Preparation Day

So today is - preparation day - the day we have scheduled to pack up our things - load them in  the car - stage the house - prepare to leave in the morning for the trip back to Illinois. It has been an experience - to say the least. I never thought that we would have so much to take back - the trip here after Christmas was to bring things for the new house - the trip back - just as heavily loaded - bringing new things to Illinois. In addition the house has to be cleaned - top to bottom - in anticipation of a potential renter. Meeting with neighbors - giving them contact information - checking in with our house manager - pool guy - making arrangements with our realtor and leasing agent - preparing photos for advertising - more than I want to do - but must be done.

Preparation Day for the Jewish community - not a relocation experience - rather preparation for the Passover - a celebration of God's blessing on the entire community - the people of God - spared by the angel of death. An event so great - demanding special gatherings with family and neighbor - honoring God. Significant for Jesus - on the cross - removing His body and placing in the tomb - so the people - His disciples could - mourn His death - His sacrifice - honor the holiness of the day - observing Passover. Little did they know that Jesus would experience His own personal Passover - in His death and resurrection - His transformation from a mortal human body - to His new glorified body. An event - none of us should pass over.

Deacon Dale  

Fruitful

If you look up the word fruitful you will see that it literally means being full of fruit - filled with fruit - a good yield of fruit - a good harvest - an abundance - positive results. This does not have to apply only to farmers - gardeners.  Anyone who toils - works hard on any project - who sees great results - positive outcomes - may claim a fruitful yield. A teacher whose class all earn an "A" on a test may be sited as a fruitful yield - very positive results from concentrated effort.  To experience a fruitful yield - a sense of pride - positive affirmation.

Although Jesus only ministered publicly for a short three years or so - His yield of converts - beyond expectation.  Like a farmer - He planted seeds of faith - took root in hearts of men and women - yielded results beyond belief.  He reminds us that He is the true vine - as long as we stay connected to Him - we will produce results just as He did.  We are the branches - connected to Christ - our outcomes as great as His - as long as we stay connected.  Just as a grape withers and dies once it falls away from the vine - so may we wither - lose faith - grow weak in our own lives if we distance ourselves - disconnect from Jesus. Connected to Him - all things are possible - with God connected to us.

Deacon Dale 

Uno de Mayo

Last night we enjoyed an evening out with friends at a local Festival de Mayo in Avondale. Many of our friends on Facebook were teasing us that we had the date wrong - that we were suppose to celebrate May 5th - Cinco de Mayo. We quipped back that due to our impending departure from Arizona - we had to take advantage of the opportunity to spend a relaxed evening with friends. It turned out to be a smaller gathering - the entertainment was excellent - great mariachi music - young girls in colorful outfits dancing their hearts out - a good celebration.

Anytime anyone celebrates their new birth in Christ - the right time to celebrate. We do not wait until it is - proper - we seize the moment - here and now - announcing to the world - anyone nearby - the saving act of our Lord.  Christmas - Easter - great times to celebrate God's loving act for His people - any day - worthy of celebrating - His love. 

Deacon Dale 

Large Garbage Day

The city of Goodyear, Arizona offers free pickup of large items - tree branches - furniture -  which do not go into the standard trash containers. The first Monday of each month - the trash crews patrol each neighborhood for these items and remove them from each residence. Rather than refuse to pick up large items at all - this is a routine monthly service - keeping the community - individual homes - trash - garbage free.  

Jesus offers a similar service - for spiritual garbage - trash that has collected in our hearts and souls. He has no limits - how much you need to get rid of - when you want to cleanse your heart.  He is available 24/7 - no need for an appointment - no need to arrange schedules - He is there - constantly on duty - waiting for you to ask. Sacramental cleansing - has a timeline - availability of a priest - talking it out with Jesus - no restrictions. Working through His priests - you have the ability to clean your spiritual house from top to bottom - completely cleansed - refreshed - to start over with a clean slate. Your priest - Jesus - wait for you.

Deacon Dale 

Carry Tiger To Mountain

Carry Tiger To Mountain - one of 108 Tai Chi moves - the peaceful form of exercise developed by the Chinese - practiced by people of any age. Through the practice of tai chi - relaxation - development - peace.  Jane Moss - a Tai chi instructor affiliated with Harvard Medical School offers tai chi moves that can bring down stress level and enhance your immune response. Click here for full article. Anything that can help a person to reduce stress in their life has to be good.  Stress is one of the major killers of Americans.  I love the various names of the tai chi moves - thus - Carry Tiger To Mountain.

When people come to Christ for the very first time - things change in their lives - drastic changes - bringing peace - rest - calm.  For many - stress quickly flows out of their life - in its place a new sense of purpose - a regeneration of their inner spirit - a new view as how life is to be lived. Just as God raised Jesus from the cross - so will He raise us up - not just at the end of our days - also as we grow closer to Him. He - the author of life - will carry us to any mountain we need to climb - to any height we seek - as long as we keep our eyes - focused on Jesus.

Deacon Dale 

Dirty Secrets

Dirty secrets may mean lots of different things - nasty little tid-bits nobody knows - hints and tips on how to manage dirt removal - tricks of the trade - especially for landscapers and lawn care specialists. Recently we finally finished our landscaping at our new home in Arizona. Landscaping here is very different from Illinois - the basics are the same - good soil - proper planting techniques - water.  Some things are very different - using a pick axe to dig a hole in solid rock  instead of a shovel in soil - to create a new home for your plant.  Raking rock - decomposed granite - instead of grass - irrigation systems in front and back yards rather than using an above ground sprinkler and hose.  Our lawn care specialist is a funny young man - always a smile on his face - always ready for a challenge - even if it means using a small jackhammer to run irrigation lines - all in a days work - no secrets -  just part of the job.

With Jesus - no dirty secrets - everything He did - an open book.  No falsehoods - no misdirection - no false assumptions - just honest - straight forward words.  His love for mankind - His Father's love for mankind - His plan for the world living in harmony - peaceful - honest - open. As a disciple of Jesus - each is called to live their life in an honest and open way - just as Jesus did.  We are called - He expects us to follow - no secrets to hide - simply sharing the gift we have received.

Deacon Dale 

Home Security

Home security is a big business today - alarms - cameras - sirens - wireless - glass break sensors - everything to help us feel more secure inside our homes - protecting us - our property. When away - alarm systems guard our empty homes from smoke - fire - flooding - home invasion - safety issues. Newer systems can be monitored - controlled by newer smart phones - providing peace of mind.

When God sent Jesus to the world - His message - to rest secure - knowing that He would take care of all the people - protecting - nourishing - nurturing them. As a child of God - we have the best security available - on the job - 24/7 - no downtime - no system failures. The system is free - Jesus paid the price - on the Cross - for each of us.  

Deacon Dale 

Network

Everybody has some sort of network these days - people in similar fields - sports - activities - communities - electronic devices. Our community in Arizona recently joined a new network - Nextdoor.com - a private social network with a limited number of homes in a designated area. The idea is to help involve neighbors with each other - finding lost pets - promoting school projects - looking for reliable trades people - searching suggestions for interesting entertainment - helping neighbors with needs - wants - security.  The network has only been active for a few months but already has over 300 members - people reaching people.

Jesus had His own network - His twelve disciples - other followers. Even though they had no modern  technology - they were still able to get His message out - word of mouth. One person reaching one other - who reached one other. Because of His message - how it impacted daily life - His message spread rapidly - considering the times. With the advent of the printing press - radio - television - Internet - His message is now broadcast and shared hundreds of thousands times a day. The technology has changed - the message has not. Jesus loves you - God has a plan for your life - you are important.  The next time you check your email - Facebook - Twitter - remember - you have been called to share the most important message you have ever received - God loves you.

Deacon Dale 

Feeling Sheepish

Everyone of us has had that moment - a time we would like to forget when we felt sheepish - embarrassed - bashful - having done something silly - wrong - foolish.  Trying to get that special person - to notice us - pay attention to what we were doing - hoping to impress. On other occasions - opening our mouth - putting foot in mouth - wrong on all accounts - embarrassed - sheepish. It is only human nature - to want to excel - to show off - to impress - family - friends.  It is all a part of growing up - becoming a mature individual.

Jesus - the Good Shepard - the One who loves us - cares for us - directs our lives - along paths of peace - joy - asks us to be like sheep. To follow - without question - to comply with His requests - to live as He asked. Not all comply - Peter - with head hung low - after denying Jesus on the Cross - asked three times - do you love me? Three times - told by Jesus - feed my sheep - feed my people. As a shepherd cares - loves - his sheep - so does Jesus love each of us. Not all will respond to His offer of love - His offer of healing - His offer of peace.  Most will accept - come into His fold.  A few - turn away - reject His offer - leaving them - only later to realize the gift they threw away - leaving them - to feel - sheepish.

Deacon Dale 

Rocky Times

We are veteran hikers - to some degree - not experts - experienced - long walks - blisters - wrong turns - lost trails - sore feet - legs - backs. It all comes with putting oneself out there - lost in nature - no distractions - no crowds - smelling roses - creosote plants - fresh rain. As romantic as it sounds - not always romantic - sometimes - tiring - cactus needles - in legs - feet. The other day on our hike - trail disappeared - in the mountains - searching for paths - none to find - crawling over rocks - looking for footprints - signs of other hikers - alone by ourselves. Our hiking partner had a sense of where to head - she had never trekked the path previously - just kept walking - in dried up river beds - the last traces of the previous monsoon gone - rocks bleached white from non existent waterfalls - boulders to climb - watching for steps carved by the sands and waters of previous ages. It was the hardest trek we have ever attempted - eight hours - too long - too soon - sore feet - tired legs - rest not an option. Tired - exhausted - we completed the hike.

White Tank Mountains - Arizona

Coping with the crowds - the people - the curses - ridicule - Jesus had to face very rocky times. His path - down the hallways of people's hearts - through their souls - over the mountains of sins - into the fleshy - loving part of their beings. His strength - the Holy Spirit - the love of His heavenly Father - the support of His disciples - friends. Along every path that we may walk - God is constantly with us - helping us - protecting us - guiding us - according to His plan - not ours. Jesus calls each of us to walk with Him - to face the rocks - the boulders - in our paths - to victory - with Him.

Deacon Dale