IF

     This past week I was thinking about a word. A word that has only two letters. A word that we all use in our vocabulary on a daily basis. Unfortunately, it can also be a word we use when we second guess ourselves or think about what we could have done to avoid a mistake we have made in our lives. I hope it is not a word that you dwell on or think about constantly. Yes! It is the word you are staring at that is on the top page of this blog...IF! 

     I would have to say for many years I used that word ALOT! There were so many times I second guessed myself about decisions I have made but I then realize you can't change the past and redo whatever has taken place in your life. The dictionary definition of the word IF is "on the condition of

" or despite the possibility that." I was recently watching 2 sports documentaries. One was about the famous basketball player Michael Jordan. Although I grew up as a huge basketball fan in the 1970's and loved watching the New York Knicks play on TV, I have lost a lot of nterest in the NBA. As a kid my room was even decorated with NBA curtains and a bedspread but lately I couldn't even tell you who plays for the Knicks. This documentary ws about the 1984 NBA draft when teams draft college players. The documentary was called "What if." The first three picks in the draft were the Houston Rockets, The Portland Trailblazers and the Chicago Bulls. The Houston Rockets picked first and chose a highly touted and amazing center by the name of Hakeem Olajuwan. He went on to win 2 NBA championships and was an amazing player. The Portland Trailblazers had the next pick and they had a chance to draft in my opinion the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Instead, they chose a guy by the name of Sam Bowie who had an okay career but certainly not a career like Michael Jordan. The story goes on to say that Sam Bowie hid an injury from the Trailblazers and never won a championship with any team. Of course we all know Michael Jordan had an amazing NBA career in Chicago, he had a famous sneaker named after him and he won 6 NBA titles all in Chicago. He broke the Knicks back every year in the playoff's. So what would have happened IF Portland chose Michael Jordan? Maybe Portland would have has multiple championships? Maybe history would have changed? I'm sure the owners and General manager of the Trailblazers kicked themselves for not selecting Michael Jordan. I'm sure they had many sleepless nights!

     Another documentary I watched was about the 1983 NFL draft. That was the year several quarterbacks were selected. The first pick in the draft was a player named John Elway who was selected by the Baltimore Colts but then traded to the Denver Broncos. The one team that made a huge mistake was the New York Jets. I know Jets fans are happy now that the have Aaron Rogers but back in 1983 they had an opportunity to select an amazing quarterback named Dan Marino. The Jets being the Jets selected a player named Ken O'Brien. WHO? Dan Marino was selected by the Miami Dolphins and although he never won a championship he did play in one Super Bowl. So what IF th New York Jets selected Dan Marino. Maybe just maybe they would be playing in a Super Bowl and not still be waiting to play in one. The last time they played in a Super Bowl I was 4 years old and today I have gray hair! What IF?

     Lately, I have made my what IF questions into what NOW! I don't second guess myself anymore and I wake up each day saying "Thank you God for ALL you have given to me! Let's make this an amazing day together!" I can't change what happened to me on March 31, 1977 or October 9, 1984 (Those re just random dates). I have to look at 2023, 2024, 2025 and beyond until the Good Lord calls me home.

     So, what IF? Naaaa....What Now sounds better. God has great plans for us! We just need to obey Him and live for Him every day! 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!! BE SAFE EVERYONE!!         .  

IT'S NOT A SPRINT, IT'S A MARATHON!

      Believe it or not I used to enjoy running. Yes! Used to! It all started in June of 2011 and ended 4 years later. Not by my choice! I had to stop because I hurt my back. The funny thing is I didn't hurt my back by running but by jumping rope! That was the last time I tried that. Somehow I ended up with a herniated disc and I was welcomed with open arms to the world of getting old! Not fun but a part of life. Now I go for long walks and go for a bike ride instead. But when I did run I did enjoy it! I kind of wished I tried it more when I was in High School. Maybe I could have joined the Cross Country team! Well, that was 40 years ago and you can't change the past! 

     To be brutally honest, I have always been intrigued with marathon runners. To train your body to run at a slow pace for 26.1 miles is amazing! The training has to be intense and very grueling. I know when I used to run with 2 other guys they were both in great shape and both were much younger than I am. They would say "Come on, Pastor Dave! Just one more mile!" I wanted to say, "Okay, I'll walk it and see you guys tomorrow." Not a chance with these two guys! One time we even ran the Cross Country Course at Sunken Meadow State Park. One part of the course is names "Cardiac Hill." You guessed it. A hill that is literally a carbon copy of climbing the side of a mountain. I think it would have been nice if they had a hill called "Slide right down" but they don't. 

     I eventually ran over 6 1/2 miles at one point and I do have to say it felt great! Anyone who gets up at 5:30 a.m. to run in 10 degree weather has to be totally insane or totally wanting to run and get in shape. I could always feel the adrenaline kicking in before and during my runs. I lost a lot of weight at one point and the days of me huffing and puffing coming up the basement stairs were over. I did have to monitor when I ran and try not to overdo it. I guess you can say I was "hooked." At one point I even signed up for a 5K but cancelled because the race took place after my dismissal at Smithtown Gospel and I was not in a good mental state at that point in my life.

     Running reminds me of life. Some of us want to sprint through life and we want everything yesterday. Years ago If you needed to get money you could only get it during the hours your bank was open. Today you can do all your banking on your cell phone. You can pay bills, send money to friends and pay for items at a store with a tap of your phone. It's all instant. No waiting (unless you are having issues with your phone). I have discovered that in my Christian walk, God does not work that way. He is of course loving but He doesn't give us what we want, He does it all in His timing. I don't pray for something then WHAMO there it is. "Hey, God! I need a new job!" BAM There it is a job that pays you 6 figures! "Hey God! My car keeps breaking down. Give me a brand new one!" BAM The next thing you know there is a Mercedes Benz in your driveway! I have discovered in the Christian life, life is not a sprint, it is a marathon. God's timing is certainly not our timing. Truthfully, I would much rather allow Him to work in my life at the pace he is working in than in the pace I sometimes beg for. We are NOT going through life doing a sprint, we ARE in a marathon. A race that is called a sprint happens very quickly. The world record for a 100 yard dash is held by Usain Bolt in 2016 a whopping 9.23 seconds! The record for running a marathon which we know takes longer is held by Eliud Kipchoge in 2022 when he ran in a marathon which is 26.1 miles. He completed it in 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds. 

     In conclusion, let's all remember to slow down and let God take control. Let's stop trying to rush God and try to convince him to speed things up.Remember, He is God and we are not! I certainly think and I know He knows what He is doing far better than we do! Amen?      

THE GRAVESITE

 

    

     I no longer have cable TV and truthfully I do not miss it! I do have access to Pluto TV and YouTube which I watch on occasion. I was recently watching some videos of where movies were filmed such as Rocky, Beverly Hills Cop and Ghostbusters which I find interesting. This past week I was watching video's of where actors, actresses and singers are buried such as Mr. Roper from the show Three's Company (Norman Fell), Lisa Marie Presley (Elvis's daughter), Sam the Butcher from the Brady Bunch (Allan Melvin), Leslie Nielsen from the movie Airplane, Lucille Ball whom you all know, John Ritter from Three's Company and Buddy Holly where his airplane crashed in 1959. he "Youtuber" visited each gravesite and tried to find the exact location and stood in front of each gravesite telling stories and sharing memories. Watching these made me sad but they all made me think. These people had one thing in common. For the most part they all had success in whatever field they were in whether it be doing movies, singing or doing comedy. Some made a significant amount of money and did well financially and some did okay. Some were good at managing the money they made while others made bad decisions where they invested their money. They all had fame, fortune and everything they ever wanted in life here on earth, but now they all have one singular thing in common...they are all gone. When each "Youtuber" showed any of these celebrity graves, all you saw was a headstone with a name and dates which are when they were born and when they died. All that was left to talk about was a memory of that celebrity and what they accomplished in life here on earth. Some of the most visited gravesites in America include Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, President John F. Kennedy, Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee. 

     So why would anyone want to watch depressing videos of people who are gone? Well, I don't have an answer but I do know watching these videos reminded me of a scripture in Mark 8:34 - For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? All of these people lived a good life here on earth. I don't know if any of them attended church, read the bible, prayed or spoke openly about their faith. I'm not judging them whatsoever but I do think about where they are now spending eternity. Did they make any commitment to follow Jesus? Did they invite Jesus into their hearts and ask Him to forgive them of their sins? Will they be spending eternity in heaven? It's amazing to think that all that fame, fortune and worldly possessions cannot go with them. I heard a phrase one time that mad me laugh. When you die there will NOT be a U-Haul attached to your hearse! In other words all of the things you worked so hard to get while you were on this earth it will NOT be going with you! 

     We all need to come to the realization that one day we will die. One day we will stand before our creator and we will need to give an account of our lives. We will be judged yet if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our name will be in the Lambs Book of Life. I don't know about you, but I want to hear Jesus say to me "Well done good and faithful servant!" I live a very simple lifestyle. I will never own a Jaguar (the car not the animal) or live in a mansion or own a yacht or own a vacation home in Florida. I won't have a million dollars in the bank or own a lot of stock in Amazon. I do have that assurance that I am going to heaven not because I am Pastor Dave and not because of what I have accomplished in ministry throughout my life. That is going to mean nothing! We are saved by grace and not by works! (Ephesians 2:8-9). I'm going to heaven because of what Jesus did for me by taking my place on that cross of Calvary so that my sins will be forgiven and I can receive eternal life. It's a free gift that we can all receive and all we need to do is accept Jesus in your heart. We live in a world today that has pushed Jesus away in our schools, in our government and in our media. I want to invite you to do the opposite...invite Jesus to be closer to you by accepting Him into your heart!!  All it takes is a simple prayer! 

     On my tombstone I want it to read "I'm Going Home." After all, we are only visiting this planet until either we go home to heaven or Jesus returns. COME JESUS COME!! I believe we are getting closer to that day!!    

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK EVERYONE!!