THANK GOD FOR INSTRUCTIONS!!

     I will never forget my daughter Kaylee's American Girl Tepee. She received it as a gift and I can't remember if it was for Christmas or for her Birthday. I just remember doing a lot of sweating! Why? This tepee was huge and looked very complicated to put together. Kaylee LOVED her American girl dolls. She was so excited when she received her tepee gift. What did it mean for me? I was the guy who had to put it together. Of course, I was happy to do it. She's my daughter and I love her. What I did not know is how challenging it would be to put the tepee together.

     I remember taking the huge box the tepee came in and putting it on my Dining room table. There were so many poles that came with it and a lot of material for the actual tepee. Of course, it came with instructions. Many people say men in particular never look at instructions. It is very true that we won't ask for driving instructions (although I do confess I have asked on rare occasions). I knew however that I had to read the instructions on how to put this tepee together. Normally, I always loved looking at the picture on the box and then I would try to figure out how it went together. Especially if I put together a computer desk or stereo cabinet. Not with this tepee. No way, Jose!

     In all honesty, the directions for his tepee were not very clear. The diagram was very hard to understand. I took a deep breath and then started. Every five minutes, my daughter wanted to know if it was finished. I would look at her with her big eyes and tell her I was working on it. After a while, with sweat literally filling my forehead, I told Kaylee when it was done I would call her. It took me almost one hour to set up the tepee. The directions, as I said, were not very clear and even how the poles for the tepee were labeled, it made no sense. Even trying to get the material over the poles was challenging. After a lot of effort I was able to complete the task. Trust me! There were many times I wanted to throw that tepee in the trash. But I knew it meant the world to my daughter. Thank God for instructions!!

     I enjoy reading the Bible. For me, it's God's instruction manual for life. However, there are times where I have questions about situations and the answers are not clear. That's when I need to dig deeper and try to figure out what God is saying to me. Sometimes it may not be clear or the answer might be "Hey Dave, you need to wait." But of course I always remind myself that God's instruction manual is far better than my instruction manual (that's when I decide what is best for me which is a huge joke). I appreciate every day God's instruction manual, the bible. I am so glad God gives us instruction and direction. It is never ever in our timing, but He always comes through for us. Just like it took me quite a while to put together the tepee, God's timing is the best!     

UNTIL NEXT TIME FRIENDS!! 

DRUGS! NO WAY!!

     Let me start out by saying to you all you DO NOT have to be concerned about me. I am not a drug addict! I have never taken illegal drugs, just medication prescribed to me. Do I know what pot smells like? Yes. I went to a public high school. Have I ever been asked to join a "Pot Party?" Yes but I was smart and said no. Have I ever smoked pot? Never! No chance! No Way! Never! Never! Never! Okay, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, on with the blog!

     I don't like a trend I see here on New York. I'm sure it is in other states but I live in New York and see it every single day. People who are high on pot. Every day when I'm at Chick Fil-A and by the drive thru window you smell it big time. I always say out loud to team members "Well, that car certainly smells healthy!" Many times around my neighborhood when I go for walks I smell it at certain houses. I also smelled it incredibly strong while driving up Portion Road in Farmingville just last week. I just don't get it!

     My heart breaks when I see a people who are so high that they can barely order food, barely even hold a conversation and sometimes are irrational. What concerns me more than anything is one thing. Many of them are driving on our highways and byways operating a motor vehicle. One of my loved ones could be either driving in the lane next to them, behind them or maybe going in the opposite direction toward them. Yet, many of our politicians feel the need to legalize this drug and say its for "medical purposes." The last I looked it is and should always be an illegal drug. I have heard people say things like "Well, it relaxes me" or "It helps me reduce my stress." What is our world coming to?  I am appalled that there are many out there who are taking this drug and other drugs. They are introducing these drugs to our young people. It is destroying society. All I can say is one thing. If people only knew the joy you can have when you follow Jesus every single day!!

ENJOY YOUR WEEK. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!!    

     

REAL VS. FAKE

     I finally have a few minutes to write my first blog of 2020. Wow! This flu bug really wiped me out but I'm happy to be doing what I love...writing,

     What is real? What is fake? Great question! I remember my Mom used to have a bowl of fake fruit on our kitchen table when we first moved to Long Island. It was all plastic and from a distance it looked real. Being a creative kid, I would use the fake bananas like it was a telephone. I would squeeze the fake grapes and put a dent in the apple and pears. While that bowl of plastic fruit was on our kitchen table, not once did my Mom ever offer a fake piece of fruit to a guest. She was and still is a great hostess. The fruit on the table in a bowl was a decoration. It's fake!

     In the late 1980's. There was a very popular Pop music group called Milli Vanilli. They sang a few popular songs entitled "Girl, you know it's true" and "Blame it on the Rain." They actually won a Grammy Award for Best new Artist. I'm not sure how much longer after their award the controversy started, but it was discovered that the two members of the group were not the actual singers on their album. They were lip syncing! They were actually chosen to be on the alum cover because they were good looking guys. In reality, they were not very good singers. THEY WERE FAKE! 

     Since New Years Day,I have been in prayer asking God one thing. "Lord, please let me be real in my walk with you. I don't want to be a fake Christian. I want to be genuine and real every single day. I don't want to be a Christian only on Sunday when I go to church. I want to be real in my walk with you on Monday through Saturday as well. Let's make that our goal for 2020!

SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK!