I AM ONE OF 8.3 BILLION PEOPLE

 

     According to statistics, at the end of 2025 there are 8.3 billion people in the world. That just blows me away. And to think that our God loves every one of those people on planet earth is mind boggling. It makes me sad to think that there are thousands who don't even believe in God. There are also thousands who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God and thousands who feel the need to bow to an idol. Just think about this! There are thousands who, when December 25th comes, don't celebrate Christmas. at all because of their religion. To them it's just another day. A Buddhist, a Muslim, a Hindu and a Hassidic Jew are just a few of them. It's not Christmas, it's Thursday!

     I am one of those 8.3 billion people and so are you. As I type this, there is someone in Antarctica trying to stay warm. There is someone in Japan enjoying sushi in a restaurant. There is a man in Nigeria working on his farm to support his family and there is a surfer in Hawaii catching a wave and enjoying the sunshine. We are merely a speck on a satellite picture of this planet earth. We are all guilty of one thing. We all seem to feel the world we live in revolves around us. America especially is a self-centered country bar none!  My little "world" is in South Carolina where I live, work and go to church. Your little "world" might be elsewhere. I have realized many things in my life. God not only loves me. God has a plan for my life and God sent His son Jesus to this earth as a baby who would later be nailed to a cross for my sins and for yours. To think the God is concerned for my well-being and is on my side 24/7 just blows me away. To know that God can hear the prayers of all 8.3 billion people and answer each prayer according to His will is simple amazing, and amazing is putting it lightly.   

     I don't even want to think about if I did not put God number one in my life. In the last six months I have seen a lot of compromise amongst Christians. One foot in the world and one-foot following Jesus doesn't cut it. We need to be all in or all out in my opinion. To think that God is "all in" for all 8.3 billion people motivates me to say I need to be the same for Him. I'm sure it breaks His heart to know that there are many atheists out there who do not believe he exists. There are Muslims bowing to the east who worship Allah and refuse to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. They believe he is a prophet. I'm sure it is the heart of Almighty God to see all 8.3 billion people in this world turn to him. In the meantime, we are only one who can make a difference in this world wherever we live, wherever we work and whomever we are in contact with. It is my job as a Christian to let might light shine brightly for Him. I don't want to be self-centered ever! The world does not revolve around me! I pray a simple prayer:

GOD, GIVE ME A HEART FOR PEOPLE.

LET THEM SEE YOU IN ME!  

     I pray you are motivated just as I am. I have learned a lot this past year about myself. The world is a lost, crazy place where you see troubled people, happy people and self-centered people. I want to make a difference in my world. I hope you do too!

MERRY CHIRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

FROM A BABY IN A MANGER TO A FAT GUY IN A RED SUIT?? REALLY??

 

     I think I write this type of blog every year and the reason is simple ... it really does bother me what Christmas has become verses what Christmas really is. It is supposed to be the Birthday of Jesus Christ, but it has become a money- making season all around the world. Let's start with what Christmas is supposed to be.

     The Bible tells us that an angel sent by God visited Mary, who was a virgin. She was told she would be the mother of Jesus, the savior of the world and God's only Son. Mary became pregnant with baby Jesus so she and Joseph, a young carpenter traveled to Bethlehem, a small city to give birth to our Lord. I'm sure they expected better accommodations as they entered Bethlehem. As they tried to get a room at an Inn, they were told there was no room. This young couple had to stay in a stable, the very place animals dwelled to give birth to the savior of the world. After Jesus was born, the only place they could lay him was in a manger, the very place animals would feed out of. Imagine that! The savior of the world is placed in the same spot where animals eat their food. Historians tell us that Jesus was probably born in the springtime and not December 25th. There is also a theory that the Wisemen came much later to see baby Jesus than what was said. The bottom line is this. Christmas should be the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and his Birthday. Unfortunately, it is not. The world has decided to change it and make it different. Now let's take a look at what Christmas has become!

     You are a young child, and your parents take you to the mall. You stand in line with many other kids your age and you are waiting to see a fat guy wearing a red suit with a long white beard. You sit on his lap, and you tell him what you want for Christmas. Christmas morning comes and underneath your Christmas tree are loads of presents. Santa has come! Everyone is excited and you can feel the magic. Hopefully you received the gift you asked Santa for, and hopefully everyone is happy. As soon as the Halloween decorations and items are removed from Walmart and other stores, you see Christmas decorations being displayed, even before the leaves have fallen from trees. It amazes me how much stores are making during Christmas but also how much money people spend on presents. We all enjoy December 25th. We love being with our families and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. What bothers me is that we have forgotten what Christmas is really all about. It should be about Jesus, but it has become all about that fat guy in a red suit, unfortunately.

     As a child, Christmas had two meanings for me. Being raised in the Catholic church the first 13 years of my life, Christmas to me was part religious and part fun. The religious part if you will, was having to sit at Catholic mass which felt like 4 hours but was much less than that. We were in a very crowded church sitting on hard wooden pews, and the Priest would tell us about the birth of Jesus. It was Christmas Eve. I was bored as a young kid, so I would count the lights or daydream and imagine what would happen if the St. Peter statue, which was right in the front of the church, all of a sudden came to life in front of us. Mass would end and that would be the end of the "religious" part of Christmas. My family would go home, have our Italian Christmas Eve dinner with fish, spaghetti, clams, more fish, more spaghetti and more food. It's a special time and is still a family tradition!  

     Please know that I am not a "killjoy." I love Christmas, I love being with family, I love giving presents, I love looking at Christmas lights and I love putting up my Christmas tree, decorating it and putting icicle lights on my house (although this year I was not able to do that.) I love driving through town seeing Christmas lights on lampposts and Nativity Scenes at churches. I love seeing cars decorated and I recently saw one car decorated as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with a red nose in the front. I love hearing Christmas music while at home, on the radio in my car and while shopping. I even still laugh at the Christmas cartoons I watched as a kid that my brother and I have memorized to this day. All these things are fun and put a smile on not only my face but the face of everyone who enjoy this season. 

     With what is going on in our world today, people want, need and are searching for happiness. People begin celebrating Christmas as soon as we finish handing out the last of our Halloween candy. It's as if we try so hard to skip Thanksgiving and go right into Christmas. If you ask anyone on the street the question, "What is the real meaning of Christmas?", they will probably answer "It's all about being with family, having the 'Christmas Spirit,' spreading joy and love to everyone and getting presents." It saddens me that we have not given any recognition to the real honored guest, the real reason we celebrate ... JESUS! It's His Birthday!  Do you want happiness? It's simple. Follow Jesus and let Him be the Lord of your life. I did on December 6, 1977, and it was my greatest Christmas gift ever! In the meantime, let's remember that baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in that manger in Bethlehem. He would later on in life die on the cross for our sins. He deserves not only one special holiday to celebrate his birth, he needs to be celebrated every single day! 

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! DON'T EVER

 FORGET WHAT THIS SEASON REALLY IS!!

             

ONE YEAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA!

 

     It is so hard to believe it's been one year since I left Long Island, NY at 3:50 a.m. during a surprise snowstorm on my way to new beginnings in the Columbia, SC area. It has been an amazing ride, a bumpy ride and a year of learning and stretching. I have learned a whole lot about the culture here in the south, but I am also continuing to learn what makes people "tick" here! Let me review my 365 days as a South Carolina resident.

     I started my job at Chick Fil-A on December 11th and the leaders there were impressed with how much I knew about the business. They were happy I did not need to be retrained. I got along and still get along with my fellow team members. My biggest adjustment was and still is trying to understand some of the southern accents when they order food, especially when I am on the headset. I was also surprised, but I should not have been how so many here have huge attitudes. It seems as though attitudes are everywhere, even in the "Bible Belt." 

     Speaking of the "Bible Belt," I have also noticed that Christianity is a culture here and not necessarily a way of life. What I mean by that is many people say they are Christians, but they only attend church when they feel like it. I am not saying this is every Christian but a good amount of people. It makes me sad that following Jesus is not a priority for some. But I do want to say that the many who I have met who love Jesus and have put him #1 are great people.

     Before I moved, I had heard that many from the south were not fond of New Yorkers or as we are referred to as "Yankees." I have seen this especially working at Chick Fil-A. Don't get me wrong, I have met extremely nice people, but there are a select few who are not happy a New Yorker has relocated. It has been a challenge trying to make new friends here being that I am not a southern guy. I have made "work friends" and I do like to talk to my neighbor across the street. I have also found at some churches I have attended that people are not very friendly. One church I attended we had several people say "hello" to me but in the larger churches it seems as though they wanted to get out of the church parking lot and beat the traffic. I also realize it's only been one year, so things do take time. 

     The summer I spent here was hot and I mean hot. Thank God for air conditioning. You didn't see a lot of kids playing outside or riding their bikes because of the extreme heat. You will see people mowing their lawns either in the morning or in the evening. Even working outside at Chick Fil-A while taking orders the weather was brutal and many people who grew up here told me it's the norm in South Carolina. It is very necessary to have central air in your home. If you don't you are in big trouble! 

     My first six months here I have to admit were amazing to say the least. Everything was coming together nicely but just like in everyone's life, I hit a few snags, bumps, frustrations and head scratching circumstances that I still wonder why which began in the summer months. I do not want to get into details about these things, but I will say when you are feeling down there is only one place to look and that is UP! I have learned a lot about myself, and I know if it was not for my relationship with Jesus Christ, I would have probably checked myself into a psych ward somewhere. But I do praise God that He pulled me through like he always does! 

     So here is to one year as a New York Guy living in the South. It's been a wild ride, and I know the ride will continue in 2026 with bigger and better things! 

THANKS FOR READING AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

       

TRIALS EQUAL PURE JOY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

 

     It's the day after Thanksgiving so as we digest the amazing food we enjoyed, we return to our normal lives. Maybe you have to work today or maybe you are enjoying time away. I pray you are all blessed and will always be grateful for what you have!

     I remember being 17 years old and reading the book of James in the Bible. The second verse in the first chapter says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. WHAT? Consider it joy? Be happy that you are struggling? When you face struggles, you should have a big old smile on your face?" I was young and I thought to myself, "No! Not me! I don't want to be happy during a trial or struggle. Why can't life just be easy, simple and with no worries or difficulties?"

     Have you ever met someone who has a perfect life? Their job is perfect, their kids are perfect, their car is perfect and they dress perfect. In your flesh, you just wat to mess up their hair! You realize later on that they hate their line of work, their kids are not very nice and spoiled, and they are having issues with their perfect car. In the long run they are not perfect, and neither is their life.

     Since mid-September, I have gone through several trials. I don't want to explain each one in detail but let's just say it has been trying. I do want to say that I have survived it all, but it was and has been difficult. I have had nights where I wake up at 3 am with anxiety, and I have had moments of doubt, worry and fear during the difficult season in my life. I am not perfect, and I stress out just like everyone else. I am reminded of what the second part of the verse in James 1:2,3 says. It doesn't just end with "Consider it pure joy", it also says in the second part of that verse ...  "Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." Perseverance? Yes! Perseverance. We have to and need to persevere. It has never said in the Bible that the Christian life was going to be easy. We can't give up! The trials we face make us better people who depend on God and put their trust, faith and hope in Him!

     So, if you are going through a huge trial ... fear not! God knows what you are going through and God knows when you struggle and when you are in pain. He will pull you through so trust Him 100%!

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING WEEKEND!!   

      

BEING THANKFUL EVERY DAY

 

     I always loved sharing this Bible story with the kids at church around Thanksgiving time. It's the story of the 10 Lepers. As Jesus was going into a village, he was met by ten men who had leprosy. Leprosy is an extremely contagious skin disease. Back in Bible times if you had this disease, you were sent away to a Leprosy Camp where you had to live with people who all had this same dreaded disease. As these ten men saw Jesus, from a far distance they called out to Jesus in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us." Jesus then told them to go and show yourselves to the priests." All ten went to the priests and all ten were cleansed and healed! Only one out of the ten returned to Jesus to give him thanks and praise as he threw himself at Jesus feet. Jesus asked that same man, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?" Jesus then looked at the one man who gave him praise and told him, "Rise and go, your faith has made you well."

     In working in the food industry for several years, I can tell you that I rarely hear the words "Thank you" from people. I hear "Give me" and "I want" and even after I tell people to have a nice day, they will either say "Okay" or mumble "Hmm Hmm." No "Thank you" is a part of their everyday vocabulary. Don't get me wrong, I do hear "Thank you" on occasion and there are nice people in this world. I am always shocked how ungrateful people are. It seems as though a spirit of entitlement has slammed into America unfortunately. 

     I have been to third world countries on mission trips. I have been in homes where the place you go to the bathroom is a hole in the ground. I have seen homes in Mexico where they have holes in their roof and dirt floors. No hardwood or carpeted floors in their homes. I went to one church service where the seats were planks of wood, the worship leader played his guitar, and it was missing strings, and the drummer played his drum set that had holes in them. The church service was out in the open air and if it rained, they didn't care because they were happy to be giving God thanks and praise. When you look around America, you see spoiled people who throw food away at home and at restaurants, who complain they have no Wi-Fi service on their laptops and phones, and who disrespect authority and have no guilt doing it. What ever happened to being grateful? Whatever happened to giving thanks to God? What ever happened to telling God you are thankful for the roof over your head or the clothes you wear and the food He provides for you? 

     I get very annoyed when I see Christmas decorations on display at retail stores IN OCTOBER! Next to the Halloween decorations you see Buddy the Elf and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer items all on display in October? This was in our local Walmart. It seems as though here in America we want to skip Thanksgiving, a day we give thanks to God, and we shoot right to Christmas where we preach about peace, joy, love, a lot of presents and that old "Spirit of Christmas." How about we all have a heart of thanks not just at Thanksgiving time but every single day? When we all sit at our Thanksgiving tables to eat turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and "all the fixings," We need to be thankful and to remember that clear across our world there are millions of people who don't have what we have been blessed with. We can't be like the nine lepers who were healed and never thanked Jesus for cleansing hem. We need to be that one who did thank Jesus. He was cleansed and he was very thankful. Let's be the thankful one not just on Thanksgiving Day 2025 but every day! I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us in the Bible, " give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Let's have a thankful and grateful heart always!

TAKING A SABBATICAL

 

     You have read that correctly. I am taking a sabbatical. If you know me well, you know that is not my true personality. I admit it. I don't know when to stop sometimes. Some people call me "The Energizer Bunny." I even had a Chiropractor say to me "Well, the grass certainly doesn't grow under your feet!" I have worked 3 jobs. I have worked seven days a week and I have been doing children's ministry for over 40 years. I have always given 100% in everything I do. Not only in church but also at every job I have ever had. My parents taught me how to have an amazing work ethic. However, I have to constantly remind myself that I am 61 years old not 21! That is why I am taking something we call a sabbatical. I need a break!

     Just to let you all know, I am NOT quitting my job and I am NOT selling Grandpa Lou and his cast of characters, I am simply taking a breather. A sabbatical is when you take a leave of absence or a rest for a certain period of time. I believe every pastor should take a sabbatical. The demands of ministry are very intense, and the demands of every pastor are "through the roof." I know not every church can do this for their pastor, but I do believe it is important for that pastor. Even those of us who are not in ministry, it is important that we go on vacations and take time for ourselves. 

     I have not done any kind of ministry in over a month. I am taking this time to pray, make plans for what I want to do next and also visit several churches in my area. I have plans of possibly going into libraries to do programs and also writing a book called "Building a ministry from the ground up." Even if the book takes me 5 years to write I will take my time to make it happen. To be honest, I am enjoying the rest, but I will admit I do miss doing Grandpa Lou and Shelton the Shark. I have been making improvements on certain puppet characters, and I have been writing programs I want to do with kids in the future. Many times, when you do the same thing over and over without a break it can be tiresome. It is important for all of us to take time for ourselves. I have realized also that there are others in this world who have the same gifts I have. I can't do it all! But what I can do is take a break so that I can be refreshed. After that I will be energized to do what I love...but just not for right now...down the road when it's the right time.  

I'M NOT A FAN OF HALLOWEEN!

 

     As a kid I always loved Halloween. Growing up in New Jersey the first 9 years of my life, Halloween was a big part of my life. This was before parents had to worry about sexual predators or kids being kidnapped, the good ole 1970's. In New Jersey, we would go trick or treating at night. I remember one costume I had was a clown. Our streets were packed with kids of all ages with bags filled with candy going up and down streets going door to door. In New Jersey, they would call the night before Halloween "Mischief Night" where kids would put toilet paper in trees and put shaving cream all over each other. I guess in New Jersey everyone felt the kids needed to "Let it all out." I remember one year my mom took us to the local high school as a bunch of kids put toilet paper in a tree. It actually looked amazing. 

     I had no issues with Halloween growing up in NJ, but things did change for me when I moved to New York when I was 9. I remember being in 4th grade and when I told one of the kids in my class that we would be going trick or treating at night, he looked at me like I was insane. "Are you crazy Harff? If you go out at night you will die. They will kill you! You have to go during the day!" During the day? That is no fun. But as they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" That same kid told me I would be chased by kids who would throw eggs at me, and I would be covered in shaving cream. He made it sound like trick or treating would not be fun at all. He was right So I put on my football player costume and my brother, and I ventured out going door to door with our first New York Halloween getting candy. There were kids in the neighborhood who did not care about getting candy. They were more interested in having "fun" as they called it. My only true memory of that first Halloween was being chased by a kid who wanted to hit me with an egg. Thank God he missed, and I went home very upset. "This is not Halloween?" I told my parents. I only went trick or treating a few years after that. 

     I did not have any issues with Halloween when I became a Christian. I didn't know any better. Even in high school I have memories of my friend John dressing up as a nun on Halloween. Even in Bible college we did trick or treating in our dorms for a year. We didn't think anything of it. We were not educated on what that holiday really stood for. My breakthrough came in 1988. My church wanted to do an alternative to Halloween which they called "Praise Fest '88." We had crafts for the kids, and I was asked to do a puppet show for the kids. During one of our planning meetings, I was handed a pamphlet by one of the leaders. It was very eye opening for me as I read about the history of Halloween and what it really stands for. I was shocked to read all about how evil that day really is. I could write a blog all about the history of Halloween and how it is truly a Satanic high holy day, but I don't feel led to do that just now. 

     When I became a children's pastor, I set a goal to create an alternative to Halloween for kids. I created Fall Fun Fest which we had every October 31st. I could not believe the complaints I got from people. "How could you even mention that evil day. You should do nothing." NOTHING? I explained that this was an alternative to Halloween to provide a safe environment for kids. I will never forget my first ever Fall Fin Fest. It was October 31, 1992. It was a Saturday, and we held this event outside. A family from the community walked in wearing costumes. the dad wore a black cape with a pumpkin on his head. I instantly had people all upset complaining and telling me to ask him to leave. I looked at them and told them, "No! He is the type of person we want here so we can minister to him." I hosted Fall Fun Fest for 20 years. We never mentioned the word Halloween and every year got better and better. We had bounces, carnival games, face painting and more. It was the highlight of our year.

     Please don't get me wrong. I am not "Anti Trick or Treating." We gave candy away to kids at church every year. My kids never went trick or treating because they were at church at our Fall Fun Fest. It's fun seeing kids dressed up in costumes. Personally, I do love wearing costumes, even at 61 years of age. I have dressed up in church as a costume character for kids as a nerd, boxer, carpenter, doctor and professor. Even at the Chick Fil-A I worked at in New York I dressed up as Ed Norton from the Honeymooners, a doctor, Napolean Dynamite, Captain Crunch and a referee. I won a contest as Captain Crunch a few years ago! I just don't like what Halloween stands for. 

     Every year in October I can sense the evil that is taking place in my community. I have been told that several witches reside on Long Island, and I would not be surprised if they came to our Fall Fun Fest to try to cause a disturbance. Lately I have looked forward to October 31st being over. This year is no different. At the Chick Fil-A I am not they do not recognize Halloween and I was told that not very many kids go out door to door. Many churches here do something called "Trunk or Treat" or have Harvest Parties. Ever since 9/11 and since the pandemic we see less kids going out trick or treating. Maybe the holiday is dying?  Since I'm not such a big fan of Halloween that would be very nice!