Melting Point

For all you scientists enjoy this - 

For everyone else - we can simplify the formula above for calculating the melting point of a substance and state that the melting point is that state or condition at which a solid substance becomes liquid - in general terms. If you try to discuss  this with a physicist or mathematician - they will be able to prove you wrong - as it really is not that straightforward or simple. At the moment - those of us in the Midwest are asking ourselves - when is all this - snow - ice - going to melt and go away.  It is what it is - it will melt - when it melts. Snow and ice are easy to cope with - emotions - much more difficult. Quite often we are forced to cope with people who insist on disappointing - proclaiming lies in place of truth - bending and shaping words to tickle ears - win over those not able to comprehend deceit. It takes time - like waiting for ice to melt - for most to reach that melting point - to finally endure enough - to proclaim - I quit - stop it - shut up! 

Jesus promised that He came into our lives that we might live our lives to the fullest. With Jesus - with God - all things are possible - not always probable. Jesus works in our hearts and minds - He sets the stage - unfortunately - all too often - others filled with their own self importance - defile the playing field - giving in to temptations - feeding their desires.  It irritates us - makes our tempers boil - bring us to a melting point. In all this we have to know that the devil has many followers - knowingly or not - who are seduced into following the wrong path. For us - our eyes must be kept focused on Jesus and Jesus alone - not worrying how we will be fed - how we will be clothed - what we will build - what we will accomplish - placing our total trust in God and His plan for us. Only by doing this may our souls be at rest - our melting point kept in control - our lives fulfilled. 

Deacon Dale 

Snowbirds

According to Wikipedia - A snowbird is someone from the U.S. Northeast - U.S. Midwest - Pacific Northwest - Canada who spends a large portion of winter in warmer locales such as California - Arizona - Florida - Texas - the Carolinas - or elsewhere along the Sun Belt region of the southern and southwest United States - Mexico - areas of the Caribbean. These people are typically retired persons who - wishing to flee colder weather - relocate to warmer climates during the cold months. At one time only the wealthy were able to afford this - today many more are able to qualify as snowbirds due to lower costs of relocating.  Some people acquire permanent residences while others rely on  rental properties. For many years I found it hard to understand why people felt inclined to become snowbirds - until this January - when the bitter cold made it very clear to my wife and I why we might consider following this flock of snowbirds to warmer climates.  

In each of our lives we seek the basics of life - comfort being paramount.  If you are not comfortable then happiness will elude you.  Compromising your beliefs - living a life that is not compatible with your own comfort zone will lead to an unhappy existence.  To be true to ourselves means being true to your inner spirit - in contact with that spirit which unites you with God.  To deny yourself - to deny your happiness - is contrary to God's plan for your life.  Jesus came that we might have life and live it to the fullest - in comfort. If you are uncomfortable then invite Jesus into your life and He will create the warmth and happiness that you seek.

Deacon Dale 

Going For Gold

The world is currently focused on the Winter Olympic Games - the teams - the individuals - the Gold - Silver - Bronze - winners. Leaders have lost - newcomers have surpassed expectations - the world - watching - celebrating the successes. Some might criticize the attention and money invested in a series of games between nations - they miss the point that in these games - the world comes to the same table to share their training - their hopes - their aspirations. This is an opportunity in which the world - speaking the common language of sports - work together to show all of us how very similar we all are. This is the peoples of the world - people of different languages - different cultures - different beliefs - playing well together.

                                                      

God calls each of us to the same table - He brings us with different gifts - different talents - to share in the one ministry of acceptance of each other - not judging - not criticizing - building up - reaffirming - encouraging us to be the best we can be - to go for the Gold - to grab the hope that He has for all people. 

Deacon Dale

Outrageous

Outrageous is defined as shockingly bad or excessive - that is exactly how I felt the other day when I learned about the backlash in regards to the Coca-Cola Super Bowl video in which various people sang the song "America The Beautiful" in a multitude of languages.  Those on social media quickly took up the rant - speak English or leave and Tweeted the same across the nation.  How dare we - any of us - who stole "our" native tongue from - England - dare to complain about any language spoken here in these United States of America - the home of the "free and the brave" - the "lost and forlorn" - those seeking shelter and asylum from other countries?  How dare we - who trace our roots to anywhere else but America - except for a few native born Americans - complain about "foreign" languages - foods - cultures - that exist here in America?  I for one do not speak "American" - my heritage is not "American" - rather it is Italian - German - French - English- Irish - Scotch - Welsh - and with my marriage to Arlene introduced Polish as another beautiful addition to my family line. I am proud to be American - but my life lived is a mixture of all the cultures lived by both my maternal and paternal family lines.  All my relatives near and far - trace our roots to Europe - as do the majority of Americans.  Unless you are one of the few who have blood lines back to the Native American Indians - you did not get your start here either.  So America wake up - stop your complaining - immerse yourself in the multitude of cultures that this country is made up of - that and that alone - the diversity of colors - languages - foods -  cultures - is what makes America the best country in the world.  We are - the World - rolled into one nation.  Where else can you travel where every single culture - language - lifestyle is lived - except in America.  That is the one truth - so start living it - and liking it.  

God created us to experience and live life to the fullest - Jesus reminds us in John 10:10 that He came that we could do just that. Experience life - not comparing and criticizing the differences that exist - but to celebrate the uniqueness that each of us brings to this entire world - for the benefit of all mankind. Do that and the entire world will be a better place for all of us.

Deacon Dale