OBEY THE RULES!!

      As all of you know, I love to go for walks. My feeling is God gave me this body and I need to take care of it. I do try to exercise when I can but I do enjoy going for walks at night and going for bike rides. One of my favorite places to go is Sunken Meadow State Park. I love the smell of the ocean, being out in the sun and breathing fresh air. There is a boardwalk there that I frequent when I can. After 4 pm on weekdays the toll is free so I always try to get there when I can. I also worked there during my college years and have fond memories of picking up garbage...well not really but I did return to college with an awesome tan!

At the entrance of the East Parking lot I have always noticed this sign pictured above. I have to say that out of all the things I read on those signs, every rule is broken but two. I never see a whole lot of drones and rarely do you see people smoking. I do however see people roller skating, rollerblading, skateboarding, adults, teens and kids on scooters, people of all ages on bikes and pets all the time on the boardwalk. This got my crazy brain to start thinking. Let me go back in time to the 1960's! When you watch television in the 1960's, the kids on TV shows were all respectful. Beaver Cleaver's friends were always respectful to Mr. & Mrs. Cleaver. On other shows whenever you saw a police officer they were always shown respect. Nobody wanted to break rules. Now I realize that is Hollywood and not reality but still I ask myself this question (as I fast forward to 2023) "What gives people the right to break a rule that is posted on a sign?" I look at that older couple on the boardwalk walking their dog and smiling like they are doing nothing wrong. They are enjoying the beach and the sun like me. But what would happen if Sunken Meadow hired a "Boardwalk Policeman or Policewoman" that handed them a summons for breaking a park rule. Do you think that couple would be happy?  Or how about that teenaged boy who is riding his bike on the boardwalk after the times designated on the sign. Do you think he would understand or start arguing with the officer? Or how about that parent who has three kids all on scooters with their helmets and knee pads on racing up and down the boardwalk. Do you think that parent would say, "No problem officer. I'll tell my kids to stop. We understand!"

     

     I often wonder why people feel rules don't apply to them. I'm sure the State Parks Department has those signs up in case of a lawsuit, God forbid. I'm sure there has been casualties. But I still wonder how we feel that rules don't apply to us. Why is it that in this great country of America people still believe rules were meant to be broken. All I know is that I see a lot of entitlement everywhere I go. Whenever I drive on the Long Island Expressway, you always see some crazy person driving well past the speed limit weaving in and out of traffic trying desperately to beat everyone to wherever they are going. The sinister side of Dave Harff is whenever you see them pulled over on the side of the road you always want to yell out the window, "I'm so glad you caught them, Officer!!!" 

     So in a nutshell friends and family, let's obey the rules wherever we are and please be safe!!

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!

MILLIONAIRE VS. HEAVEN

 

     Long time no blog! I know! I know! What can I say? I am a very busy man! I have had opportunities to preach twice, do kids programs at Ocean Grove,, NJ as well as leading a Vacation Bible School for my church...Lift Jesus Higher Fellowship! We held ours in the evening from July 19 - 21 and it went very well! God is opening some amazing doors for me and because of these open doors as well as working 2 jobs both part time,  I don't get to blog a whole lot lately. I will do my best in the months to come! No guarantees the blogs will be twice a month but I will do my best!

     I drive past many 7-11 Convenience stores, In fact we have one across the street from our Chick Fil-A that was built about 4 years ago and seems very popular and busy. I always notice a huge sign in the front that shows how much money you can win if you win the New York State Lottery. I am not sure if this is still their slogan, but it was at one time "All it takes is a dollar and a dream." Just pay $1 for a ticket, pick some numbers off the top of your head and if you are correct you can win one million dollars! It's that simple!!! Or...is it??

     This poses a huge question for me that I would like to ask you! If you had a choice between two things...Winning One Million Dollars or Going to Heaven, what would you choose? The choice is simple and you do have to pick one of the two. Let's look at the two choices! 

     CHOICE #1: You go to a 7-11 or my Mom's favorite Convenience Store in Pennsylvania... Wa Wa! You purchase a lottery ticket and choose 4 numbers, let's say 3152. You put the ticket in your glove compartment and drive home. That night you nervously watch the lottery drawing. In New York we had a lady named Yolanda Vega do the drawing as she would announce which Ping Pong Balls with numbers on them being drawn. She goes number by number and she announces 3 then 1 then 5 then 2. You are a winner!!  You have just won One Million Dollars and just like that you are a Millionaire! You can pay off your mortgage, buy a 2023 Lamborghini, buy a beach house in Hawaii and quit your job! You have everything you ever dreamed of until the day you die. Then what? You can't take the car, the beach house or all your worldly possessions with you? They stay here on Planet Earth. You didn't choose Heaven! You chose Hell because you chose what would make you happy on earth. You weren't thinking about eternity, right? You were only thinking of yourself!

     CHOICE #2: You don't go to 7-11 or Wa Wa instead you bow your head and invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior. You admit you are a sinner and you ask Him to forgive you of all of your sins and invite Him into your heart. You say, "Jesus, please be my forever friend." Because you have done this you have received God's free gift to us of eternal life! On this earth you might struggle to pay off your mortgage, you can't afford a new car and manage to get around in your 2004 Toyota Sienna Van. You don't buy a beach house but instead you spend your one weeks vacation on a short term missions trip in Jamaica doing kids ministry. You and your team are serving the Lord in a park with no shade, extensive heat and dust blowing in your face trying to reach young kids with the gospel. However, you are happy because you are serving the Lord and are blessed when you see the happy faces of the children. Several years later you die. You have no desire to bring any of your worldly possessions with you because you have realized your entire life that your reward is in Heaven! You stand before your Lord and Savior and he says to you the six words you have always wanted to hear...'Well done good and faithful servant!" 

     We all have a choice to make! The bible tells us in Romans 6:23 - 

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord 

     So what choice will you make? I pray it truly is Heaven! I have never seen a hearse with a trailer attached to it where someone wants to bring with them all they possess here on earth. It will never go with them. I have, however seen lives changed by the power of God and His amazing love for us when people decide to make Jesus Christ their forever friend!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!