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.