I WiSh.....

1. I wish the words "To Be Continued" were barred from all of our favorite TV shows. The only exemption would be if the program to be continued was immediately following it.

2. I wish driving while texting and using social media were outlawed in every state. People were stupid before Facebook. They're just stupider and more emotionally numb now.

3. I wish our children can turn on "children's programming" and not be influenced to become arrogant, snobbish, hateful monsters.

4. I wish James Dolan would sell the New York Knicks and retire to Afghanistan. He isn't Donald Sterling but I want him gone just the same.

5. I wish the well didn't have to run dry before people realized how good that water really is.

6. I wish Saturday Night Live would just give up the ghost. You're fortunate to see two good sketches per episode. These sketch writers don't get good comedy.

7. I wish gardening was a pre-requisite in all city schools. It could be life changing.

8. I wish all "mean girls" were forced to live in a compound with no mirrors, no makeup, no cell phones or computers, and no television channels except National Geographic, BBC World News, HGTV, the Food Network, and infomercials from UNICEF and World Hunger Relief.

9. I wish the New York Football Giants can win one more Super Bowl for Eli. Having him tied with Peyton doesn't sit right with me.

10. I wish big business can't so easily displace and destroy so many lives for the sake of the dollar.

11. I wish we could bottle the enthusiasm and jubilation of a child and force hateful old people to drink it so their lives won't be totally lost.

12. I wish the Marvel Universe could hang around forever but once they kill off the originals like Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man, who's really going to care about it then?

13. I wish the Church awakened to the reality that prayer and anointing, not programs and big signs, changes things.

14. I wish I could fly.....not with my arms but on a plane back to New York....a little homesick. Flying with my arms is ridiculous.

15. I wish people would be more respectful and reverent than to take the premise of God's love and use it as an occasion to hate and abuse.

16. I wish politicians were not allowed to have social media accounts then I could imagine that they are intelligent, thoughtful, and have dignity rather than reading a post or tweet and eliminate all doubt.

17. I wish everyone would continue to dream big and reach for the intangible rather than settle for the limitations of the tangible.

18. I wish I could go to a New York Mets game at Citi Field and not get injured. It seems to be a thing around there this year.

19. I wish I didn't have to give up steak and chili and burgers.....The struggle is real.....yeah, real hard.

20. I wish participation awards were exchanged for hard work and dedication. Most of the sports stars you cheer and root so hard for will agree that adversity made them better.

21. I wish love was the premise by which we engage others, build relationships, and live privately and publicly.

22. I wish Manimal was never made into a TV series.

23. I wish neighbors would care more about the communities they live in and protect them like they used to.

24. I wish more libraries and bookstores would open up rather than close down.

25. I wish my grandchildren will out live me and not have to fear that their lives will be taken, just because they're African American.

It StaRTs WiTH a sEEd

I grew up in a place that many called the "Ghetto".

I grew up in a place that was considered a "jungle". (What that made me I don't know!)

I grew up in a place that was considered dangerous and often for very good reasons.

Now I have my own home for the second time. I have a beautiful wife and beautiful children and a small army of bright, intelligent grandchildren full of promise.

I have a very good job that allows me to do some things I used to only dream about way back then. 

I have more blessings than I can count and even with all that said, I realize that as much as I had to look over my shoulder on the streets growing up, I have to pause often even now, in the security of my office building....or in the very busy local Wal-Mart.....or within the confines of my local ministry....or even on a plane or a cruise ship. You name it. At any time, our entire lives can change dramatically.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when my heart stopped beating on September 11, 2001. I was on my job with tears in my eyes, staring at a television screen, wondering all kinds of things all in a dynamic, frenzied flurry of emotions. Why did I leave my hometown? Was it worth it? What if I was still living there and I got the job I applied for in that very same building? Was any of my family and many friends in the building at that moment everything went wrong? Is my mother alive?

The questions were dizzying and I felt nauseous. I don't believe I did an ounce of work after I slunk away from that monitor. All I could do was cry and attempt to make phone calls and think horrible thoughts that tormented me for days after the fact. My mother was supposed to be in the WTC that morning for an appointment but she cancelled it days prior. That was good news for her but my heart was heavy for so many others. I chose one of the most horrific moments in my history to make a point. The man or men in that plane that conceived such an evil plan have something in common with many people in our world right now that are shooting up politicians in Alexandria, Virginia, mass murdering fellow employees at a UPS facility in San Francisco, and murdering little children and faculty in a little elementary school in Sandy Hook (despite what some people say). If you dare to dig deep enough, you may find more commonalities even closer to home. Everything that we see fully developed into something vicious, heartless, and ugly all started with a single seed. 

Before I say this, please understand that this is not an examination into these horrific events. Even as a minister of the Gospel, I cannot provide insight into the hows and whys of these life changing events from either the perspective of the innocent, the guilty, or the bystanders that view this from a distance. I am just posing some questions to ponder because at this point, we really need to.

I am truly concerned about how much we can see in our world and become casual about what we see in our homes. We have become desensitized and I believe it has grown much worse since the last time I said that. Our children can be bullies and tormentors of other little children and we can justify it as just "kids being kids". Our sons can rape young college students and a parent can shrug it off as just "boys being boys". Now we have grown men and women who want to burn a whole country to the ground that they were perhaps blessed to live in, compared to some other alternatives. And every single one of those circumstances started with a seed. I have real questions about what the future holds for our youngest. They will likely bear the weight of all the missed opportunities, failed parenting, and in many cases, acts of willful blindness. I listen to my grandchildren being shunned because their classmates sit and play and eat away from them because their parents teach them they can't play with "brown people". They are threatened with "going to jail" or being "burned with fire", or with death. Threats made by little children and teenagers in some cases. My mother was adamant about me going to Catholic school for my elementary and intermediate school years because she thought it would be safer for me. Ha! Now look!

It took me years to understand why Scripture uses so many analogies from an agricultural standpoint but it is the heart and viewpoint of God. Imagine if we all thought like this BEFORE we committed acts or BEFORE we allowed an influence into our lives or BEFORE we made a major decision or BEFORE we gave into an inclination. How different might our lives and perhaps our world be. We can't play with matches and then sit back and marvel at how our world is set on fire! If we plant and water a seed (which can be as simple as a thought, a desire, or an inclination), and continue to give attention to it, it is going to grow. The question is will we like what comes forth. I'm getting the impression that it doesn't matter what's happening in the world until it begins to affect "their" world. That's becoming the reality of the world we ALL live in.

A quick, funny (in my wife's opinion - I'm not laughing) story: We have been cultivating a small garden in the backyard. We have everything from string beans to lettuce to the unstoppable collard greens (growing all year round through torturous weather conditions) to kale to green peppers. We have nearly twenty different plants and a half dozen different herbs growing back there but the biggest monster and bully of the garden is the tomatoes. I would guess they are the beefsteak variety. We planted a little seed (literally) but neither my wife or I realized that there were multiple plants in each seed. I still can't explain that very well. Needless to say, we have more than a dozen separate stalks with multiple, huge tomatoes growing. I don't eat those tomatoes much at all so we have a problem. The point is that we just planted very little and unbeknownst to us, it has outgrown everything else and has overtaken the rest of the garden. It was probably the smallest seeds we planted and the smallest amount but it has overrun everything else and has taken the spotlight away from the other plantings. The tomatoes are out of control. It goes without saying that we are not planting those again next year. We didn't expect it. We couldn't control it. We can either let them grow or uproot them so they can't.

If one would dare to take one of these infamous figures in our nation's history and peel back the layers of their life from now back to their childhood. You know what you'd likely find? A very methodically laid groundwork for who they have become today but a beginning similar to our own and generations before and since. "Normal" households with loving parents. Tragedy. Financial problems. Seed. Poverty. Lack. Neglect from a parent. Seed. Bullying. Rejection. Keeping secrets from your family. Bad influences in the neighborhood. Seed. Anger, self loathing, isolation. Water. Brooding over the unfairness. Why did he have to die? It should've been me. Water. Kids will be kids. They're just children. They'll outgrow it. She asked for it. She wanted it. Water. I agree with you. You should do something about this! Water. Oh, she was just playing! She wouldn't hurt a fly! Water. It's not fair! It's their fault! Water. They rejected you and turned their backs on you! Water. They laughed at you and mocked you. They think they're better than you! Water. If it wasn't for "them", this would be a better place and you would have a better life! You wouldn't have lost your loved one. Water. You would be wealthy but now you have nothing! Water. They must pay. They are the enemy! Water. Water. Water.

Whatever comes next but it all starts with a single seed. A seed that we are all susceptible to have "planted in our garden". None of us are exempt. Maybe your life doesn't resemble any of these things and you have had a marvelous upbringing, with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with it. Maybe you have it all figured out and generations after you will glean from your wisdom and your formula for success. The rest of us are in a daily struggle where our gardens are susceptible to seeding and watering, and of course, a harvest.

What kind of harvest do you want in your garden? Ponder this seriously. Protect your garden vigorously. 

RanDoM tHOuGHts iN tHE mAnCaVE

Hi guys,

Today is one of those days where we spent almost all of the morning in corporate worship in our ministry and we have praised, danced, sang, and heard an incredible message that is primed for the time that we are in. Excellent.

But the week before was exhausting and that is the nicest word that I could come up with. I needed the rest of this day to just...well....do nothing. That is not what is actually happening but come enough. I thought this evening would be a great time to share some random thoughts. I am strongly considering making this a regular piece once or twice a month. (I'd love your opinions on that idea too. Thanks!)

So.....welcome to my mind! (This is the part where you turn away if squeamish or you have anything more important to do!)

1. Honestly speaking, the NBA has turned into something that I can't stomach. The so called diehards will likely lambast me for this thought but I don't care. The current product might still be making money but it sucks....Not one of them can honestly say the NBA Finals (or even this year's playoffs for that matter) was remotely interesting. Unless their team plays in Oakland.
2. I am learning to enjoy my writing and my posts even if people are not reading as much as I had hoped. My little world isn't half bad.
3. I am really missing the NFL. A station that has the smarts to show reruns of old games all Sunday long will really have a massive viewership. All these other sports are just placeholders. 
   
4. I am really ready to find out who the murderous A.D. is on Pretty Little Liars. I have invested a lot of time in this murder mystery and I deserve to be satisfied. I'm not feeling good about it with only three episodes left before the big reveal. (I'm a sucker for murder mysteries.)
5. When I talk to my friends from my hometown, I am really conflicted about my allegiances in New York sports. My mother would tell you in a heartbeat that you are supposed to root for all New York teams and that is how she raised us. Some of my buddies think I made the wrong choice in picking one over the other. What is the right answer? Hmm...
   
   
6. I am over the top excited about the upcoming Marvel movie, "The Black Panther". It comes out next year. It's not a "Black" thing for the record but it will have Black people in the movie in leading and supporting roles. Hope that's ok.  😏
7. Man, do I miss home! I am wishing I can get a slice right now. And a beef patty. And a knish. And some White Castle. Oh yeah, I miss my mom too.
8. I hear it a lot around the water cooler and in some other circles that people think the 45th President of the United States is going to be impeached out of office. I got to ask this. What makes you think that? What precedent makes you think this is a viable possibility?
9. Does the news channels want us to pay attention to the actual weather news or to the female meteorologists? There is literally no way to do both.
10. How many times can you watch your favorite movie before you get sick of it? I don't mean you  "Tombstone". I'm asking for a friend. 
    
11. I'm reminded every Sunday how people view and understand commitment and how easy it is to use the name of Jesus Christ when it's publicly convenient but find it absent in our private lives. I think people really don't think He's coming back anytime soon. 
12. Matcha Tea was one of the best choices I have made this year.
13. More than a year ago, I was hammering out my first book. Now I'm sitting here waiting for my first book to be republished and I've already finished my second book with preliminary plans for my third. So, yeah, I'm bored. 
    
14. I am wondering how I would react if the Michigan Wolverines actually won the National Championship. I watched them allow a team they should have beaten (Ohio State) to win and it almost gave me a coronary so I could only imagine what a title win does to me.
    
    
15. The racial divide in America will never be repaired as long as people are still uncomfortable hearing how racist they are. It might sound like I am talking about Bill Maher but there are so many other examples a lot closer to home. 
16. My wife spends more time in the ManCave than I do.
17. Can a 27-33 team comeback to win a World Series? Beats me.
18. I'm developing a love for gardening. It has nothing to do with fresh lettuce, carrots, big beef tomatoes, kale, collard greens, tarragon, green peppers, rosemary, garlic, thyme, cilantro, parsley, string beans, cherry tomatoes, and green onions that I don't have to pay ridiculous prices for.
19. Charleston is known nationally for its friendliness. So the people of Charleston are friendly to everyone, no matter where they come from or how they look, correct?

20. I seriously question if I will see a New York Knicks championship in my lifetime. That would be epic bad if not.
21. I wonder if anybody even enjoy reading these pieces. I know I do.

WhEn NiGHt CoMes...

"I must do the work of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is approaching, when no one can work." (John 9:4 International Standard Version)

I love this verse as it consistently and effectively serves to ground me and give me that old kick in the pants reminder that we don't have time to lollygag and twiddle our thumbs. If you are a believer, if you are not a believer but are evaluating your life choices, or if you flat out don't care to change any aspect of your life and you intend to go out in whatever shape your soul has found itself in, we all have one thing in common: Time will determine if our works were worth it in the end.



This commentary on this powerful scripture fragment is equally as profound.

"Our life is our day, in which it concerns us to do the work of the day. We must be busy, and not waste day-time; it will be time to rest when our day is done, for it is but a day. The approach of death should quicken us to improve all our opportunities of doing and getting good. What good we have an opportunity to do, we should do quickly. And he that will never do a good work till there is nothing to be objected against, will leave many a good work for ever undone..." (Matthew Henry Commentary on John 9:4)

Throughout this blog piece, I compiled some of my favorite social media posts that speak to this same idea with the hopes that it will make you think about where you are and about where we are. Honestly, we can watch the news and hear and see the signs of our time and never even flinch.We have become desensitized and our hearts have grown cold. We don't run into the prayer closets anymore because they're filled with shoes and handbags. We don't hasten to get into the house of the Lord because we really need to have our java and bran muffin. We have gotten to the place where we hear the cries of injustice and see the suffering of others and we won't bat an eye or lift a finger. It's happening to us and around us and we are painfully, spiritually unconscious. Let this next passage marinate..

"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:1-4 KJV)

We are dealing with spiritual blindness and on a broad scale, it is not improving. People wag their finger at snicker at the idea of salvation and the judgment of God. They casually dismiss their health plans, chucking them away on a whim. They expose themselves and their loved ones without a care. There is literally nothing sacred. Catchphrases like "YOLO" and "You gotta die of something." have become the new normal. Our souls need more than just chicken soup. We need divine healing and a reorientation or we face peril on an epic level and set into motion damaging ripple effects towards generations to come.




I've shared some of my old posts in hopes they might inspire you. It's time to re-evaluate our life plan and think more solemnly about where we are and where want to be when our earthly account is permanently closed.

"We’ll have to fight for the good that we want. Want to see a stronger marriage? Healthier communication? Life-giving leadership? Harmony, joy, peace, reconciliation? A full heart? Justice? We’ll have to fight for them."


The weapons are there. Now we just need the will to fight. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

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You can't help "save" those trapped in worldliness when you are afflicted by the same disease. Get free first then help someone else do it." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

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Can you reach heaven by jumping higher? That's just as ridiculous as you're trying to get there by simply being a good person. (Romans 8:1-8)

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That awkward moment when you realize you have been putting all of your "valuables" into a bag filled with holes. (Haggai 1:6)

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If your RELATIONSHIPS (with God, friends, family, spouses) don't challenge you to grow beyond your comfort zone, humble you unto tangible change, and teach you to treat others like you want to be treated, THEN YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!

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For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:25-26)

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ALMOST doesn't count. MAYBE doesn't make it. HOPE SO doesn't hold water. KINDA doesn't cut it. Either you're saved or you're not : Don't die wondering! (I John 4:7-21)

⇩

If there is any doubt about where you are but you honestly know where you would like to be, please join us in praying this simple prayer of salvation. If you pray this sincerely and believe it, and cling to strong people of faith and an effective local ministry, you would have made a quality and life changing decision. Thank you so much for reading this piece and for listening. God bless you!!

"Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I turn away from my sins that have separated me from you. I am truly sorry and I ask you to forgive me. I believe that Jesus Christ was born, died on a cross for my sins and was raised again in all power and I was raised with Him. I invite Him to be Lord of my life and to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. I accept the Holy Spirit as my comforter and consolation and proof that I belong to God. I want to do your will and love and serve you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen."

wHaT iS LovE?

Love is a four letter word.
But when it's spoken to you, it builds you up. It should never tear you down.

Love makes you want to fly higher than you have before.
And still always have room in one's heart to fly with a partner.

Love takes a bag of lemons that you had to grudgingly sacrifice your last dime to buy and lovingly make gallons of lemonade that you give away to others for free. (Hint: This is not about juice!)

Love puts the dagger into the hands of a friend and trusts them never to use it on you.

Love doesn't withhold its affections until it's convenient. It's always a great time to love while you are still able to.

Love gives your only and your best even when you know the "receivers" will probably not appreciate your gift.

Love takes a lump of coal and squeezes out a beautiful diamond.
It does so without waiting for a "Thank You" or some sign of approval. Love just does it without condition.

Love always perseveres when it's easier to quit, keeps hoping that the truth prevails, protects without hesitation, and has no file cabinet for dirty deeds done against it.

Love covers a multitude of sinful deeds. It doesn't lie or cover up for the sinner but it loves the sinner without conditions for that affection.

Love is the only eraser for indelible ink when written on one's heart.

Love is seeing that you may not be at fault this time but you've been wrong plenty of times. That makes you reach into your bag of grace to share with someone else.

Love is authentic when it mirrors God's words, God's character, and God's example.

Love is not afraid to fail. Love will lay down everything that one calls valuable or indispensable just to save a friend.

Love allows frequent excursions into the chambers of your heart, asking every visitor to keep what they see confidential and trusting them to do so.

Love is an old song that reminds you of you first believed when you need it most in your life. It is a sure shield when you are under attack from fiery darts and the warmest blanket on the coldest of nights.

Love willfully does for others what one would want done for them.

Love does good towards one's enemies, without any expectation of a return or a reward, remembering that the reward for this comes later.

Love does not fail....EVER.

cOnFeSsIoNs Of A sPoRtS jUnKiE

I confess that...when my wife talks to me when a football game is on, I don't hear everything she says.

I confess that...I can smell freshly cut grass and it takes me back in time to my first trip to a Major League baseball game.

I confess that...I have called out sick on MLB Opening Day. (Spoiler alert: I wasn't really ill)

I confess that...I used to sleep with a basketball in my bed.

I confess that...I'd watch a sport I don't even like just because it's sports.

I confess that...I'm addicted to fantasy football and am currently in rehab. Now I only play in three leagues instead of twelve. See, I'm getting better! 

I confess that...when I do watch a female tennis match, it's not just to hear them yell when they hit the ball.

I confess that...while the fans and the announcers are quiet during a golf match, I wanted to jump up and yell. I'm very competitive.

I confess that...I would want to see the NFL 12 months a year, showing no regard for player safety.

I confess that...I am still mourning the death of the NBA (1946-2013)

I confess that...I automatically drive faster when I hear sports broadcast on the radio.

I confess that...I do say "our" and "my" team and the word "we" excessively when I don't play for, own a team, nor am I on the Board of Directors for any professional team.

I confess that...an all sports network really sounds great to me as long as it's not ESPN.

I confess that...the day after the Super Bowl shouldn't be a holiday. That's just flat out ridiculous. Every Monday should be a holiday!

I confess that...I get mad when someone says sports are dumb and pointless. They clearly don't get sports are important in so many countries. It's dumb and pointless to try and explain it to them.

I confess that...hot dogs do taste better at sporting events.

I confess that...a life without sports in it is a life missing something amazing!

I confess that...I can life without sports but I just don't want to.