U-TURNS, LEFT TURNS & RIGHT TURNS

     This past May I wrote and posted a blog entitled "Something good is brewing." In the blog, I described three things I wanted to do and goals I wanted to accomplish in the coming year. They were writing a book, working on a Children's Ministry podcast and making comedy videos. In reality and to be blatantly honest I have done maybe 10% of those things. I made one comedy video, I started working on an idea for my book and the podcast has not happened. My reasons for this not to happy are three things. Work! Work and ...work!! I have been blessed to be able to work two jobs knowing there are people in our country who have no jobs and are unemployed and struggling. In reality, I had very limited time to work on projects which brings me to this week's blog. U-turns, left turns and right turns. It seems as though God had and has other plans for me to do. Here is the bottom line. They are not my plans, they are His plans!

     How many times have we been in the car and we got lost? Too many times! Or how about trying to get somewhere much quicker by taking a short cut? I remember in the late 1980's going out on a double date. I took my then girlfriend to a movie with another couple we were friends with. We all met at one of their homes and drove together. After the movie, my friend driving looked at his girlfriend and said "Hey, we should play our game with them!" I had no idea what he was talking about. He had no name for his "game" and told us what it was about. This couple loved to try and get lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood by driving through it and the object of the game was to try to find their way out. I don't exactly remember what town we were in but they began this game by making lefts, rights more lefts and more rights. Each time they were able to find their way out. We played a few times before we went out to our usual hangout...The Diner! This reminds me of us and how we handle things. We are always trying to find our way. We do things our way and the way we feel it should be done forgetting one thing. GOD NEEDS TO BE IN CONTROL! My intentions were good back in May when I wrote that blog and posted it. I really want to do great things for God but it can't be all my way. The reality is I do need to work to get out of debt. I do hope that one day I will be back in full time ministry. Until then, I will make sure to follow everything according to God's plan. Sometimes in life we will need to take U-turns or make a left when we should have made a right. Most of all we need to let God direct us and lead us in the right direction!

GOD BLESS YOU AND ENJOY THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER & BEYOND!!!   

 
 

PRAYERWALKING BEFORE THERE WAS PRAYERWALKING!!!

     

      My purpose for this blog and every blog I write is never to brag. I always want to give God the glory in everything I do including my writing! I also have no intention on putting myself down in any way. The past is the past and you obviously can't change it but...you CAN learn from it! 

     On Saturday, August 15th I was scheduled to work at Chick Fil-A at 5:00 p.m. so I had the majority of the day to myself. I decided to go for a walk at a place I have not been to since 1983 at my brother's High School graduation. Smithtown High School West. Right next door to the high school is my Middle School (Accompsett). I took a few hours and went for a nice walk. I walked around the track a few times then the baseball field. I walked past the tennis courts where I used to play tennis and then walked around by the front doors. I then headed over to Accompsett Middle School and walked around that campus and then walked around the field then back to the Smithtown West track and to the tennis courts where I parked my car. So much has changed, especially around the fields. All the parking lots had metal coverings over them and, to my surprise the handball court was taken down. There were new scoreboards for soccer, baseball and softball and new signs on the buildings. A flood of memories filled my mind as I walked. Some good and some not so good. I thought about the great teachers I had and the fun I had playing in the school band. Walking around Accompsett I thought a lot about when I was asked to be in the Stage Band. I also thought about the times I was picked on by other kids because I was very quiet. I struggled in school and did my best in every class. When I went to high school I did have a lot of friends but I can't honestly say I had a best friend. My first two years I made a lot of friends at our church's youth group and also at Coffeehouse. Most of my friends were much older than I was. I will have to say that my Senior year there I felt like a fish out of water. I really felt alone! I could not wait to start Bible College and I counted the days until graduation and my first day as a student at Northeastern Bible College. As a senior, I decided I had to make the most of it so I filled my schedule with loads of classes. I took a class on how to operate a ham radio and a class on how a radio station operates. I also took a class on flying (obviously an airplane). I'm sure I shocked a lot of people when I announced that I wanted to go into full time ministry. You see I was quiet...VERY QUIET! During my senior year I do need to confess one thing. I developed a burden for my fellow students. I was never the kind of guy who got mixed up with drinking on the weekends or abusing drugs. I was always at church. Saturday nights I was at Coffeehouse and Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings I was at church. It always bothered me when I saw kids my age drinking, or coming into class "high as a kite" or just being "difficult." It was then I decided to do one thing. PRAY! I prayed for my fellow classmates and for the teachers. I walked through the halls on my way to class and prayed. When I was on the bus, I prayed for the rowdy kids in the back of the bus and prayed for them. I asked God to show himself the each student and teacher. It was just a simple prayer. Nothing fancy just a simple "God, let every student and teacher in this school discover how awesome you are!" I graduated in June 1982 and left for Bible College 2 months later.

     I didn't think much about my prayers during my senior year. I never realized it was prayerwalking before prayerwalking was ever a "thing." I never knew how effective those prayers would become until years later. Being the children's pastor in the same town I went to high school in was a rarity for many pastors. One by one I started seeing people from my high school class and high school at my church. While in our auditorium I recognized a guy named John. I went over to him and asked if he attended Smithtown West and he said yes and also recognized me. We became very good friends. An answer to prayer! I remember at one of our Vacation Bible Schools there were two ladies talking. I looked at them and thought "Wow, they look so familiar" only to discover they were fellow classmates. Although I recognized them they did not recognize me even after looking at my yearbook picture the following day! Both ladies faithfully had their kids attend VBS and one of them made SGT their church home. Another answer to prayer! Through the years I met many others who attended my high school and all were walking with the Lord. 

    I am not saying that it was only because of my prayers that many came to church and came to know Jesus in a personal way. I am just so happy to know that a simple prayer I had said each day in the hallways of Smithtown West made an impact on many only because our God is an amazing God who wants to change lives!                             😊              

THE HOME DEPOT

     

      I am so grateful the Lord opened a door for me to get a job at Home Depot. It came at the perfect time. During the month of January this past year I was down to one job. The job I had at the machine shop ended in December and I'm glad it did. I was basically being paid "off the books" and ended up paying for it from my good friends from the lovely IRS. My other job was being a personal aide to a handicapped college student who attended Stony Brook University. That job was not scheduled to start until late January. I knew I needed a "3rd job" and decided "Why not give Home Depot a shot?" Truthfully, I applied to Home Depot many times in the past and was never granted an interview. As we all know in today's day and age, the only way you can apply for a job was to do it all online. And that's what I did in late January. On February 5th I was called in for an interview. The interview lasted maybe 10 minutes and I was told "If we feel you are a viable candidate, you will receive an email and we'll ask you to come back for a second interview." I just left it all in God's hands. After all, this would be my third job maybe 20 hours a week tops. I went in for the second interview and I was asked the same exact questions I was asked in the first interview and was offered a part time job in the Garden Department. I was thrilled! I attended an orientation class on February 29th and began training on March 3rd. The training was all done online. On March 7th I made my debut as a Garden Associate. My training consisted of following another Associate for a few hours to learn the in's and outs of the Garden Department at Home Depot South Setauket, NY. 

     When I say this job turned out to be a blessing I sincerely mean it. In Early March the pandemic hit us hard. My job with my college student was put on "hold" and on March 23rd, Chick Fil-A was forced to close its doors because a team member tested positive for COVID-19! We were closed for 3 weeks but the owner graciously paid us for the time we missed. That meant I was only really working one job! The Home Depot! I knew I needed to make more money to survive so I approached the HR department and told them my other job was forced to close its doors. I am available and day and any time you need me. Well, Home Depot did not disappoint me. In fact they offered me 40 hours a week. Not too shabby for a guy who never worked for them before. When Chick Fil-A reopened on April 13th, there were no guarantees they were going to stay open. I realized someone could test positive again. They also did not open at 6:30 a.m. but 11 a.m. I was not given my usual 24 hours I was used to only maybe 12 -14 hours. So since late March I've been pretty much full time with Home Depot. My job with the college student never started up again. I've learned a lot at Home Depot! Our department handles all garden supplies including lawn mowers, weed wackers, chain saws, garden tools, plants, topsoil, sod and cleaning supplies. Of course dealing with the general public in New York is so much fun and provides great comedy on a daily basis. This past week I was told I would be switching a different department...DELIVERIES! I have been training these past few weeks how to shop for BOPUS orders (Buy online pay in store). I think it's ironic that I am being paid to shop because that is one thing I always hated doing. The only place I did like to shop was the hardware store. I remember being very young and my Father took me with him to a hardware store in Chatham, NJ. he man behind the counter always gave out tootsie rolls. I also loved the smell of a hardware store. Now I'm being paid to shop for people at  hardware store. God has a sense of humor!! So we shall see what is next in my adventures in life!       

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS!

     I don't have a whole lot to say in this week's blog. The biggest reason is found in the title for this week's blog. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. If I can be brutally honest (I always am!), there are areas in my life I need to make huge decisions about. One in particular is my career path. Living here in New York on this Island we call Long Island has been a challenge for me. Working 2 jobs that both don't pay so well has been my biggest frustration. I realize I don't have any chance making a career with Chick Fil-A as a leader and as far as Home Depot I have only been with them for 5 months. They did ask me to work in the Deliveries department for a few weeks but again for me to get any kind of promotion will not be for a while. I am very grateful that I have been working during the entire pandemic. I realize there are many who have been unemployed. During the month of August, I will be praying about what career path I need to take. I do have ideas for ministry goals but as far as what career path I need to take in the coming months and years, I need to make some big decisions about that. Not only will I be in prayer about it, I plan on fasting in the coming weeks to really hear from God. I know God has big plans for me. God bless you all and enjoy your week!