From the time that we are born (or before…) the entire focus is on what we are able to do in comparison to others, which IS AMAZING because each individual is different. God made us that way.

To make sure that what we can do is developed and noticed by everyone we used to begin with kindergarten, but now we have preschool and even preschool on TV!

That’s what school is for, to show what we can or can’t do. Thus we have grades and even college.

And, to make sure that our evaluation is important, salaries are tied to it by extent of personal accomplishment. If you can do this, you’ll get this.

Society is totally tied to that and we set limits for ourselves on how far we can go and what we can do because our position within society and success are based on that.

None of that includes God. None. But as humans we strive to achieve things because success and status in this world are based on that.

Unfortunately success and status in God’s world don’t include that and our judge is God not society.

Hmm, that is somewhat confusing isn’t it?

Most people don’t think about that but that’s one of the incredible blessings of being who I am. As a human I did very well in school, college, work and everything else. I was a human star, but then I was beaten up and my brain stem was broken. Now I am handicapped and have many problems.

So am I still a star?

In this world no, but in God’s world yes.

How do I know that?

Well I can’t walk, I lost my job, I lost my wife, I lost my kids, I totally lost my education, I lost my sister and I lost my parents but I still have God.

Why do I think that I still have God?

Because everyone with human education said that I would die, but I’m alive. I was in a coma for 5 years but I’m fine now and it’s been 9 years. I have been diagnosed as having several deadly diseases but I’m fine. And when I came out of my coma I wanted a Bible and to go to Church. I have no memory of any bad things that happened to me.

I am also able to look at things much differently than I used to.

Life used to be about…but life now is very much a gift from God.

Now, let me tell you what I’m thinking:

When God created everything, the World, the Humans, Heaven & Hell, He also created the angels and one of those Angels as thrown out of Heaven because he thought that he knew more and could do better than God.

And even though God made hum leave Heaven God gave him Earth. And he still thinks that he is better than God. And he teaches humans to forget God and just do things on their own. Remember society and success? Seems a little too familiar to me…

But thankfully God is God. And we should never forget that!

Christ mas

It is Christmas Eve.

The day before Christmas.

That is exciting. But why?

Well, for some people it’s a grand holiday that is centered by food, parties, presents bought & given, happy children, Santa Claus & fun.

But for us it is far more than that. Yes we enjoy the other things but we realize that it is much more. It is a celebration of the time when God showed His ultimate love for us by sending us His son and making us a part of His family!

So enjoy this time of year but remember why it is ultimately special.

I have been thinking about this for a long long time but what kept me from writing about it is that I was worried that people wouldn’t get it and be offended. So I have waited and now I am ready. Did I solve the potential problem? No, but I have thought it through. So here it goes:

When children are born they have no standards because everything is new to them. But as humans WE THINK THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE and so we teach them to our children. Everything does, books, stories, songs & TV, why do you think we have nursery rhymes?

And children learn very quickly that they must meet these standards because depending on how they measure up to the standards they will be labeled. And as we get older although the standards change in name or content the purpose is the same.

So if we meet those standards then we are good enough and successful and if we do not then we work harder to achieve them.

I regularly attend a Sunday school class for handicapped adults and I am now a part of a very handicapped family.

What does the class do? And why is it important?

Good questions!

Without the class handicapped people would have nowhere to go. Most people, even at Churches, don’t have a place for them and think they do not belong in Church.

So for 42 years I was normal, successful & belonged in Church & had it made in life? Yes.

But why not now?

Well, at 42 I was severely attacked and beaten. I lost my job, my education, all people and possessions, my future and I cannot walk.

So without these people I would be up a creek without a paddle. But I’m not.

I still cannot walk or remember my education, but I do have God.

Am I still successful? By the World’s standards No, but by God’s standards YES.

I am very happy to be where I am.

As

Do you remember what the first thing was that Satan did? He thought he was just as good as God.

He tried to make them think that they wouldn’t die even though God had said that they would.

He has always tried to be or make people believe that he was just as good as God. That makes no sense at all! The created being just as good as the Creator?

And even though he now knows better he’s still trying to do the same thing.

But we too know better and we believe the truth. No one is greater than the Creator!

And that makes life so much simpler! The only complicated and difficult parts of life belong to Satan not God. So that WE can find solutions because obviously God hasn’t. Can’t thing be better than they are?

Gee, doesn’t that sound familiar?

You’re not going to die…

But they died.

So from this moment on we can know that we have been created by God and every part of our lives has been planned by Him. So nothing is uncalled for, should have happened differently, or needs to change.

Our Father will always be our Father.

It is amazing how I can see things that I think are NEW! They have probably always been there but they’re new to me now.

I have noticed that people are super focused on THEMSELVES. They think that EVERYTHING and I mean everything is up for evaluation and if something doesn’t match their standards, then it’s wrong.

And so human success is evaluated similarly. There are things that people say are examples of success and correctness and so people follow those examples. But, who sets examples for God? No one, and is God successful? Now you are trying to set standards that you cannot because you can create absolutely nothing but God creates everything.

So reality is more than you can know, success is more than you can know and wealth is more than you can know! In fact everything is much more than you can know! But nothing is more than God can do or know!!

So relax! He is capable and He is in charge and YOU are not!

Everything that I see today says I can make things better. People must be able to succeed at everything!

But without commercials or convincing, God is able to make EVERYTHING better and SUCCEED at everything.

God doesn’t have to buy or try anything or convince anyone to do this He just does it because He can!

A commercial for Macy’s says to a young child “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Clause…”.

The REAL truth is that there is a December sales total that has to be met in order to keep stores open and people working, so people are EXPECTED to shop for the holidays.

That really bothers me. Imagine telling children “YES, there is a God” and making them happy & looking forward to being with Him. Imagine that.

Sales and profit would no longer be so important but faith would! And we would teach children, sing songs and throw parties!

I can imagine that!

We could do this!