Sunday, August 26, 2012

How long does Love last?


On the birthday anniversary of my recently deceased Mother in July, I went to her gravesite in Rochester Hills, Michigan at the Guardian Angels cemetery.  When I went, I was not exactly sure why I wanted or needed to go.  Sure, I’m a person who believes in the afterlife, but I’m also a pragmatist, and not much of a sentimentalist.  I think: “Since my Mom’s current life is as a soul in the afterlife, the body she left behind is no more than an empty container… it’s not the real her.  I can’t see that body anyway.  It’s in a grave.  Also, I can remember her from anywhere on the planet, and if spirits can hear humans, then she can hear me from anywhere.  So I was not really sure why I went. 

When I stood over her grave (and the grave of my departed father and my brother Jim), I thought, unsentimentally:  “Hmm, the grass above their graves is pretty dry, sparse and has weeds.  I might pull the weeds.  But what would that matter to any humans on this earth?  Would that really matter to my Mom, Dad, and Jim?  That seems so incidental.  It affects nothing.  Very few if any family members come here.  If I did care for the grass, would I be doing it so that the rare visitors would have a better experience?   Doesn’t it seem that the same minutes could be better spent doing something for my own immediate family members, who are still alive?”
While I was thinking about that, a Chrysler Minivan pulled up several tens of yards away, and an old short man walked out and over to a six foot tall black curved-top marble monument with some Greek name on it.  He made the sign of the cross on himself, indicating to me that he was either Catholic or Orthodox.  I wondered what he thought as he motioned that hand pattern.  Did it help him in some way?  Did it help his dead relative in some way?  Did it help God in some way?   It seemed not valuable.  (I’m being difficult in this posting to set up a contrast.  Of course I see value in it, but not in the way that most people define value… it’s a confirmation of my own beliefs to me and to my God)...  


(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Monday, August 13, 2012

Nick Vujicic on why he is happy with his life… without arms or legs


(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
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Preacher Nick Vujicic.
“Do you know God? …Why is he interested in us?  Why would he ever have the time of day to listen to my prayer?  Who am I compared to God, the creator of the universe?... It’s a big thought. (smile)  For me, God is everything. (nods) For me, there were many times in my life where I did not have peace in my life. And seeking the answers to many questions and of course being born without limbs, I asked God “Why did this happen?” (furrowed brows)  You know, we always talk to God more on a bad day (heh!).  We ask God for things, we thank God for things, but if you get to know him, do you talk to Him apart from just asking him for things?  Because if I had a friend and I just called him up when I needed him, it’s not really a friendship.  (smile).  Do you that he is excited to hear from you?  Do you know that you were on his mind before the earth began and he formed you in your mother’s womb?  That was such an amazing peace that I had at 15 years old. To know that I finally have someone who is going to be with me through it all.  Who knows all my circumstances, who is BIGGER than my circumstances. 
Nick Vujicic speaking about how
 it's possible for him to be happy.


(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Partial transcript of an interview with Nick Vujicic, the man who has no limbs, but is happy anyway.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Opened to Just the Right Hymn

On July 22, 2012, I was attending church with my family.  The music director, Bob Mervak, asked us to open our songbook to page 700 to sing "The Summons".  I was quite surprised that when I opened it at random, I had opened to page 700.  There were no bookmarks or bent pages to lead my fingers there.  Because it was at church, and because I had already spent 15 minutes in a prayerful way, opening myself to the holy spirit and His message to me, I took it as meaningful.  I felt as if the meaning was, "I'm here.  Pay attention to this hymn."...   



(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

This man has no arms and no legs. Why does he not curse God?

(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
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Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs.  Yet he loves God and Jesus Christ.  How is that possible? Nick tells his own story.
Nick Vujicic was born with no arms or legs

  • If I fall and think I can't get up, I haven't failed until I stop trying. Only then will it be true that I can't get up. But if I keep trying, there's always hope, and the possibility that I will get back up.
  • Sometimes you have doubts about what is going to happen in the future, and it scares you.
  • But I found my strength in Jesus Christ.
  • My victory is not when I stand up.  It's when I know I can't do this on my own. 
  • If God can cause a man without arms and legs to smile, then God can cause us to be thankful, and to hang on to the hope that we have.
Nick Vujicic surfing with Bethany Hamilton

In February, 2012, Nick married this woman. They now live in California. They hope to become parents some day.
In February, 2012, Nick married Kanae Miyahara


(Read the rest at Wtness.org)