Full Coverage

Full coverage - as in home owner's insurance - everything is covered by insurance - the house - the contents - the out buildings - the swimming pool - in clothing - not revealing - much more than minimal - complete - entire.  We love full coverage - knowing that all has been included - appropriate - done to completion. Full coverage - ensures - peace of mind - comfort.

Jesus not only offers us a full life with Him - also - His Father - His Holy Spirit - nothing left out - nothing additional to add.  When you allow God to enter your life - completely - without reservation - you receive all that He has to offer - His love - healing - forgiveness - acceptance - assurance - everything.  Like an insurance policy - you are covered completely - no premium to pay - Jesus has paid the price - the cost - His life - on the Cross - for you.  As we continue through Lent - remember Jesus is waiting - offering full coverage - for you.

Deacon Dale 

Money In The Bank

Money In The Bank is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the WWE.  In 2014 the main event was a Ladder match for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship won by John Cena.  Money in the bank - also -  according to the Urban Dictionary - is a phrase used to express generally positive feelings - used to praise - commend - compliment.  Adding an awesome player to the team - Money in the Bank.

When God sent His Son - Jesus - to mankind - He sent - Money in the Bank - His guarantee - to each of us - acceptance - forgiveness - assurance - His commitment - for all ages.  His promise - 2000 years old - as good today - as first spoken.  Jesus is a treasure - a gift from God - available to all - available now. To take your share - no withdrawal slip need - only your word - your promise - like His - to follow Him - to serve your brothers and sisters. Jesus waits - for your word - your acceptance - with interest.

Deacon Dale 

Where's the Beef?

Many years ago one popular fast food chain ran a very successful ad focused on the tag line - where's the beef.  Its ad - challenged competitors - size of the beef patty - small - compared to their own. Their claim to fame - we have the beef - lots of it!  That commercial ran for a long time - increased that chain's sales some thirty percent. Customers loved that ad - in your face challenge - put up - shut up.  From that ad grew others - not related to food products - evolved to mean - give us some real substance - give the people something they can literally - figuratively - sink their teeth into. Even one politician challenged his rival - where's the beef?

When seeking a relationship with Jesus - what you see is what you get. You get all of Him - not just one bit or piece. Nothing remains hidden - His life an open book - easy to digest - easy to assume into your own life. With Him - you receive the greatest - biggest - best available. For modern disciples - we should offer as much - our complete selves - our complete focus - on serving Him - His Father - to the best of our ability - serving Him - His people with one-hundred percent of our energy. Would that  all of us could make that claim - not half hearted - but with complete devotion.  Jesus calls each of us - to a renewed conversion - mind - heart - soul. We pray that He says - well done good and faithful servant - not - "where's the beef?"

Deacon Dale 

Back to Back to Back

Visiting with friends today - afternoon at Spring Training - Cubs versus Indians - fun in the sun. Losing zero to four - Cubs at bat - home run - repeated - repeated - back to back to back. Of course - fans excited - cheering - screaming - three home runs in a row. Everyone loves back to back homers - wins - success. A special accomplishment - pride of accomplishment.

Wandering alone in the desert of life - often one wonders who has their back - who is there to offer guidance - support - encouragement - protection. Each of us is responsible for our own relationship with God - nobody can do this for us - we alone - are respoosible - for our decisions - our future. The only one who can help us - guide us - assure us - each step of the journey - Jesus. He alone - has our back - He alone stays with us constantly - He alone - no one else - only Jesus - again and again and again - back to back to back.

Deacon Dale 

Safety Net

Typically when thinking about a safety net - one will think of high wire acts - tightrope walkers - aerial performers. Anyone working in any capacity at great heights - danger of falling - would be advised to use some type of safety net - protection from serious injury - death. Construction workers - roofers - telecommunication crews - all put themselves in danger - working at extreme heights. Safety vests - netting - rope systems - webbing apparatus - all provide a level of security - safety from injury - death.

In life there are very few safety nets - when really needed - unable to know for sure when danger will occur. Our spiritual life - as unsure as any other part of life - no guarantees - nothing we can do to ensure - heaven - salvation. For Christians - Jesus - our safety net - no ropes - no life vests - only His promise - His guarantee - life eternal - if we believe in Him - hold tightly to our faith - trust in Him - not ourselves. As we ponder - wander though life - Jesus stands waiting - safety net in hand - offering safety - salvation - for you.

Deacon Dale 

Living Water

If you read this blog regularly - you will know that we have been constructing a new swimming pool - in Arizona. After delays - solid rock - rain - yes - even in Arizona - acid wash - filling the pool - now it is almost ready. Who would think you would fill a 13,000 gallon pool with a garden hose - twenty-four hours later task finished. The pool is filled - water - blue - looking good - final step - tomorrow morning - balancing the pH - adding chemicals - starting the pump and filter. In perhaps twenty-four hours - ready for swimming - living water - energized - ready for relaxation - exercise - enjoyment.

When Jesus met the woman at the well - in today's Gospel - He offered her living water - water that would quench all thirst - fill her with the Holy Spirit of God - bring her life to fulfilment. She pondered how that would be possible - the well was old - deep - Jesus - no bucket. She did not realize that she was talking with the Promised One - the Messiah - the Lord. The living water He promised - salvation - new life in Christ. Today the Church celebrates the first of three scrutinies for the Elect - the focus on water - baptism - cleansing of sins. As the Elect ponder the prayers prayed over them - we - along with them - also ponder this wonderful mystery of God. How does He do this - why would He want us - what does the future hold.  Jesus - smiles - maybe even laughs - the promise of life with God - unfathomable - waiting - waiting for a response - from you.

Deacon Dale  

Acid Wash

The final step in the construction phase of building a swimming pool is the acid wash. After everything else has been completed - the excavation - plumbing - rebar - electrical - shotcrete - sculpting - curing - decking - acrylic layer - interior finish - is the acid wash. The step through which the interior is scrubbed clean - prepared for the initial filling with water - start up with chemicals - turning on the pumps and filters. This last step assures that all has been done well - met multiple inspections by the city - guaranteeing safety - meeting all requirements.

When God calls you - beckons you to come to him - He accepts you - as you are - where you are. There is no requirement for you to clean yourself - no bath necessary - no acid wash - to purify yourself. The only thing He asks of you is an open mind - a willing heart - to draw yourself into His presence - to commit yourself to Him - to become a disciple. As you make this commitment - on your own - you will rid your life of anything that is wrong - impure - unhealthy - for a proper relationship with Jesus - with God. All you have to do is to say YES - Jesus stands - arms open wide - waiting - for you.

Deacon Dale 

Justification

It seems as if everyone is constantly having to justify - their actions - decisions - thoughts - actions. We live at a time when almost everyone is guilty of judging others - being judged themselves - explaining their actions. We have become a country where the operating code is - political correctness. Nobody is allowed to make a statement about anything without another calling them to task for what they said - how they said it - why they spoke in the first place. If the spoken word fails to meet every one's expectations - not justified - not correct - declared wrong - insensitive - thoughtless - out of place. As a nation - we walk on eggs - overly careful - to not misspeak - state the obvious - fear repercussions - for thoughts - serious - silly - moments of speaking without thinking. 

God speaks to humankind in various and interesting ways - not always accepted - often at the wrong time - inconvenient - not fitting into our idea of proper timing. In the Temple - Jesus did not ask to speak to the person in charge - instead - overthrowing the money changers' tables - driving people out of the Temple with a whip of cords - not politically correct - insensitive - what was He thinking - what drove Him to action.  God calls each of us to accountability - to Him - to ourselves - to our community. We are bound by His commands - to act - to do - His bidding. The money changers still exist - the wrong people crowd the Temple steps - we stand idly by - watching - fearful - to act. Jesus calls us - as His modern day disciples - to walk boldly - to speak the truth - to live with conviction - to be examples to the lost - the uninformed. It is we - you and I - called to share His Divine love with others - wherever we go - at work - school - shopping - on vacation - wherever.  Jesus speaks - He watches - observing how we live our call - watching - waiting - for you.

Deacon Dale 

Play Ball

Opening Day at Mesa, Arizona - the first Chicago Cubs game of 2015 at Spring Training - the crowd of loyal Cubs fan was there - the two of us among them - excitement - fun - smiles - adults - kids - men - women - young - old - sporting blue Cub shirts - hats - cameras. A festive atmosphere - happy - enjoying the warm weather - sun - food - drink. The first game anywhere - always fun - always interesting - filled with hope - expectation - praying for a win. Today's score - tied - 2 to 2.

Jesus calls all of us to join His Father's team - to play ball with Him - to enjoy ourselves - each other - life. His plan - health - happiness - joy - comfort. All will celebrate - the good times - leave the bad times behind - looking forward to a future of endless joy. No try outs for God's team - no anxiety - no practice games - no cuts - no losers - no ties - everyone plays - everyone wins. Jesus invites everyone to join His team - this Lent - everyday - sign up is now - He stands - waiting - for you.

Deacon Dale 

Anger

Anger - defined by Wikipedia is an emotional response - related to one's psychosociological interpretation of having been threatened. There are many - various - forms of threat - physical - psychological - real - imagined. As a person interprets input from various sources - people - animals - weather - controllable - out of control - they have the ability to select a proper response. When threatened - the decision to act - react - up to the individual. An active response to defend - a passive response to ignore - within the control of the individual. When a person states - you made me angry - they are wrong - they should state - instead - I chose to become angry - in response to your - words - actions. Although admirable - anger is not the easiest thing to control - driven by emotions - sometimes low level - others highly driven. Call me stupid - easy to ignore - easy to avoid anger - insult my spouse - my child - my God - not as easy.

Jesus was the gentle prophet - walking through deserts - strange villages - through harsh terrain - to share God's story of love - acceptance. A simple message - delivered in love - with concern for others - to benefit others - not Himself. His message of living a good - moral life - angered many. They chose to react - not in love - with hate. He - attempting to spread peace - faced - unrest - scrutiny - fear. Even today He attempts to reach the lost - people on the fringe - the outcasts - meeting with anger - often. People fearing to allow Christ into their life - fearing conversion - angered that they are asked to change their life - for the benefit of themselves. Anger does not come from God - anger comes from fear - with Jesus - nothing to fear - with God - nothing to be afraid - except of your self. Giving up anger - the decision to be unhappy - yours. Waiting to help you cast your anger aside - to give you the inner peace you seek - Jesus - waiting - for you.

Deacon Dale