It was after 3:30 am, Thursday, April 25th, and I was in the emergency room with sciatic nerve pain. The struggle had been happening all that week. I noticed that it was bad on Monday (April 22nd), took Aleve for the pain, and it helped. Went to see my doctor on Tuesday (April 23rd), got the diagnosis, was prescribed meloxicam, advised me that I can take Tylenol in between. The pain was really difficult on Wednesday (the 24th), and then it got so bad that I couldn’t sleep through the night.

My family has been great. My brother took over helping Dad get to bed so I could heal. My daughter drove my wife and I to the ER since I couldn’t drive myself. Since arriving, the treatment went well, just a matter of giving time for the meds to work.

I tried to be careful. I even tried to do some stretching, as best I could recall from when I had back trouble before. Maybe now we can look into getting a Hoyer lift for Dad, especially to help with getting him into bed at night and out in the morning.

Later I saw an orthopedist, and he gave me another prescription. The steroid has helped in addition to the other meds, although I still had some tingling in my right foot, and the orthopedist advised me that the numbness and tingling were to be expected considering the type of injury that I have. I am sleeping at night, but the pain revs up again in the morning.

What a way to start a new birthday (April 21st). This can get better in time, so I aim to be patient. For anyone who has experienced similar pain, we know it’s hard, but thankfully it doesn’t last forever.

Recently I was led to question whether there could be a purpose for my pain. In times like these, we can choose to draw nearer to God or try to walk away from Him. I have chosen to draw nearer to Him for healing, and things have improved in the past month. I finished the meds from the orthopedist and the ER, and I continue taking the meloxicam with Tylenol as needed. The pain that used to rev up to a level 10 in the morning now revs up to about a 5. I also started physical therapy, and I am learning a new dimension of patience in the process of healing. After the physical therapy sessions are completed, we will see if the situation has improved or if we need to pursue other options, like shots and possibly surgery. I am hoping that, after physical therapy, I can return to the routine I had once before. In time we will see.

Thanks again to everyone who offered prayers and kind words, they really help with the healing process. Oftentimes we need to be reminded, and do our best to remember, as stated in 1 Peter 5:7, to cast all of our cares on Him (Jesus Christ), because He cares for us. God Bless You, and we’ll see how things go along the way.

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭13-14‬ NLT)

This morning I found myself out of work, thanks to the president. Somehow we knew it was coming, and it would either come sooner or later; but we just didn’t know exactly when, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. In spite of being in hard times again, I choose to celebrate because I have not forgotten the reason why this season is special.

I attended service on Sunday at Good Shepherd Baptist Church, and heard from Pastor Ratcliffe as he spoke about making room for the Christ of Christmas. I am led to ponder what that means, but I believe that I have and that we can, regardless of what circumstances we face, whatever our living situation may be. If we choose to make room for Christ in our hearts, we can have joy that abides within us even after the season passes in the dawn of the new year.

So what difference has it made for me? I have a brighter outlook than I once had. Once I had no direction at all, everything was falling apart. Thankfully, when I started seeking Him with my whole heart, I found Him, and He brought light to what seemed to be my darkest hour.

Many changes came as a result. I moved past a period of depression and went forward with newfound hope. I eventually graduated from college and, though it took some time, I eventually found work in line with my degree. The job was short-lived, as I was only there nearly 4 years; but in that time and the times that followed, I learned not to hate people as much as some things they may do or say. I have a family of my own now, and I am greatly blessed to have company with the family I grew up with and the family I came to know in marriage. I am forever thankful for my family, all of whom have blessed my life in many ways over the years and even now.

I learned that having faith in anything else other than God and His love would often lead to ruin. Even though I haven’t been able to continue in the career that I tried to start and keep going about 22 years ago, the past 17 years haven’t been all bad.

Well, how about you? Have you made room in your heart for the Christ of Christmas? Can you agree that Christmas without Christ can never really be? He came, in history, to comfort the broken-hearted, and showed love to all and even to those who needed love most. If you’re in need of true love this season, make room in your heart for Jesus Christ, after all, He’s the true reason for the season. May God Bless You All with a happy and safe holiday season. Merry Christmas!

This time of year is one that calls for us to consider the good things in life that we experience, and to appreciate them.  How many good things can you think about that have happened in your life?  Pausing to think about these things can be a good way to refocus, and not let the negative parts of this life consume you.

Some things we often take for granted are where we may need to start.  God, who made all of us and everything in nature, and who often works behind the scenes (He usually deserves more credit than He gets). Waking up this morning is another blessing.  Being able to breathe, move, and function in a reasonably good state of mind are also worth considering.  Having a good job or career, enabling one to support oneself – and in some cases, a family – is also worth considering.

The people in our lives are also worth considering.  Family, friends, classmates, co-workers, others who bring out the best in us, who watch out for us, protect us, support us, and love us unconditionally.  Have we thanked them? Can we ever thank them enough?

I have chosen to focus on having an attitude of gratitude this season. It helps to have that frame of mind every day, and not just because it’s the season for Thanksgiving. So what can I say that I am thankful for? Here goes.

I have an awesome family, made of parents and siblings and nieces I grew up with, great-nieces and nephews since we all grew up, a wonderful wife, fantastic children and grandchildren, and in-laws as well. I’m thankful for my church family also, many who watched me grow up, and others who have been around since I have grown.

I’m thankful for my home, although it’s small, it’s where I live, and it’s reasonably maintained. I’m thankful for my teachers who contributed towards my education, and some who encouraged me when times were difficult. I’m thankful for my job, and the jobs I have done in my career – varied as they were – and I look forward to new opportunities that approach.

I’m also thankful for my friends and family who connect with me through social media, whether on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or others. I’m thankful for first responders who really care about protecting all of us, regardless of what differences we have individually. I sincerely appreciate the veterans who served and contributed to defending our country. I’m also thankful for the person reading this post.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Praying God’s blessings for you and your family; wishing you all the best and more.

Many technological innovations have proven helpful in how we drive our cars.  Cruise control can allow us to maintain acceleration at a certain level for long trips, traction control can help with difficult road conditions, GPS navigation and synching with our cell phones can help with navigation or even other parts of the ride (like playing music or audiobooks), and eventually, cars may be able to drive themselves.  Some have the feature, but it has yet to be perfected.

But what about the memories of the great road trip we like to share?  What about those  pesky parts that slip our minds until later, and by then the party’s over and the guests have gone home already.  And who wants to call them up and say, “Hey, I just remembered this one part I forgot to mention about our trip …”?  I didn’t think so.

Well, some day we may be able to have a helping hand with that as well.  No more trying to remember the best parts of the journey, or having lapses in memory, or having the difficult time describing the most fantastic parts of the road trip.  Another technological innovation can enhance the relationship between human and automobile.

Imagine having road buddies that can key in the pertinent information about the pothole you dodged on the interstate, or the rest stop with the restaurants and shops to die for, or even the breathtaking views of the woods where you stopped to grab a breath of fresh air.  Imagine being able to project these personal memories on your television, computer screen, laptop, tablet or phone as you recount the tale of your cool adventure.  Soon all of this can become a reality.  The newer generation of our four-wheeled friends may have them rolling at various rotations per minute, covering all four points of contact, and recording every detail so you won’t miss a beat.

Jet Lag Technologies will soon introduce the next innovation from Snore Story Labs: Scrapbook Tires.  These marvelous, ingenious little cushions for your wheels will come equipped with microphones and gyroscopically mountable cameras that can catch every detail of the open roads on which you travel, adding the details that you don’t want to miss when you share your road trip with your friends and loved ones.  Imagine being the hit of the party, and not having to go through those annoying callbacks that get you unfriended in social media, and put on the do not call list, or have people blocking you on their cell phones.

The Scrapbook Model XTs will come equipped with this nanotechnology that makes it all possible.  After it undergoes testing to improve durability in various weather and road conditions, they will be able to capture as much information as needed to tell the road trip story that will rival your peers.  These will be great for scrapbookers, hence the catchy name.

No substantial dates can be given as the project is not past the development stages yet. In order for such technology to be brought about would call for a lot of committed designing, lab testing, supremely technological materials, years of research and development, and countless sums of money invested to cover it all.  Further updates may follow on a fake news outlet near you.  April Fool.

J. Michael Finley gives a stunning performance as Bart Millard, the lead singer of Mercy Me who wrote the chart-topping hit, I Can Only Imagine.  The movie tells the story behind the song.

Starting with his childhood, growing up with a love for music, and an abusive father, Bart leaves to start working with a band and writing songs.  He receives counsel from Scott Brickle, played by Trace Adkins, who encourages Bart to dig in and write about his true feelings.

Along the way, Bart is introduced to recording artists Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant, who takes interest in his song, and wanted to sing it to introduce her comeback effort.  The way it plays out is a starting point for Bart and the band Mercy Me, that causes their career to take off in an amazing way.

This movie is rated PG, and is a great film for the whole family.  You will laugh, you may cry, and you’ll be cheering in the aisles at the end.

There are many versions of Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol, performed on stage and on screen in plays and movies respectively, and although I haven’t seen every single one, I am often amazed at how they tell the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and how his heart was changed after being visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future.  I hope to revisit the story very soon, as it seems like I can relate in a small way to the main character.

There are some considerable differences that I need to mention first.  Scrooge made a profitable living and maintained a business he had as a partnership with his late partner, Jacob Marley, whose spirit introduced the three Christmas spirits that would visit him.  As a graduate of college and a trade school, and a husband and father, and having to take on any work I could find to provide, I haven’t been able to develop a career more profitable than my current line of work, and I haven’t found substantial profit in secondary ventures yet.  Scrooge’s treasure, early on, existed in the wealth he amassed and his prestigious estate.  My riches are in the family and friends that I am surrounded with, the associates I work with daily, the church members I often meet weekly, and others I come in contact with, at times on social media, like my Facebook friends and LinkedIn contacts.

As time passes, there seems to be less focus on the genuine meaning of the holiday.  So much emphasis is on getting gifts from – or seeking to get gifts for – family and friends that we often lose sight of the greatest gift ever given: the gift of the only begotten Son that God gave to the world, the Seed that brought redemption in His later sacrifice to relieve the world from the burden of sin and guilt, and the condemnation that follows after death.  In this continuing trend, we’re losing sight of the hope we can have in accepting the gift that He gives, freely, to all willing to accept and believe.

I have decided not to be mean-spirited as some around me choose to be, or feel they must for whatever reason.  I hope to find some depth in the messages conveyed by the spirits as they ministered to Ebenezer, and hopefully they will help all of us to see that there are greater riches than material wealth.  In having compassion on others and sharing with family, friends and neighbors – even by the means of gentle fellowship, sharing a laugh over a cup of coffee, a dance to a good song, or even joining a good holiday sing-a-long – perhaps we can reacquaint ourselves in the true joy this holiday season can bring.

Take care this time, and may this holiday season be a happy, blessed and safe one for all.

I once thought that I knew it all, but in time I found I had so much more to learn.  The good news is that I gained some understanding about what my faith really meant. It’s my hope that in reading more, you will see the hope that I have, and maybe want the same.

I was baptized when I was 9 years old, by my father, in a church where he pastored.  It was a blessing having a father who was also in ministry, as I could ask him questions and get answers.  Later, as I grew up, there weren’t many easy answers.

After being in college for almost four years and not getting anywhere, I became depressed.  I felt like I had no purpose.  In that one moment in crying out to God, then I learned what it meant to invite Jesus Christ into my life.

My new life in Him had trials, but there was also hope.  I eventually graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication.  I later married into a family at the start of my career.  I continued on into different occupations to take care of family, and had some setbacks along the way, but God has been faithful in keeping us in the midst of all that we went through and go through now.

So how can I sum it all up?  Before Christ, I was down without much hope for the future, much less the next day.  After having invited Christ into my heart, I have the hope of heaven after this life ends, and I hope to see many others who made the same choice.  If you have tried everything you could to handle life on your own, and found that you couldn’t, try letting Jesus Christ into your life, as He stands at the door of your heart knocking.  Letting Him in will be the best decision you can make in your life.

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have.” – Philippians 4:11, NLT

One solid lesson that is taught is to be content with what we have, and this is important to our well-being.  In my situation, I struggle with this because there are so many things going on that I can’t be content with.   Continue reading →