication and entertainment we are bombarded by images and stories of tragedy, sorrow, rage, catastrophe and wars all day every day.  We have become shockingly numb and tragically naieve to their impact.  Yet so many suffer and we are beginning to see the ripple effects of a fallen and rebellious world here in America.  We are like the captain on the Titanic who boldly proclaimed that, " Even God can't sink the Titanic!"  I and my family have been through enough personally in the last five years as most of you know to maybe have my antenna raised a bit more to the warning signs.  But I am alarmed at how indifferent we have become overall to the world around us.  The dark cold is seeping in and we must fight back!  We have the most important election in probably our nation's modern history, severe and I mean severe problems economically, morally and ethically across the board both here and abroad, yet we seem to be as disenfranchised and disconnected as I can remember in my 52 years here on earth.
  Do me a favor, in the middle of your busy and sometimes overwhelming lives, take a few moments and look around.  It won't take you long to see the numbing side effects of chronic apathy.  We need to get more involved, now, not tomorrow.  Wake up from our false sense of security and start caring about our nation and the direction it is going.  Our once great lamp is running out of oil and the flame of what we stand for is dying.  Render yourselves worthy to personal and spiritual renewal.  Committ time to your faith walk or beginning one if you haven't.  Seek the One who has the answers to our problems and hopelessness.  Become passionate again from your inside out and replace apathy with sympathy, empathy, and action.  Most of us have children and grandchildren who are inheriting this mess and the dire repercussions of it's failings.  Do something while you have life and breath.  My wife and I have committed our lives to spreading the hope and glory of Jesus Christ.  Because where man fails time and time again, He does not.  Jesus is the seat of our future government and it will rest upon His shoulders.  But we can do more and if we would walk in His light we could do much of His work and help others who are lost and need it too.  God has plenty of time for you to enjoy your lives and He wants you to rest and laugh and fellowship.  But the adversary to His kingdom is busy and satan knows his time is short.  That's why you are seeing the rage of evil spread so quickly around the world.  One of satan's greatest weapons is your false sense of security and indifference.  If he can keep you from doing anything good or choosing Christ as your savior, it's as much a victory to him as you becoming inherenty evil.  Don't let that happen to you!

Matthew 34: 37-3
As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. ³⁸ For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.

Real Change Is Within You.

This past week or so many Americans, myself included, have been watching with rapt attention the two major political conventions going on in Tampa and Charlotte.  Every four years we go through the same process of endorsing the incumbent on one end and formally nominating their challenger on the other.  The platforms are ratified, the delegates assembled, the speakers arranged and filed out with seemingly endless wisdom and solutions for our ailing country.   It's flawlessly choreographed into one spectacular extravaganza that culminates with the sitting president or his challenger laying out their plans to unify, rectify, and satisfy we the people but ultimately only end up glorifying themselves.  Hollywood it seems has nothing on Washington DC for pure unabashed fantasy and entertainment.  I, for one am not amused anymore.
   You see people I don't care what political affiliation you are or what your personal ideology is.  But I do care what you think and feel and experience everyday in your lives.   Because contrary to the illusions and delusions painted by many of our failed political leaders living in their ivory towers, it's we the people who stand unprotected against today's endless storms.  How many of them have watched a family crying as the sheriff's sale notice is posted on the front porch of their soon to be foreclosed home.  Or a father or mothers entire career is wiped out and they can't find work.  Your savings and retirement accounts are decimated and you don't have anymore lifelines.  Families and households are crumbling under the stress and enormous debt
of ruined lives.  College aged adults have nearly one trillion dollars of student debt and can't find decent jobs.  The elderly feel that nobody cares about them and the unborn don't have even have the basic precious protection for the sanctity of human life.  Our once great industrialized nation has outsourced entire industries overseas which will never come back.  I could go on and on but why wallow in the misery.  Now what I am going to say next may shock you but just think about it for a minute.  Your vote on November 6th will not make a difference at all!  There I said it.  I didn't say not to vote, no.  We as citizens of our nation should all vote in every election so we can make a difference.  What?  Has Rick lost it?  No, on the contrary I have never in my adult life had a more clear outlook and perspective on what I believe is needed to turn our nation around.
  All the problems I mentioned up above have affected almost everyone of you or someone you know to a degree.  You can relate to the pain and hopelessness on a somewhat personal level.  I for one, have experienced most of them.  I don't overtly blame President Obama, Congress or the Supreme Court although they certainly are accountable to a great degree for the continued degradation and lack of integrity in dealing with our crisis.  I blame WE THE PEOPLE.  That's right folks us.  This government so Divinely inspired and created was formed for we to be the guardians of government, business, schools, churches, financial institutions, courts families and human lives.  It is we that have failed.  Just look around you and see what watering down and secularizing every major aspect of our society has done for us.  In the absence of restraint and Moral Absolution we have become a backstabbing, wheeler dealing, take one step forward and two steps back flimflam man of a country.  We have no credibility because instead of being good stewards of our bountiful blessings, we have become self serving, apathetic and wasteful.   Too concerned about me and not about we.  Too harsh for you?  I know.  I thought so myself until God said to write it anyway.  You see Jesus knew that in order for us to establish His kingdom here on earth we had to be like minded.  Honesty, charity, compassion, unconditional love, hope and forgiveness all describe Him perfectly.  They should describe us but they don't by a long shot anymore.  No matter what you may think, His life. what he stood for and ministry is indisputable even by the most skeptical of historians.  Because He cared about us first His decisions were always just and fair.  They served the common good and benefited all mankind.  He preached that we should love our neighbors and help the poor and downtrodden but to not give pearls to swine either.  We are quite simply to live our lives in faith with moral restraint.  Not our own, ours is too depraved and compromised, but in His.  Let Him be our guide and helper.  America can see quite clearly now where this unfortunate separation from our Lord has gotten us.  So, if we want to defeat the enemy and rise again as a nation we must change.  Each one of us, from the inside out.   The communists used to say to win a war you don't need guns you need to change the minds and hearts of your enemy.  How did Godless tyrants have more wisdom then We The People?  I urge you please, to reflect on where we are at and renew your faith in Christ.  If you don't know Him introduce yourself.  If you've rejected Him really examine the tenets of your life and how they benefit anybody but yourself overall.  Politicians can't help you there is but one way out of this mess and you can begin to fix it today one very personal heart at a time!

Psalm 119

 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ...

Only God can fix a broken heart.

I apologize to you my friends as I've been a way the past few weeks partly because of my work and school schedule.   But also because my family and I had to travel back to Chicago unexpectedly.   Just over a week ago our beloved mom passed away.   It was quite sudden and very emotionally wrenching for me, my brothers and sisters and all of our families. You see it was just a short fifteen months ago that Dad had gone to be with the Lord also quite suddenly and very unexpectedly.  It was his passing that enabled God to lay on my heart the urgency to create this blog as a vessel of ministry and encouragement to others in times of great need and sadness.  I sincerely hope it has been that to all of you who so generously allow me to share with you His great words of encouragement and hope.  My mom, like my dad was one of my heroes.  Let me enlighten you a bit about her so you'll better understand.   She was married at nineteen to dad and almost immediately as was the custom in those days of the 50's set about being the quintessential Donna Reed.  For my younger readers check TV history trivia for this reference.  Anyways, she wore many hats including mother ( to 5 kids in 9 years), housewife, full time cook, launderer, shopper, counselor, nurturer and cheerleader.  She was also equally adept at giving out hugs as she was at making sure we towed the line.   She ran a tight ship so to speak and always had dinner ready for dad when he got home from work. She was primarily a stay at home mom until she was almost forty and she accomplished somehow getting us to and from from all of our various activities with school, sports and other events without ever driving.  You see my mom didn't even drive until she was in her thirties. To this day it's still a mystery how she got so many things done and an amazing accomplishment considering kids today need a ride to the bathroom.  After effectively raising us until we were old enough to know better and were mostly self sufficient, she then took a job as a waitress and went back to school.  She graduated from Harper College with a degree in paralegal studies.  Long story short she went on to a very successful career later in her life first with Pettibone Company, then Sprint.
   You see my mother was the quintessential work hard, don't ever quit and you can make something of yourself person no matter what other obstacles or obligations you had to work around or overcome.  She was driven, organized, smart and quick to adapt to any situation.  She had to be after raising the five of us!  It seemed there was nothing mom didn't try to tackle and succeed at.  She was fearless or so it seemed.   On the outside mother was always in charge and showed little nervousness or trepidation.  But when dad passed, it turned out there were a few chinks in her armor.  Dad was her everything.  I mean the sun rose and set on my dad every day of their marriage for 54 years.  They were quite unique and wonderful individuals but were a well oiled machine together.   When dad went, part of mom went too.   This past fifteen months were quite difficult for her.  Her life partner was taken home before she wanted him to go and that was very difficult for her to adjust to.  It took it's toll physically, mentally and spiritually.  Our entire family was helpless to ease her grieving and coping became a daily chore almost to big a storm to weather.  There were times she was her old self but many days she was palpably withdrawn and heartsick.   So when she stepped out the elevator to walk towards her condo Sunday August 12th, God mercifully called her name.  She went home to be with dad, her family and the Lord.  Praise God for that!   Our hearts are crushed at losing both mom and dad so quickly and so close to each other.   We have had more than most families can bear this past year.  But by God's grace we are still here and more unified and stronger than ever.  God's plan is perfect even when we can't see it that way at first.  He knew mom's heart was irretrievably broken and He knew that there was but one way to fix it.   Knowing my mom, she beat the angels back to heaven to see everybody too and our world is a sadder and certainly less entertaining place without Frank and Barb, but heaven just got more exciting and fun!  I await the glorious reunion with them someday where there will be no more tears and loss just joy and fellowship forever.  That's why I love Jesus so much.  He has our most precious desires and hopes perfectly placed in His heart and hands for us.  It is His plan and will work for His glory.  This life is short and we are guaranteed no tomorrows.   So love your mom and dad fully like we did.  Say the important words, spend time with them, mend any broken fences for time waits for no man.   Don't have any unfinished business including ministering to them if needed.   Assure them of their place in the great reunion.  It will ease your pain in times of loss such as this and will enable you to have your heart at ease.  May God keep you and bless you mightily!

John 11:23-26

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

A Dangerous Game of Chicken Fil-A!

You would think that the upcoming presidential election, the Olympics or the massive drought and extreme heat this summer would be the main compelling and continuing story of the day, but not quite.  It seems that the latest over the top political correctness run amok train wreck is the current controversy about Chick Fil-A and it's stand on traditional marriage.  All I can say is a big fat WOW!!!  Do you believe, and I am talking to all of us either right, left, Christian or not that we have come to literally civil war over the loss of mutual respect for private citizens and companies  who are running their own business's and setting up a standard or code of conduct based upon their moral and spiritual beliefs.  Chick Fil-A is an upright, honest, exceedingly well run and profitable business who pays their taxes, takes care of their employees, closes on Sundays (Praise the Lord!) and puts out quality food in a wholesome atmosphere.   Not to mention employing thousands of people in a time when we badly need jobs!  How absolutely ludicrous is this latest attack in a country that used to pride itself on being the great melting pot.  Give us your tired, your poor, your sick and downtrodden....
   Pathetic!   Just because the owner of this company and I love to tell you this folks, they are not the only one's who do, outwardly profess their faith doesn't mean that they hate LGBT people.  On the contrary they go our of their way to respect all their employees and customers regardless of gender, sex, race or religious creed.   With Chick Fil-A I don't read about corruption or corporate wheeling and dealing to inflate stocks or swindle shareholders, or brawls inside of their restaurants, or posting signage for all gay people to go to Burger King.  I only hear about a great American success story that embodies all the good our economic system provides.  This lecherous stunt has served to I think further awaken a sleeping giant and add fuel to the fire for us Americans who are tired of having their faith stepped on and our Christianity put up for trial in every aspect of our lives.  Something like 600,000 people have shown up and literally set a world record and run many places out of food to stand behind the Cathy Family and their beliefs.  We are Americans too.  We love our country, pay our taxes, respect our neighbors and fill our churches and homes and businesses with God fearing people who have frankly sit on their hands too long and are now evidently starting to raise up.  I for one am very glad.  We desperately need to get back to the bedrock principals and Godly laws that made us great.  It is because we chosen to forsake the foundational precepts of America that were used to build our home safely on The Rock and have not put it on sand, we find ourselves morally, spiritually, financially and certainly leadership wise virtually bankrupt.  We have now resorted to turning on one another to remove the final beam that holds the building up, unity as Americans.  You would think that the political hacks and self serving politicians would hold their tongues from criticizing thriving businesses who contribute so much to their ailing cities in employment, sales tax and revenue sharing, but no.  We are so focused on polarization and the flavor of the month that we can't see the forest through the trees anymore.  Because we are spiritually blind we have become humanly deplorable.    By the way, and I am just asking here how many LGBT people and left leaning citizens ate at Chick Fil-A on a regular basis before they felt empowered to join the calls for crucifixion of this company?  Hurry, destroy the evidence and throw your wrappers in the fireplace.   
   I'll say this again for those of you who who know me and sorry for the redundancy, but I have homosexual friends and acquaintances and so do my children.   We respect them, welcome them to our home and care deeply about them.  We love them.  But we do not love their lifestyle or the sin that they live in.  That is the teaching of Christ and one of the basic tenets of the bible.  So we pray for them like anybody else who has a need.  Sin takes many forms and we as Christians are certainly guilty and not immune to our fallacies.  It is in the most personal, humble and sincere way that I say that.  I was a sinner and thankfully am saved by grace.   But I am a fervent believer in the life changing power of the cross.  I suggest you take a walk to Calvary and examine the Man yourself.   Ladies and gentleman, our hyprocisy is drowning us all.   This latest incident shows further evidence of the need for revival in our nation.   I stress this most sincerely, you need to make a choice and very soon.   Christ is not coming back as Savior but Judge and King this time.  No new hearings will be given to plead your case.  Before you take up a sword remember that the person or persons you are trying to destroy are God's children and your eternal family too.


Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the speck out of your brother's eye.

Seeing God Through A Veil Of Tears

   The horrible and senseless shooting that took place at a movie theatre early this past morning in Aurora Colorado is nothing short of breathtakingly tragic.  Innocent people went out to be entertained and thrilled for a few hours just getting away from the daily grind of our world and twelve people never came home and dozens more are either fighting for their lives or in various stages of trauma at hospitals all over the area.  The shocking violence and callous disregard for human life by this surely disturbed young man shakes us all to our very soul.  We are left wondering where is there a safe place for people to go anymore?  Surely the deja vu for Colorado is unwelcome respite as they are still dealing with the psychological and emotional damage of Columbine in 1999.  Emotions are raw to say the least and the grief for the families of all the victims is seemingly unquenchable at this point.  Not to mention the anger that is and will be directed at the alleged shooter and his family for the rest of their lives.  But this unfortunate sad story will be played out thousands of times in the days and weeks to come.  Our often perverse sense of the macabre and tragic will have many glued to the news to stay abreast of this story and the upcoming judicial proceedings against this young man.  That will take care of itself and you don't need me to fill you in on any details.  I, instead am here to talk about the other side of this tragedy.  One who's implication does more damage to people in the long run and unlike this event can alter both theirs and your lives long after this story fades from national relevance.   Where was God?
   I know.  I've asked that question myself when tragedy strikes and my heart has been torn in two. When the finality of a loved one's death comes and they are instantly and unbelievably taken from us.  When you can't see God through your veil of tears.   I can only empathize with the families of these victims and their loss but I do understand their emotional state completely.  You see you can't be a real believer without having your faith shaken and tested.   You simply can't understand the pain until you've experienced it yourself.   We all will at some point and I am here to tell you, God knows your pain and weeps with you too.   Believe it or not He was there in that movie theatre too.   Now, I know what some of  you are thinking.   If He was there Rick how come He didn't prevent the loss of those innocent people?  Why didn't He strike that gunmen down?  Both are very good questions and deserve serious answers to them.  I don't know myself why God chooses to or not to intervene in our physical world.  He is as mysterious as He is loving but His omnipotence is not for me to debate.  This is what often separates the belief in a Holy Sovereign God and skepticism that shatters the hope of faith in others.   I will do my best to give you what I believe is an answer that will help you to enhance His existence and Lordship.  It rests on the concept of free will.  Many secular people refer to this trait of ours as our conscious.  Christians call it the Holy Spirit.  Both refer to the same albeit by different names.   Our conscious is that little voice and the Holy Spirit is the Lord in the spirit form guiding us.  They either acknowledge our right choices or rebuke us in our wrong one's.  Call it what you may, but it very rarely will interfere with your decision to go ahead and defy it's urgings.  You see, God made us in His image to love Him first and each other too.  Our free will and ability to reason separates us from all other life forms on this planet and that is not an evolutionary trait.  It is ingrained in us by His divine hand so that our defined choice of accepting and loving Jesus Christ assures Him of our loyal servitude, faith and moral behavior.  We are not robots and our own actions are both tragic and costly by our fallen rebellious nature at times like this shooting.   But can be heroic, unselfish and complete in their love and sacrifice too.  It is in the latter that we emulate Christ and His intention for us.   God wants us to love Him as He loved us.   He has very rarely spared us fromtimes of sorrow but that is for our eternal preparation as well.  Remember, it was He who gave His only begotten Son for us watched Him die on that cross and must have wept an ocean's worth of tears.
      But there was joy in heaven at the resurrection and there will be joy in heaven for the faithfully departed here too.   Life is fragile at best and often too short and violently unfair.    God gives us all a choice and doesn't promise us anymore tomorrows.   Won't you choose today to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  I urge you to protect and sanctify yourselves so that you are assured of an eternal reunion and joy unspeakable that will shatter the tombstones in today's cemeteries and bring peace to a broken heart.  By the way, you will hear stories of heroism and bravery and miracles out of this tragedy in the upcoming days and weeks.  You will see, God was there after all.

REV 21:4
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

The United Nations: stealing the USA's sovereignty

I don't often get vociferously mad about circumstances or events in the world today as I accept their happenings as under God's sovereign control.  Therefore, I resolve my emotional reaction to stay somewhat restrained because of my comfort level with His omniscience over all humanity.  However, there every so often comes along a story which gets my good old fashioned Italian dander up a bit!  It just so happens that just about anything that the UN does nowadays just frosts my pumpkin.  This mornings headline was no different.   This story is about Iran and Syria being given, get this and I'm serious folks, a seat at the table on committees which would oversee global arms sales to terrorist organizations and countries that sponsor them.  They, if allowed would help craft global legislation or treaties and currently are doing so that would undermine the fundamental protection of our own constitutional amendment protections.  Our own Secretary of State is doing the old end around and about to sign a treaty which would begin the process of undermining one of our most sacred liberties in the second amendment. And get this, they would have the right to call us on the carpet about our own gun control and personal protection and possession laws. We would subvert our own rights from our US court and legal system to a world court and system.  Thereby, basically removing our authority to enforce our own laws.  Unfortunately, our current president is spearheading this abhorrent behavior through his policy of globalization. This organization which started out with such compassion in 1945 to monitor with unified global accord and to chastise the rogue and unbridled nations and their dictatorial leaders that would violate both human and individual countries sovereign borders and rights, has devolved into a cartoon of hypocrisy and political corruption.   What's even more shameful is that we the USA are right in the mix.   We should leave this body and remove the headquarters from our soil or start acting like the America after WWII and demand moral and legislative treaties that this international council was designed for.  Quite simply, we have become like the people and values we used to condemn and bring before the security council for their atrocious behavior.  Not so much by our human rights violations (although 50+ million sanctioned abortions would qualify us for indictment) or a repressive regime but by the most dangerous of compromises.  We are giving up our once sterling standard standing in the world as a fierce protector of democracy, freedom and liberty.  Instead, we have become a backroom dealing, smarmy, sleazy ambulance chasing attorney looking for a deal to polish up our floundering administration and it's policy to merge with the global community at the expense of America's principles and values.  In doing so we are precipitously dealing with the devil and causing our own constitution to be under the scrutiny and authority of a body of secular minded or anti Judeo-Christian countries that have nothing but the destruction and weakening of America at the head of their agendas. 
   Don't even get me started on the numerous other compromises we are making internationally to help kill off the American economy and it's equal opportunity giving greatness.  Or for it's unparalleled ability of enriching people's self esteem and lives through hard work and personal gain.  Yeah, that's only why immigrants have been flocking here and nowhere else for over 100 years!  Pay attention here friends to what's going on.  You can say, Rick this is more political rhetoric from your Christian conservatism just blowing things out of proportion or you can take the time to investigate these events yourself.  The choice is yours.  I will always point out to the you the convictions and issues that God puts on my heart.  I believe that we are in perilous times and we need an intervention of Divine Measure quickly.  What God put in brave men's hearts 230+ years ago to fight and die for is now under dangerous assault from the enemy.  He is one enemy with many faces and personalities.   The bible calls him Lucifer and he is very busy!   So you get busy too.  Get involved, fight for your  community, church and family.   Fight for your children and their children before it's too late.   If the flame of America goes out it won't be because God abandoned us but that we abandoned Him!

Matthew 24:24
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

One Nation Under God!!!

Happy 4th of July to everybody!  As most of you know the Paulette Family Chronicles are now settled in out west in beautiful Graeagle California.  Birthplace to our five children and up in the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains.  Tall pines, sunshine, sparkling lakes and no humidity!  Sorry about that last dig folks.  We have closed our chapter in Wisconsin after 18 years and now await God's move for us to begin His work once again.  It is all at once a relief, refreshing and somewhat daunting as few people ever think they would have to start over again in their 50's but God is faithful.  Anyways, as you get ready to celebrate today with your friends and family take a few moments outside of bbq's, fireworks, picnics and other activities to recommit yourselves to some prayer time for our great nation.  As you watch your family and friends laugh and smile today, remember that this is not just another holiday.  It's the Holiday for this country. 
   On this day in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed by extraordinary and brave men who pledged their lives to the birth of this country.  In doing so they laid the framework for the greatest, most free, and democratic nation the world has ever seen.  God's divine hand rested on this country as He alone saw the vision for this nation to be the landing point for all people's of all races to come together under Him and live free, abundant and honorable lives.  We have had unparalleled dignity and human rights protection.  Unequaled opportunity for success.  Freedom to worship without public criticism and government intrusion.  Freedom of speech without censorship, although the lengths of this liberty have been abused to vilest of proportions.  All these God blessed and gifted freedoms and privileges are now more so than ever at perilous risk of disappearing.   We have mismanaged, misgoverned, abused and stepped on the supreme efforts of our Founding Fathers and God's divine blessings for our nation.  We quite frankly are too divided, too angry, too polarized and teetering on financial disaster.  All of which we, yes we, allowed and brought upon ourselves.  Our own misbegotten apathy and complacency have brought us to this point.  Now, that's all the coarse reminding I'm going to do, because I can't even read my own words without bristling myself at my lack of cognitive effort to do more.
   So instead of of putting an damper on your day and I profusely apologize for my somewhat morose rant, pick up your flag and wave it.   We still have time!  God wants to bless us again!   Take sometime today in your hectic schedule to slip away and thank Him for preserving us this far.  Ask God to renew your commitment to faith, family, and country once again.  He and He alone can reverse the damage but it starts with our own individual hearts.  Seek Him today for sweeping change in you, your family, communities and our country.   After all a raging wildfire starts only as a spark!  We can restore and reinvigorate this great country but only by His hand.  So remember to pray, repent and seek His power to turn us around, one red, white and blue heart at a time!  God Bless America and all of you too!


Psalm 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.

A Father's Love Is His Duty

Ahhh, Father's Day.  The annual celebration to give thanks and praise to the man that sacrifices everything for his family.  Provider, protector, teacher, high priest, chastiser and order keeper, all apt surnames for what our dad did for us and we are or should be doing for our own families.  There is no more noble task that God gives us as dads then to give our all for our families.  I know for myself, that it is in the simple day to day things in my family life, words of encouragement, advice, a hug, an uninterrupted ear or just a simple yes I will that give my wife and children the most comfort and security.  Being there in every capacity is not only important to them but to God also.  You see, we as dads have quite a High Standard to live up to.
  Too often today we hear more about bad fathers instead of good ones.  You know, the ones who quit on their marriage or cheat on their taxes.   Who father children and don't stick around to take care of them and their girlfriend or wife.  Who lay around and don't work.  Who are physically or verbally abusive.  Yep, those are the ones unfortunately that make the news every day.  But I'm here to tell you that there are many dedicated fathers out there who you never hear about.  We good dads are alive and well!
   Now, I am not saying this to get an extra gift tomorrow or because I am a compensated actor for the Great Father's Society.  I am saying this because I am privileged and I mean highly privileged to be given the opportunity to be a father.  No matter what I have achieved or done personally in my life i.e., money, accolades, possessions or any other meaningless pontifications, I would rather be known as a great dad and husband then anything else.  There is no greater reward then to receive pure requited love back from your family for being the father HE created you to be.  I am, as my good friend Bob Simenson always says, BBM, Blessed Beyond Measure.  Ironically, if you take an objective look at most of the problems in our society today, they stem from the crumbling of the family unit.  And who is the head of that unit?  Bingo!  It is a cold hard and dismal fact that without a loving father figure in a household that nearly every aspect of our children's lives are and will be somewhat adversely affected all their lives.   Essentially garbage in garbage out.  Morals, disposition, work ethic, respect, self discipline, ambition and our faith are equally taught by both parent's but installed by dads.  I am not trying to be condescending to the mothers out there at all.  We look to both of our parent's equally but for different needs also.  Mom's, you get your day in May anyways! ;)
   So fire up the grill, raise a cold one, give dad the new driver or outfit to help replace his "That 70's Show" wardrobe and honor him.  When you do, you give honor to the Heavenly Father who set the standard for all of us to live by!


Ephesians 6:4
"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath,
but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord"

It's Not Politics As Usual!

The Bible says that "A house divided against itself will not stand."  Truer words could not have been spoken in regards to the current climate that is dividing us as a world, a nation, states, families or individuals. It seems everywhere you turn, there is conflict and yesterday was a doozy of one here in good old fashioned lovable friendly Wisconsin.  In case you haven't heard by now, I'm talking about the fierce recall election of our governor, Scott Walker against Mayor Tom Barrett.   It's been front page news for the past eighteen months and yesterday's results, governor Walker winning, will hardly quell the bitter discontent of the people of this once tranquil and unified state.   What only used to rankle the friendly citizens of this former dairyland utopia was an assault on the sacred colors of green and gold every fall Sunday, has now changed into a harshly divided citizenry into partisan red and blue on a daily basis.  Families are fighting, schoolrooms have become indoctrinating podiums for educators with opinions other than course obligations, and local and state government function is poisoned and partisan.  Coffee shops, pulpits, PTA meetings, offices and living rooms have been touched with the raw emotion of this conflict that is eating away at the collective spirits of goodwill and cooperation.  Differing opinions are no longer looked at or accepted as credible or reasonable.  We are all extremists no matter what we say or believe.  This is a dangerous place to be as a people in this state and more so as a rapidly declining once great nation.
   I am a conservative Christian man and I support Governor Walker.  But before some of you wish me to burn at the stake let me explain what I believe is the problem here.  I am a staunch believer in our political system and live in a family where many of my relatives and even in my surrounding friendships have differing opinions and beliefs.  I respect them for their genuine beliefs and their willingness to stand up for those beliefs with absolute conviction.  That does not mean I support them or necessarily even like their positions, but I always respect them and give them an ear and place at the table to talk.  Reasonable discussion with heartfelt truth and passionate debate always gives me encouragement that differences between people could be solved.  That we could always come to an amenable solution that all parties could live with.  I don't necessarily think that as much anymore because our anger is manifesting itself outwardly and controlling our emotions and worse yet our tongues, which inflict the greatest damage.  Now, I have my opinions about this election and here is my main one and that will be as far as I go on this.  I did not jump up and down and call for Gov Doyle's recall after eight years in office and a state deficit of $3.6 billion dollars and record high property taxes had accumulated.  Whether I agreed or not with his policies or his ability to govern, he was duly elected by a majority and should be allowed to serve out his terms, which he did.  He, to my knowledge did nothing illegal or unethical that would justify a recall of the citizens of this state.  He passed legislation with the help of the legislature and signed into law things I did  not agree with.  I did not call for his head!  That is politics my friends.  If you don't like 'em, when the proper time comes, vote 'em out, period.  You can argue all day long about the legality of Governor Walker's legislation or the process taken to pass it but both sides are equally adept at partisan manipulation of the legislative process.  Governor Walker was exonerated according to the State Supreme Court and did nothing illegal.  The first recall election was ridiculous last year and this one was even more so.  The only result has been frayed nerves, raw emotions and division, spurned on by lot's of money from various political groups with farther reaching agendas.  The problem is not Republican or Democrat, it's an absence of reasonable cooperation and moral obligation to do what's right overall for the majority of the constituents.  Too many politicians are serving self instead of us and the infection is spreading and the corruptions of hearts and minds lies at the altar of money.  We must gather back our senses to a right mindset and mend fences.  The enemy is not us folks, it's what pulls at the hearts within us.  Our moral absolution, principles and honorable respect for each other is based upon our walk or lack of with Christ.  Respect and love of the Lord goes a long way towards the same to our fellow man.  We have all heard the Golden Rule haven't we?  Jesus Christ reserved His harshest criticisms for the keepers and makers of the law.  Because He knew the deceit within them and the intent of their hearts was not to serve God or their fellow man.  That is where we are.  To fix what's broke needs to get done soon.   We need to swallow our pride and ask God for forgiveness of our transgressions against our fellow man.  Get our hearts right and the mind and tongue will follow in obedient and joyful order.  November is coming soon and so is the cliff!


"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God."
Romans 13:1

One Door Closes, Another Opens

It's been awhile since we last visited.  I hope this Memorial Day weekend finds you all well!  A lot has been going on in the Paulette household lately.  So today is my fill in day and to let you know that The Simple Truth is back and will be hopefully encouraging your days and weeks as much as God has encouraged mine!  But first a very heartfelt thank you to all the men and women who have and are currently serving our great country here and abroad in harm's way.  We can never say thank you enough for your great sacrifices that have made this, the greatest country on earth.  May God bless you, the eternal souls of the departed and the families left behind.  Real heroes die everyday in nameless places and in dire circumstances to protect what we often take for granted.  Truly God has a special place of honor for fallen soldiers!
  Well, that being said the Paulette's Wisconsin chapter is closing.  After 18 years of raising our five beautiful children together Melissa and I are moving forward with lot's of goals and ambitions to do the work of the Lord.  For many of you that have followed along with us in my blog we have had some tough times these past few years.  But through it all God's grace has been sure, strong and unwavering.  In the midst of great trials and tragedy, He has been faithful.  Now we are headed west to Graeagle CA near Lake Tahoe for the summer to take a working vacation and visit with Melissa's parents and family before we start the next big adventure!  More on that later!  This is a bittersweet time for us, as for the first time in our adult lives we have no place to call home for us or our children.  So we don't know where God has the next Thanksgiving and Christmas for us to gather together.  Our children are currently or will shortly be in five different states.  All are wonderfully talented and hard working with a firm foundation of faith.  So all is well, praise Him, for their safety and security.  Our youngest, Rebecca just graduated this past Friday and will be coming with us on this adventure to find her next step in life!  We are saddened to be splitting apart for now, but every parent prepares for the day when their children pass from the shelter of their homestead and familiar surroundings to venture out and seek their own dreams and ambitions.  Melissa and I are trusting that God will open the doors to new and wonderful opportunities for service and will allow us to make a difference for Him and His kingdom in this country as we sorely need new leadership and change!  We are certainly unencumbered by a house and possessions now and are quite ready.  This is exciting and a bit anxious for us, but in a good way.  I look at it this way, if God didn't want you to cross the ocean to see what was on the other side, He wouldn't have made it so wide.  That's the excitement of the journey.  You don't know what's over or out there until you step into the boat and go.  Our God is not interested in your ability, but your availability.  We as believers have to step out in great faith to fully realize the desires He has for us.  We are at a tipping point in this land and people of faith and courage are needed to turn things around.  We are running out of time!  We have offered Him our humble service.  So wish us luck and keep us in your prayers as we do with you all!  I will keep you abreast of the adventures of Rick and Melissa and Family.  God bless you and keep you and may His countenance shine down upon you always!


Hebrews 11: 6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder to those that seek Him." 

A Tale of Two Easters.

Chocolate bunnies, pink and yellow marshmallow peeps, jelly beans, Reese's peanut butter eggs, stuffed bunnies, dyed eggs and Easter Brunch, are all well known man made symbols of this annual holiday that traditionally greets the arrival of Spring and the warmer days ahead.  I remember as a child the early morning mad rush to our living room to see what the Easter bunny left us.  It was sort of like Christmas with church, a big meal and the house full of grandparents, uncles and aunts and cousins.  Only it lacked all the lights and decorations and wasn't nearly as cold.  It also wasn't any fun getting all dressed up in our little suits and ties and my sisters in their Easter dresses, but we knew the payoff was golden!  So off we went to church to sit in mass day dreaming of the candy orgy that was to be. When my parents station wagon hit the driveway we descended on our baskets like mongrel hordes of dogs.  Hopped up, forgive the pun, on copious amounts of sugar, faces coated with chocolate and running around as if we had a lit firecracker taped to our pants, it was pure kiddie bliss!  That is until we came down from our glucose induced high and crashed like an over filled wheel barrel whose wheel fell off.  But it was worth it, every cavity and sugar coma too!  Those were fun memories indeed and surely have their place in this wonderful celebratory day.  However, it's in this revelry that the true meaning of this the holiest Christian celebration is often overlooked and is now, as Christmas is, being redefined.  Going, going, and soon to be gone if we don't fight for it's preservation and message of hope in the greatest story ever told.
  The story and life of the humble son of a carpenter from Nazareth who changed mankind forever by His love, life, ministry, unequaled and selfless act of sacrifice at Calvary, and subsequent triumphant resurrection is under siege as not relevant anymore and is trying to be phased out.  No single person ever stood or lived for more nobler attributes than Jesus Christ.  All His life He loved, healed, fed, taught and blessed without prejudice.  He gave His life for you and me.  In today's modern world on Good Friday in countless countries reenactments of the crucifixion of Christ take place. Christians around the world still celebrate this holy day in gleaming cathedrals and churches.  The Jewish people celebrate Passover at around the same time.  The Pope says mass in front of one million plus people in St. Peters Square at the Vatican.  Yet with all this reverence we see so little of the fruit from the legacy of this mighty but humble King of Kings.  It seems our fire is gone for loving thy neighbor and having compassion towards our fellow man.  We  have become cold, distant and angry.  We spend whole lifetimes pursuing the perishable idols of our misguided passions that our families and relationships suffer.  We are quick to judge and criticize but slow to forgive.  Charitable giving often stems from the tax deductions it offers or pious posturing and not the heart.  We as a people are in despair and have forgotten our blessings and decided our Savior is convenient only when we need Him and not for an intimate lifelong altering and affirming relationship that He so desires.  We have become Sunday Christian's if that as church attendance is plummeting.  We need to change this most serious affliction to our souls or the complacency will will continue to usher our lives and society into steep decline.   Look around you and see the damage, it's everywhere.  But we can change, even I did!  It doesn't take an act of congress to change your heart.  You just need to be willing.  Willing to meet this Man of  Peace or for most of you just get to know Him again.  So, I urge you this Good Friday and Easter weekend to go to church.  Read the Easter story to your children and your family.   Give the first fruits of this weekend to Him and rededicate your life to getting to know and love Him.  You will find yourselves enriched and satisfied beyond measure.  If we all change just one heart at a time the world will change before us just as His life and impact is still changing people today.  So celebrate this Sunday as God wants you to and glory in the joyous resurrection of the King of Kings!   What better way to celebrate and what better gift to give your children.  May God Bless you and your family this Easter richly!


Mark 16:6
And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.

The Divided States of America

I shouldn't be this angry going into the second holiest season of the year, Easter, but I am.  Upset is more the word actually and profoundly disappointed.  You can see in everywhere and everyplace the war that is going on in this country.  Now it's not so much a visible war with human casualties on a battlefield, or immense property damage, but an invisible war.  One that is surely tearing at the unity and fabric of our nation and it's time that we consider a radical turnaround of our path because we are headed off a cliff and the consequences will be tragic.  The war I'm talking about is the war for our souls both individually and collectively.  This is the war that does the most damage.  Because it changes the hearts and minds of it's people and therefore changes their behavior, values, level of reason and compassion and the ability to govern fairly.  It's insatiable appetite for destruction and desolation goes beyond Democrat or Republican, black or white, Christian or not, gay or straight, child or adult.  It's absolute in it's reach and deadly in it's accuracy.  I call it moral secession.
  We have already or are in the process of abandoning our nation's heritage from both a constitutional and moral application of the law that was set up by Godly men with a divine set of precepts to work from.  These founding fathers warned us quite vociferously about the dangers of straying away from our pathway of blessing and righteousness.  Let me quote a few of them if I may that you may not have heard or know about. 
  John Adams
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
  Benjamin Franklin
 "I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God Governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
Thomas Paine
 "The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some say, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above."
Daniel Webster
 "If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be; If God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy, If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; If the power of the Gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end."
Abraham Lincoln
 "We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."
 Wow, and some would say that our country was not founded on Christian principles including our current president.  I could go on and on.  The warnings were many and just as poignant.  What's even more frightening is the accuracy of their statements almost from a prophetic standpoint.   What made these men of courage, wisdom and foresight speak this way?  They all had a reverent fear of the Lord and a great love for His supreme authority over their lives.  They knew as we now are finding out that the abandonment of Him has resulted in the loss of our blessings.  Quite simply as the flame of Christ flickers weakly in our hardened hearts we are reaping the consequences of such actions.  But it is not too late for us!  God is just and quick to forgive and quicker more to restore.  We need the unifying love of Jesus Christ to heal our great nation.  We don't need self serving politicians who line their pockets for personal gain at the expense of others hard work.  We need to quit berating our fellow citizens political views and instead question their moral choices that inevitably destine their philosophical and ideological paths.  We need to go back to our traditional God given and equally blessing values to reeducate our hearts and minds.  This starts in the homes with families, the schools with educators and administrators with a traditional and historically accurate curriculum and churches with a pastorate that is without apostasy and heresy, that preaches the true gospel message of Christ.  We won't get it from MSNBC, FOX, MTV, reality TV or the internet.  They are full of their own opinions driven by ratings and money.  Truth came from above, forged by the life of Jesus Christ and stands as perfect witness today to the wicked state of our world today as it did 2,000+ years ago.  Nothing has changed except out accelerated state of decay.  So this political season be in prayer for our country as you cast a vote.  Because if you have a righteous heart and you are in the center of God's will then you can't make a wrong decision!  But time is running out!


Psalm  33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight!

I've sort of adopted that saying as one of my mantras if you will, for my life.  It's profound impact is in it's simplicity and it's piercing meaning.  It simply says , never, ever give up.  I heard the source was from an old Japanese proverb which means that literally you can bounce back from any form of adversity and giving in is not an option.   It was just this past week when I was tested a bit in this self adopted philosophy and reminded that God allows trials to His children for very specific reasons.  Although I have to tell you, I thought I had been through enough for awhile.  Now this is not a pity party by any means and I sincerely hope you can take away from it some encouragement for your own life like God revealed to me for mine.
  For those of you who know us, our family has been through a difficult time in the past few years.  In short I lost my long career in real estate due to the economic downturn, our home was foreclosed on, we've used up all of our security in savings, IRA's, stocks and other resources to survive for as long as we could while I spent the last 18 months looking for work.  Application after application, interviews, call backs and seemingly incessant job searching yielded me no results.  But in that time to add insult to injury, we also suffered the sudden loss of my loving father, our faithful lab Gideon and are struggling to hold onto our beloved ministry center here in our town.  The proverbial full plate for sure.  I sometimes wonder in my daily devotions if God is hearing my cries and seeing my tears even though I know in my soul HE does and He cares.  Anyway, for the past four plus months I've been working a very modest job from home booking cruises for travel agents for a major cruise line.  Just yesterday they cut me off completely and did not renew me for another 90 days.   The hours were being drastically cut back and for a myriad of other issues which are not worth discussing, I was dropped.  Just like that!  In a matter of hours after receiving a boiler plate letter from an unknown supervisor my login codes were rescinded, my hours for work were removed from my portal and I was banned from every access to the company I was just working for just 24 hours earlier.  Absolute sterility and almost surreal to say the least.  Believe me this was only a $10 an hour job, but it was a job.  It gave me a measure of self esteem and allowed me to be productive and contribute to my families basic needs even though it wasn't enough.  It happened so fast I was almost numb.  Then I was mad, then disappointed, and finally I found myself knocked down again.  Not physically of course but emotionally.  Losing this little job took the starch out my shorts so to speak, temporarily.  I went to bed last night after my wife encouraged me and stared at the ceiling in my bedroom and the emotions of the past few years flooded over and the tears came for a bit.  When I finally fell asleep I tossed and turned and woke up with this simple phrase in my head, and it wouldn't go away.  Sort of like the dumb jingle or song that get's in your mind and tortures you for an entire day looping over and over.  I knew right then and there that God was doing one of his not so subtle nudges through the Holy Spirit that often accompanies hard times in my life when I find myself wallowing too long in sorrow.  You see God is not a quitter, nor is the Holy Spirit and most importantly not Jesus Christ His son.  I was instantly taken to the little cobblestone street in Jerusalem some two thousand years ago when a bloodied, brutally beaten, exhausted and mocked man of peace was forced to carry the cross He would be crucified on to Calvary.  Subjected the past week to a sham trial, false and unfounded accusations, beaten and scourged to within hair of death, He was then shamefully paraded along the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha.  All the way being whipped, mocked, spit upon and laughed at by a feverish crowd set upon His death.  He collapsed many times in exhaustion, drenched in sweat and blood and in great physical pain.  But he got up, again and again!  Why?  Why didn't He just stay down and die in the street?  He knew the death that awaited Him.  It was the cruelest form of execution known to man in it's day and brutally efficient in it's torture to the human body and spirit.  Yet He got up and went on.  You know the rest but let me tell you why.  He was born to die.  He is the lamb of God and the propitiation for all of our sins and He was on a mission here on earth that would not be denied.  It was the completion of His death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ that stands as the ultimate unselfish act of love and the most vivid example of sacrifice and obedience ever, period.  He set a standard for moral resolution and unselfish giving that can never be matched.  But it wasn't meant to be.  It was the awesome gift of salvation for us undeserving people from His death that was to be passed on.  Our God has a plan for all of us who He loves most assuredly.  We cannot give up because it is in the midst of sorrow that we will find the joy.  It is in the bitterness that we will find the sweet.  It is in the testing that we will find the resolve.  No person I have ever known or admired who professes their faith in God is without the scars of tribulation.  But the scars are physical only because God forges the tested soul in His fire and their testimony is proof and their gift to others who want to give up!  So I got up!  I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus and so are you.  God will use your heartache for the mending of others.  It is then and only then that you will come to understand that the end justifies the means. So let it be with you.

2 Timothy 4: 6-8

 
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

God Is Never Late!

Have you ever made a promise to be at a game or recital or school event at a certain time and arrived late?  Only to receive the death stare from your wife or face the look of absolute disappointment from your children when you missed their home run or speech?  Or your boss calls you into their office and asks you where you've been, that the client is upset and can't stay for your all important presentation?  Or you've missed the plane to be at your best friends wedding?  Or your kids are standing in the rain waiting for you to pick them up at the park?  Or worse yet you are late to pick up your mother-in-law at the airport?  Remember how you felt when you were asked the dreaded question of conviction, "Where were you?"  If you are like me you usually stare at the ground, shake your head and stammer out an apology so rife with guilt that you practically walk to the hangman and hand him the rope.  Now, it doesn't matter if you were late for any legitimate reasons at all, you were late period.  That means that someone who was counting on you was let down and that my friends leaves you feeling lower than a snakes belly.  Nothing you say or do will relieve the hurt because the unique impact of the moment has passed by.  Oh, there may be other games, weddings, meetings or other events but the importance of the emotion to the person for that occasion you were supposed to be there for is gone.  We've all been through it, haven't we?  So we spend the entire ride home promising endless ice cream cones to our children or taking your wife to a movie and dinner every weekend for a year.  Either way the penance served eventually gets you out of the dog house and back into good graces.  That is of course until you commit the same ridiculous act of negligence again.  Anyway, the good part is the forgiveness your family, friends and coworkers have for you.  They know the real you and your heart and even though they make you grovel for awhile always accept you back with open arms.
   All this got me to thinking!  I know, scary right? Anyway, what does God think when we are late?  Here we are running around this blue orb.  Some 6.5 billion of us all created in His image.  Each one unique in our own lives, pursuits, hopes and dreams with all sorts of frenetic stress going on.  Often times fighting to exist or just getting through our days let alone being on time somewhere.  It's a small miracle that many of us keep to a regular schedule most of the time considering all the daily obstacles and distractions that face us.  So I believe that God looks at us all as prodigal children.  He conceives, creates and raises us so He knows us as only a Father knows and consequently loves, chastises then forgives us.  He is the person always waiting patiently for us when we are late.  We never beat Him to the bus stop and He never leaves us waiting.  More importantly when we need Him no matter how busy He is, He stops listens and never fails to minister to us at the exact time we need it.  We may think He's not there or doesn't answer our prayers but that's because we are unruly children who don't invest the same time in Him that He does in us.  We can't benefit from His wise counsel or urgings to our spirit because we are either late, distracted or inattentive to His call.  So, advice goes unheeded, nonchalance and apathy creep in and matters of importance are prioritized behind our personal needs first.  You see chronic tardiness like other fallen attributes we have are mostly just matters of the heart.  I find when I am nearest to Him I am much more in sync spiritually, mentally and physically.  I can remove the obstacles or at least smooth out the bumps that hinder my daily journeys.  I am not as late, not as frantic and save myself a whole bunch of shame too.  Oh yeah, and I don't have to drive around trying to find a Dairy Queen open in January either!

Acts 20:28 

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Pick me! Pick Me!

The movie The Sandlot is one of my all time favorites.  It's the story of a bunch of boys in the early sixties growing up in southern California suburbia who play baseball together at the local park called the sandlot.  It's about building lifelong friendship, love of the game, competition, bonding together and humorous adventure.  I highly recommend it to any of you regardless of age.  The movie is centered around a character named Scotty Smalls who moves to a new neighborhood with his mom and generally distant and aloof step dad who loves baseball and collects baseball memorabilia but won't take the time to teach his stepson Scotty how to play the game.  Scotty is befriended by Benny Rodriguez, the local boy wonder superstar player who takes him under his wing and soon the adventures begin.  But I am always taken back to a scene in the film where Scotty, just new to the neighborhood, wanders over to the baseball field and is watching the guys play when they realize they need another person to pick even teams.  They see him and call him over and the scene in which the two captains are picking the teams is priceless.  Here is the new kid Scotty, dorky hat, cheap glove and a total unknown.  Standing there sheepishly as he is passed up by one player after another who the captains know will give them the best chance to win.  Then when he is the last one left Benny has no choice but to pick him and see what he's got.  The mannerisms and looks on the kids faces as they waited to be picked brought me back instantly to my own childhood.  Nobody wants to either pick or be the last one picked.  It's like taking your sister to the prom, total shame and embarrassment!  What I loved most about the movie is the way Scotty eventually endeared himself to his friends and teammates, who ended up appreciating him for the person he would be, rather than judging him by his appearance or ability.  Relevant lessons which have stood the test of time but sadly and often tragically are not either taught or certainly utilized in today's your either in or out world.
   You see the biggest difference between us today and the generations that have passed is that we today often look at the outwardness of the person when making choices to use people based upon superficial desires for success and achievement.  God however always and I mean always, looks at the heart of an individual when making choices for the achieving of His desires and success for them.  He wisely knows that inward attributes forged in honesty, integrity and high moral ethical standards qualify better for lasting success than do physical appearance and raw talent.  It is the true heart of a man that ultimately determines his lasting success or failure and nothing, and I mean nothing else.  Look at all the train wrecks of lives around us of friends and family as well as those of celebrities, athletes, politicians, prominent business people, pastors and others who had it all.  They had either or all of the following, looks, money, success, power and fame.  All of them temporal satisfaction at best..  But some where along the journey they decided to stray from God's will and good intent for them and make their own choices in life.  They and they alone would decide who to surround themselves with or trust with their careers or livelihood.  I don't need God and His counsel or protection, I have me.  I will make my own choices thank you.   It is this theme of self serving piousness that has caused some of our greatest societal changes in America.  And none of them are good!  The bible repeatedly talks about man's battle of serving two masters.   God concludes righteously that we cannot serve Him and ourselves at the same time.  It is because our fallen human nature is in constant conflict with our divine eternal spiritual nature and design.  We get so caught up in the shameless pursuits of idols and possessions that we simply step on or over those that get in our way.  Many of us don't often realize it either.  In doing so we propagate a kill or be killed attitude and that is the real danger.  We use and discard almost everything in life today as if we can can just go get another when it suits us or we need it to serve us.  This unfortunately includes other human beings and that is where we are at.   We have relegated the highest gift of all, our precious lives to a trash heap.  Whether it is the tsunami of abortion, ethnic or religious cleansing, euthanasia or the general indifference to the suffering in the human condition it is a death sentence for us all.  In a systematic removing of God and His will for our lives we have chosen the fallen sinful nature of our carnality to serve.  No longer do we look at the heart of the man next to us.  We simply determine their fate by if they are of use to us or will hinder or help our lifestyle or society.  Harsh words for sure but sadly true.  The boy that nobody wants on their team or in their lives is God nowadays.  The bible is full of unlikely outcasts like Gideon, Joseph, Jonah, David, Esther, Ruth, Moses, Paul and many others.  Many of whom simply weren't chosen or considered to be worthy by men, but were by God.  He found a place of importance for these common people and has much more so planned for you and I too.  Don't let the world determine the choices you make on it's value system.  It's like passing up the new kid on the block with the dorky hat, goofy shoes and funny name.   That kid who you and nobody else found value in but God now owns the park and the team and you're the one left saying "Pick me! Pick me!"

Luke 16:13
 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.