ALMOST MONDAY THOUGHT 2/8/10

February 7, 2010 on 10:29 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness, Motivational Thoughts | No Comments

God’s Odd Blessings

This one’s longer than usual.  Sorry ‘bout that.

My mother used to say I could fall in a pile of horse manure (not the exact words) and come up with a rose between my teeth.  I’m not the only one. 

Last Friday, I did a platform presentation at a client’s annual meeting in Pennsylvania.  The plan was to fly in on Thursday, do my dog ‘n pony show on Friday morning, fly out Friday afternoon, and be home, safely snuggled in my own bed, Friday night. 

God had other plans … again.  This time He decided to “bless” half the nation (and me personally; yes, I take these things personally) with one humungous blizzard.  After a series of misadventures reminiscent of the movie, “Planes, Trains & Automobiles,” I finally made it home Sunday afternoon.   

The rose between my teeth?  I got to meet some fantastic people along the way, most notably a fellow speaker with whom, by happenstance (yeah, right, Lord), I shared a limo from the airport on Thursday and also shared part of the return trip adventure, including paying a delightful hotel cook $100 to four-wheel us through unplowed highway roads to the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania airport after the snowstorm shut down the shuttles and cabs.

His name is Mike Schlappi (no, not the cook; the speaker).  He’s an Olympic Gold Medalist (basketball), businessman, husband and father, marathoner, snowmobiler, scuba diver, etc.  He’s also a man with a humongously huge positive attitude.  (No, not the silly-grin, butterflies and everything-is-beautiful kind, but one with substance behind it.)  Still, no big deal, right?  (Well, except for that Gold Medal part … oh, and the marathon stuff, too.) 

The big deal part is that Mike has done all this from a wheelchair, after having been accidently shot in the chest by a friend when he was 15.  His presentation got a standing ovation — several actually — as a genuine inspiration to never quit, to never give up.  (His book is titled, “Shot Happens: I Got Shot.  What’s Your Problem?”) 

The rose part for me?  With my schedule blown to Kingdom Come, my luggage circumnavigating the globe in the opposite direction, my underwear on the verge of breaking a record for how many days and ways it can be worn, and all the usual stress of disrupted travel, I had the opportunity to laugh, talk and travel through part of my journey this week and this life with a terrific, everyday guy who had done (and continues to do) some pretty amazing things.

But I admit that, to me, I am not so much impressed with Mike Schlappi because of his pretty amazing accomplishments.  I just got the biggest kick out of his magnificent, positive attitude, as well as his candid honesty.  (Part of his presentation addressed his bouts of self-pity and how you can have some pretty lousy days even if you work to have a good attitude.)

I like Mike for a number of reasons, one of them being that he landed in a pile of horse manure at age 15 and yet keeps coming up with a rose between his teeth. 

My point:  God always blesses us …  just not in ways we might originally choose.  For me, it was a blizzard that delayed my return home and gave me an opportunity to meet Mike Schlappi.  For Mike?  I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but I’d say it was a bullet in the chest at age 15 that gave him the opportunity to rise to his own personal great heights and to inspire, motivate and make a big difference to the thousands of people he touches. – jri

“Faith is not something we have but

something we do.”

-         Barbara Shlemon Ryan

(Living Each Day by the

Power of Faith)

John Ingrisano

Daily Connections

204 Lakeview Drive

Algoma, WI 54201

February 7-8, 2010

THURSDAY THOUGHT 2/4/10

February 4, 2010 on 10:54 am | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

I think what I admire most about St. Peter is that he was no saint … so to speak.    He was a hard-working, impatient and impulsive man, the first to jump in and passionately commit to Jesus and, so humanly, the first to turn tail and run. 

There was nothing tepid about Peter.  He did nothing half-heartedly.  In for a dime; in for a dollar.

My point:  Jesus chose the most unlikely of followers.  They were imperfect, often unreliable, filled with doubts and fear.  Gives hope for all of us, eh?  Savor your many blessings this day and rejoice in the gentle forgiveness and love of the Lord. – jri

“You do not want to leave me too, do you?”

Jesus asked the twelve. 

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom

Shall we go?  You have the words of eternal

Life.  We believe and know that you are the

Holy One of God.”

                 –        John 6:67-69

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 1/27/10

January 27, 2010 on 1:07 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness, Motivational Thoughts | No Comments
Feeling Christian Today, Punk?
 
Those who know me know that I can be a tad surly at times.  That having been said, I pulled into a gas station last Sunday afternoon.  After pushing the buttons and waiting about a minute, nothing was happening.  I stomped into the station and snarled at the woman behind the counter, who immediately reset the pump. 
 
So, I stomped out again and began filling my tank.  Then I realized, wow, it was no big deal.  Besides, here was this woman working on a Sunday.  So, when I went back in to pay for my gas, I smiled, wished her a good day and as I turned to go, said, “God bless you.”  She gave an ever-so-slight, startled flinch, and then a big smile came across her face.  “God bless you, too,” she said and we both paused and smiled at each other — forgiveness, acceptance, understanding. Turning a hostile encounter around, I may have helped her day, while she most certainly helped mine.  Nice.    
 
My point:  It’s so obvious that my efforts to summarize it sound awfully banal.  But here goes:  We may not always feel like glowing, loving Christians, but we can still make a difference in ways we never really imagine each and every day.  I guess that means we should just do the best we can and leave the rest of it in God’s hands.  — jri
 
“Here is a test whether your mission
on earth is finished:  If you are still
alive, it isn’t.”
        –    Richard Bach
 
My brother, Lou, has gotten what he asked for — a more demanding schedule.  He is working now in a more remote satellite camp in Uganda, in a canvas hospital/clinic with almost no supplies.  He has not seen the young lady he spoke of before.  He should be returning home around February 7th, so please continue to keep him in your prayers.  Thank you.  
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
Family Finances Conference Center
Custom Communications
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
January 27, 2010

SATURDAY THOUGHT 1/23/10

January 23, 2010 on 12:51 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness, Motivational Thoughts | No Comments
Pure Delight
 
I awoke this morning from the sleep of the innocent, with a deep sense of forgiveness, love and acceptance by a caring God in an orderly world.  It’s nice to have one’s life and one’s faith values in sync.   
 
Even better, as I was letting out the dogs, a song from long ago and out of nowhere – a song my mother used to belt out in her loud, joyous, and woefully off-key voice – filled my heart and then filled my house, causing the dogs to dance and the windows to rattle. 
 
My point:  I think sometimes God just wants to remind us that He cares, and the recognition of that caring is pure delight (maybe even bordering on joy).  So, I invite you to celebrate that love — which is free for the asking for all of us.  Bonus:  I guarantee that you will not be able to keep from smiling if you open your lungs and let loose with one of my Mother’s favorite songs, below.  (Yes, a potentially sad song, but Mom made it joyful, as was her nature.)  God bless and may your weekend be filled with pure delight. — jri
 
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear
    my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests
        before you
    and wait in expectation.”
        –    King David
               (Psalm 5:3)
 
“You are my Sunshine,
my only Sunshine.
You make me happy
when skies are gray.
You’ll never know, Dear,
how much I love you.
Please don’t take my sunshine away.“
        –    You Are My Sunshine
                Jimmy Davis & Charlie Mitchell
 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
Family Finances Conference Center
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722

FRIDAY THOUGHT 1/22/10

January 22, 2010 on 12:28 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Life’s a Bear
 
[I know.  I know.  I'm quoting Dolly Parton.  No deep philosopher, perhaps, but one sharp cookie, nonetheless.  So, here goes.] 
 
Only simpletons think that life is a cake walk, and I get awfully nervous about the sweet smiling souls who love God (which is good), but then profess to feel nothing but pure joy (which I think means they’re faking it and desperately so). 
 
The fact is that life’s a bear, and Christianity is a tough way to go, at least if you’re doing it right.  Nowhere (and I’ve checked the Bible) did anyone promise that if you play it safe and sweet and walk the straight and narrow, will your life be easy.  Christ didn’t get out of it alive.  Plus, pretty much all the serious disciples (except maybe John, the beloved) ended up murdered, martyred.  Very tough way to go.
 
So, why?  Why do so many millions of us believe?  There’s gotta be something in it, some reason believers hang tough, in spite of what very often feels like promises unkept.  That’s the  mystery, the sweet, beautiful mystery about faith.  We know beyond knowing.  We may start with reason (since, ultimately, nothing else makes sense but God), but then go beyond reason to hope and, inevitably, faith. – jri
 
If you want the rainbow, you
gotta put up with the rain.
    –    Dolly Parton
 
My brother is alive and well in Uganda and complaining that he’s living in a fairly modern hotel (with real toilets) and not a totally busy schedule.  He gets bored easily and wishes he were in Haiti.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers.  Thank you and God bless. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
Family Finances Conference Center
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
January 22, 2010

TUESDAY THOUGHT 1/19/10

January 19, 2010 on 12:28 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Skip the Latte Today!
 
This is for Haitian relief.  Time is the enemy.  Check out my article about “How to ‘Find’ $1,000 for Haitian Relief,”

 and  make a difference … a big difference.  Skip just one latte a day and you are almost there in terms of finding money for relief for the people of that poor island. 

 
I’m no freaking do-gooder, but these folks are in need.  Prayers & Money! And they need help now!   
 
God bless.  If you have money, donate it.  If not, prayers are powerful, too.  And, yes, I do workshops on finding money for relief and other causes.   
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
Family Finances Conference Center
Custom Communications
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722

FRIDAY THOUGHT 1/15/10

January 15, 2010 on 12:55 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | 1 Comment
Stupid Christians
 
Sorry, but this is a rant:  This is to a handful of non-believing friends, the ones who smirk and hiss when I talk about God and love and act like I’m a mindless idiot.  First of all, no, we’re not stupid.  We know that life is full of pain and horror, and believing in Christ as our Savior and Redeemer and friend and brother does not take away the pain of living.  Duh!  So, don’t tell us we’re stupid not to complain about our God or worse, to expect Him to give us a free pass to Easy Street.  He never promised us an easy life. 
 
Second, we’re not roll-over-and-get-kicked wimps.  You’ve made a mistake in assuming that we are benign, sweet souls.  I’m about as sweet as a super-ripe onion.  (Ask my cousin, who knew me as “Johnny the Terror” as a child!)  Duh again.  And then there’s  my brother (he has two black belts in karate, runs marathons, drinks way too much tequila), who professes massive doubts, but who is perhaps the most Christian fellow I’ve ever met, as he travels the world, looking for the worst hellholes on earth (he admits, it’s a death wish) to help the most needy people.
 
Third, we are fallible as hell.  Being believers doesn’t mean we don’t screw up.  It means we try NOT to screw up … and we fail a lot.  Triple duh!   
 
My point:  Go ahead and call us hypocrites for loving God and kicking butt.  (Oh, no, what kind of a Christian is he!  Look at the way he behaves!”)  I see no contradiction.  Do your homework … and then why not join us?  We’re not a bunch of mindless, pious idiots, but flesh and blood folks who learned a thing or two along the way.  Ever wonder why intelligent folks like us are believers?  There’s plenty of serious work to be done!  When you’re done smirking, let me know – jri
 
“Go back to John and report what you have
seen and heard:  The blind receive sight, the
lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the
good news is preached to the poor.  Blessed
is the man who does not fall away on
account of me.”
        –    Jesus Christ
               Luke 7:  22-23
 

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 1/13/10

January 13, 2010 on 1:14 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | 1 Comment
The Rules
 
My Mother would go over “The Rules” every now and then, usually with a finger pointed at my nose.  The only two I can remember (besides, “Remember, I’m your Mother,” which I never doubted, but understood as some kind of somber threat) were:  “Before you marry a girl, look at her mother because that’s what she’ll look like in 40 years!” and “Just because it feels good doesn’t make it right.”
 
It was the latter one that I ignored a lot in my (very long) youthful days.  However, I’ve come to recognize that there are rules.  Example:  No matter how many times I hit myself on the thumb with an emotional/spiritual/real hammer, though I have every right and freedom to do so, it will not ever feel good in the end.  (Similarly, no matter how many times the addict gets high, he or she will always wake up in a deep funk the next morning.)  But what I really learned over the years is that the real rules are not restrictive and confining, as I once believed (and like a dog chafing to break loose from his collar, I resisted with a vengeance), but liberating and freeing.  I dare say, they’re borderline joyful.
 
My rambling point:  There are good and right ways to live our lives.  I’ve tried many self-destructive options, but the only self-constructive one I’ve found — that makes any sense and that leads to a genuine sense of joy and peace — is the option to welcome The Lord into my life.  Simplistic?  You bet.  On the money?  Absolutely!  — jri
 
“Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
    who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they who keep his statutes
    and seek him with all their heart.
They do nothing wrong;
    they walk in his ways.”
        –    Psalm 119:1-3
 
I encourage you this day to pray for the people in Haiti, a nation that cannot get a break, as they try to dig out, search for loved ones and struggle to continue in the aftershock of yesterday’s earthquake. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
January 13, 2010

MONDAY THOUGHT 1/11/10

January 11, 2010 on 12:48 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Recommended Reading | No Comments
Recommended Reading
 
I love a good book and tend to recommend my favorites.  Here’s one you might enjoy:
 
The Bible is an old book, though still a best-seller.  Unfortunately, as a lad growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, I was never encouraged to read the Bible.  These days, however, I devote a small amount of time each day — perhaps 10 minutes on average — to Bible study.  (That adds up to just over 60 hours a year.)  I keep a copy beside my bed to peruse during those 3:00 AM awakenings.  I also have a special place in my sunroom where, wrapped in a prayer stole that was a gift from a friend, I read my morning prayers.  And when I travel, I admit that I get a kick out of finding a Gideon Bible in hotel rooms, which leads me to a quick-flash thought of Rocky Raccoon (as in the Beatles song … but never mind) and makes me wonder if some future traveler will come upon and be inspired by the passages I (invariably; I cannot help myself) underline while reading. 
 
Though certainly no Bible scholar, I can turn to favorite Psalm passages in a flash in my marked-up, dog-eared,  underlined and annotated copy; understand why the two books of Samuel come before the two books of Kings; question the author and authenticity of some texts; puzzle over the inclusion of the downright nasty God contained in Ezekiel (my least favorite book); and even understand (sometimes) why, when and by whom the four Gospels were written. 
 
My point:  The Bible has become a favorite, special friend: a companion, a guide, a comfort, an inspiration, and a teacher.  So, if you’re not already doing so, I recommend that you give it some time each day.  I think you’ll find it a darn good book.   
 
“Blessed is the man
    who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
    or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
    Whatever he does prospers.”
        –    Psalm 1:1-3
 
Please keep my brother in your prayers.  He should be in Uganda by now, providing medical care to Congolese refugees, and will not return to his home in Maine until around February 7.  Thanks and may God grant you a day of peace and joy. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 1/6/10

January 6, 2010 on 1:14 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Gratitude
 
I don’t know about you, but I have this hard-wired sense that this life is supposed to be akin to living in the Garden of Eden.  I think it comes from being a “do it all, have it all” Baby Boomer.
 
Regardless, I tend to equate the ultimate goal in life with being happy as a clam. (No, I’ve never seen any happy clams, but that’s the saying, so let’s go with it.)  Ergo, pleasure and comfort are good; discomfort and setbacks are bad.  However, when I really think about it, that’s all rubbish.  Life is tough, a downright bear at times.  Even this God I follow didn’t fare all that well:  After traveling by foot and preaching in an obscure desert country for a few years, He ended up getting beaten to a pulp and killed in a gruesome public execution.  (The good news:  He came roaring back in glory three days later.) 
 
My point:  The joy of life has nothing to do with a plush, cushy lifestyle or about driving your self-proclaimed destiny to the top of the heap.  It has everything to do with seeking and embracing the gift of faith and the will of God for our lives.  So, celebrate your gifts and blessings and the joy that comes not from a good steak but from the love of the Lord. — jri
 
“Get down on your knees and thank
God you are still on your feet.”
        –    Irish Proverb 
 

MONDAY THOUGHT 1/4/10

January 4, 2010 on 12:51 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
The Best of Times….
 
Just for the record — no, not a year in review — 2009 was one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life.  Funny about that! 
 
At one point, facing a number of financial setbacks I marched around my house challenging God to either pony up or ride off.  I’d had enough.  And yet — God having ponied up, though never in the way I would have imagined — I celebrated the year end in joyful celebration of all my blessings: faith, forgiveness, family, love, friendship, health, a home community and a faith home, and lots of guidance.  Yes, I still have my share of troubles, but God helped me see and appreciate my many blessings.  In other words, I’m seeing the acres of blooming flowers in my life, rather than focusing obsessively on that darn single weed way down at the south-end fence post. 
 
My point, in a word:  Gratitude.  When God hands you a fish, don’t whine because He didn’t also send along a lemon to flavor it on the grill.  And when he sends you a stone, well, maybe it’s time to start building a new wall.  Cherish and be grateful for your blessings, no matter what form they may come in. — jri
 
“Just because he doesn’t answer, doesn’t
mean he doesn’t care.  Some of God’s
greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”
        –    Garth Brooks
 
Special prayer request:  My brother, Lou, leaves this week for Uganda, where he will spend several weeks on a medical mission tending to Congolese refugees.  Please keep him in your prayers that he may return safely.  Thank you and God bless.
 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
Family Finances Conference Center
Custom Communications
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
January 4, 2010

MONDAY THOUGHT 12/28/09

December 27, 2009 on 9:52 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | 1 Comment
Are We There Yet?
 
Let’s face it, if we’re seekers of faith, truth and God, we hope — either openly or deep down inside — that there will be a day when we will achieve what the Buddhists call Enlightenment, a day when we will permanently dwell peacefully in the joyful zone, where no trouble will disrupt our equanimity and no doubts will ripple the waters.
 
Yeah, right.  Dream on.  Not in this lifetime.  I pass (briefly, flickeringly, screechingly) across that road from time to time, usually while careening over the landscape on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.  Besides, I may not know much, but I seriously doubt that that’s the big plan God has for us — to sit around like happy fools with sloppy, beatific smiles slapped across our faces.  In fact, if that’s God’s plan for me, I want out. 
 
My point:  Though I’m only about 99 percent sure what God’s plan is for us, I suspect it is to strive and grow and fall and get up again and to do the darndest best we can.  So, enjoy the trip.  It is a challenging, blessed, worthwhile journey … or at least I believe it to be so.  — jri
 
“The development of faith is a lifetime adventure
requiring a willingness to grow in wisdom,
knowledge, and understanding of the spiritual
world.  Each time we think the road has ended 
and we have finally learned to completely trust,
God takes us down a new path and we discover
another region of uncertainty, mistrust, or fear.”
        –    Barbara Shlemon Ryan
               Living Each Day by the Power of Faith
           

FRIDAY THOUGHT 12/18/09

December 18, 2009 on 12:40 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Raw Knuckles & New Puppies
 
I confess that I puzzle over the idea of perpetual petitions, about knocking so hard and so long at God’s door for that new puppy.  Part of me says it’s like hitting the button on the errant computer — how we tend to punch  it  longer … harder … more often … more rapidly!  I know I for one sometimes get awfully frustrated at what seems to me as God’s pokey pace. 
 
Still, in my heart of hearts, I also believe (faith and hope) that we pray and knock sometimes more for enlightenment and understanding about why we may not be ready for the new puppy — at least yet – than for the puppy itself, knowing eventually that we will get exactly what we need … even if it’s not that darn puppy. 
 
My point:  No, it’s not about puppies, but about persistence and prayer.  Other than that, sorry, but no brilliant answers or parting of the clouds with bright, revelatory lights from me today.  I just know that we need to keep knocking, even if our knuckles get raw.  Strange, but that’s the way it goes.  And while knocking, be joyful, knowing that God does hear us.  He really does. – jri
 
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
        –     King David
                Psalm 40: 1-2   
  

Wednesday Thought 12/16/09

December 16, 2009 on 12:42 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Tough Times End
 
Lost a love?  Lost your job?  Struggling (name your own personal grief)?  It will end.  Honest.
 
Spring follows winter.  Morning follows the night.  Hang tough.  God knows who we are and where we are.
 
My point:  Nothing brilliant.  In a word:  faith.  Cherish and enjoy the day.  Challenges are a part of life.  Rejoice in the day; don’t fret about the challenges. — jri
 
    “In the Bible, David never suggested we
could go around the valley or over it.  We
all have to go through it.
    “But the nice thing about valleys is that
there is an end to them.  No matter how
dark it seems, there’s a time when it will
end and you’ll break into the sunshine.”
            –    SQuire Rushnell
                   (When God Winks at You)

MONDAY THOUGHT 12/14/09

December 14, 2009 on 12:42 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness, Recommended Reading | No Comments
Stumbling Onto God
 
I was looking for God the other day, when I darn near tripped over Him. 
 
The experience reminded me of the Seinfeld character’s Kramer writing a coffee table book about coffee tables.  I was reading a book about “Godwinks” — moments beyond coincidence that can remind us that God is near and watching over us — when I bumped into two actual Godwinks of my own.  (The book is When God Winks at You, by Squire Rushnell, and I recommend it.) 
 
In the course of about 10 pages, I encountered two Bible verses in box rules that are neither all that common, nor were they totally relevant to the text itself, but which have become very much a part of my soul over the last year.  (One is  Proverbs 3:6: “In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your path.”  The other is Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”‘)
 
When I encountered the first verse, I smiled, as if meeting an old friend.  When I read the second, my soul smiled, then soared, and then began to settle into a deep, warm joyous silence, wrapped in the knowledge that God was close … and always is.
 
My point:  Partially, just sharing of a wondrous moment when God took the time to remind me how much He truly cares (dare I add “about me personally”?).  But also that seekers of truth are finders of God.  And it’s well worth the time and effort.  God bless. – jri
 
“Then you will call upon me and come
and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart.”
        –    God
               (Jeremiah 29:12)
 

FRIDAY THOUGHT 12/11/09

December 11, 2009 on 12:08 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
ABUNDANCE
 
I feel sorry for Bernie Madoff and Tiger Woods.  When is enough … enough?  Madoff made off with billions of dollars, lived a life of plush affluence, screwed a lot of folks … and probably could never have said when he would have been truly satisfied.  Tiger Woods, the best golfer who ever played the game, made a lot of money, was adored by everyone, screwed a lot of folks, and kept looking for something “more” in all the wrong places. 
 
What is enough?  What is abundance?  Is it $100,000 in the bank?  One more sexy lover?  Marathoners try to break their last record.  Writers try to write one more everybody-loves-it book.  Dieters try to lose just ten more pounds.  But still, all too often, that empty hole remains, that sense that something is missing. 
 
My point:  It seems to me, at least what I’ve found, is that, once we’ve rattled every conceivable doorknob and checked out every other option, the only source of abundance and peace and satisfaction — the only time when enough is truly enough — is when we turn to God.  That’s it.  Period.  So, enjoy your abundance today with a little chat and a thank you to the Lord.  Then just let the rest of the day unfold in joyful abundance and a whole lot of enough.  — jri
 
“You have planted much, but have
harvested little.  You eat, but never
have enough.  You drink, but never
have your fill.  You put on clothes,
but are not warm.  You earn wages,
only to put them in a purse with
holes in it.”
        –    Haggai 1:6   
 
Enjoy the abundance of this day.  It is a gift from God.  And then share it, give it away, to those in need — not just  canned goods for the hungry, but prayers and love and an attentive ear for the spiritually struggling.  God bless. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
December 11, 2009

TUESDAY THOUGHT 12/8/09

December 8, 2009 on 12:54 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
How Do You Love God?
 
Several men were talking over breakfast last Saturday when the subject of loving God came up.  I admitted that I do not understand my more fundamentalist Christian friends, who often refer to a having “personal relationship with Christ” and about how Jesus loves us personally.  I do not deny it.  I just do not get it … and I do not feel it.
 
I know I am not alone.  Some of the other guys agreed that they believe in a “higher power,” who is in fact God.  And we have no problem acknowledging that God loves us as a group (as in God loving us and sending His Son to redeem us).  But I just do not know if I actually love Jesus in a personal relationship way. (I know, I know, I’m gonna hear about this one.)  I know it has much to do with helping our neighbors, but I suspect I am missing something.      
 
So, my prayer today (and once again, I suspect I’m not alone) is this:  Lord, I invite you into my heart.  I admit that I do not understand how to love you in other than an intellectual way.  So, I ask you to show me how.  Amen. — jri
 
“Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind.”
        –    Jesus Christ
               (Matthew 22:37)
 
Yes, people in Asia and Africa need out help.  But we do not have to look that far away.  Consider the elderly person in the pew across the aisle at church or the lonely neighbor on the other side of the fence at your home.  Maybe that’s how we love God, by watching after our brothers and sisters.  God bless.   
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
December 8, 2009

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 12/2/09

December 2, 2009 on 12:54 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
The Mercy Clause
 
I have a fondness for lost causes and lost souls.  There was a fellow I met down in the islands years ago.  I refer to him as Chicago Mike.  He lost a multi-million dollar business, divorced his wife and his life, ended up living with a fat and mean woman I referred to as Patty the Beast, and is now doing time in a federal prison for tax fraud. 
 
Though I always kept one eye on my wallet and another on my female dog when around him, I admit/confess that I enjoyed his company and still rather like the guy.  He reminds me, when I consider God’s rules, of what I think of as the two ways to get into heaven: The Justice Clause versus The Mercy Clause.
 
My point:  As is often the case, not totally sure.  However, I think it’s that what I like about The Mercy Clause is that it offers hope for all of us, along with a reminder that being good little “Do-Be’s” isn’t the only way to acquire a ticket to eternal bliss.  Enjoy the day and thank God for The Mercy Clause.  Oh, and by the way, one of the last times Mike and I talked before he was sent to prison, he grudgingly asked me to pray for him, adding, ”Not that it’ll do any good, but….” – jri
 
“Truly I tell you, the tax collectors
and the prostitutes are going into
the kingdom of God ahead of you.”
    –    Jesus Christ
           (Matthew 21:31)
 
Pray for those lost souls.  Christ, also had a fondness for them.  God bless. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
December 2, 2009

MONDAY THOUGHT 11/30/09

November 30, 2009 on 12:33 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness, Motivational Thoughts | No Comments
“I Thought You Were a Christian!”
 
What follows I neither brag about nor apologize for:  About 15 years ago, I attended a gathering of Promise Keepers at Soldier Field in Chicago, along with tens of thousands of other Christian men.  It was summer and lunches were provided, but the facility service people were not only letting the stacked boxes of food sit out in the hot sun (a great formula for food poisoning), but were attempting to herd the attendees around like mindless sheep.  I admit that, at one point, I did back one of these clowns against a wall, my Bible under his throat, and gently reminded him that he needed to get the food passed out immediately or I would remove part of his anatomy.  Praise the Lord!  The meals were quickly distributed.     
 
I think a lot of  guys get this church stuff all wrong.  I’ve seen a lot of men split from church because they confuse being a Christian with being watery-eyed, gentle patsies who roll over and play dead when someone kicks them in the butt.  I thought that, too, until I met a Catholic priest maybe 45 years ago who had been a tank commander in the Korean War.  He had an incredible mix of no-nonsense Christian gentleness and love, along with the ability to put you against the wall when he needed to get your attention.  (I learned from the best.)
 
My point:  I’m not good at rolling over, and I suspect I’d make a lousy martyr (unless taking a few of them along with me still qualifies).  No, I’m comfortable being both tough-minded and Christian.  I think if more men thought that way, we’d have a whole lot more Christian men. — jri
 
“Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope
that you have.  But do this with
gentleness and respect.”
        –    St. Peter
               (1 Peter 3:15)

MONDAY THOUGHT 11/23/09

November 23, 2009 on 12:48 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Motivational Thoughts | No Comments
Grateful
 
I have a special place in my heart for those in recovery: men and women who had led their lives to the brink of self-destruction … and then clawed their way back.  They are not grateful for the bigger yacht or fancier car.  They tend to wake up in the morning grateful for the simple gift of having been given a second (or third or fourth or five hundredth) chance … for the simple gift of having awakened at all.
 
My appreciation for these terrific men and women, however, comes mostly from their recognition that their lives — both the destruction and the recovery — have been their choices.  They are not victims, but survivors.  Oh, and by the way (and this is certainly not intended to be a parenthetical “Oh, by the way”), almost all that I know recognize that their recovery has more to do with “a higher power” than their own sweat and tears alone.  Faith, determination and hard work … and letting God take over the controls.   
 
My point:  Beats me.  This one is just a rambler.  But with Thanksgiving fast pulling into port, I guess it’s that we all do have much for which to be grateful.  And, to all those in recovery, I just want you to know that I am inspired by your hard work and determination.  God bless. — jri
 
“But they had a wanton craving
    in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
he gave them what they asked,
    but sent a wasting disease among them.”
        –    Psalm 106: 14-15
 
Have a joyful Thanksgiving, and if you know any recovering drug addicts or alcoholics, let them know how proud you are of them. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
November 23, 2009

FRIDAY THOUGHT 11/20/09

November 20, 2009 on 12:18 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Faith Family
 
Due to travel and business commitments, I have not been at my church for the last four Sundays.  I find myself feeling as if part of my identity is slipping away. 
 
I think of my church — a small and diverse collection of Episcopalians — as my faith family.  Though of varying views, political opinions, and backgrounds, we have at least two things in common: One is a need for something greater than ourselves to fill that yawning pothole in our souls and to respond to that whispering truth that there is something more than earth, air, fire and water in this world.  The other is a belief — sometimes wavering, sometimes solid as Gibraltar, sometimes certain, sometimes tentative — that God is that something more.  We come together to celebrate, dine together on the Holy Eucharist, pray together and strengthen each other.
 
My point:  Family strengthens and defines us and helps us remember who we are.  If you have a faith family you need, remember that it needs you, too.  If you do not have a community of believers, seek until you find one.  And then share and strengthen it, just as it strengthens you.  — jri
 
“For where two or three come together
in my name, there am I with them.”
        –    Jesus Christ
               (Matthew 18:20)
 
I want to thank all of you, as well — from across the country and the globe – for inviting me to be part of your extended faith family.  I give thanks for you every day. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
November 20, 2009

TUESDAY THOUGHT 11/17/09

November 17, 2009 on 12:03 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Frustrated Jesus
 
Imagine Tiger Woods trying to teach one of us how to play golf.  That’s how Jesus must have felt trying to teach His disciples how to carry out the Father’s work.  And there were times when you could almost imagine Him shaking His head, raising his eyes to heaven and saying, “Father, will you PLEASE give me something better to work with!”
 
Hopefully, if He could put up with them, He will also keep being super patient with us, as we clomp along in our big, clunky clay feet. 
 
My point:  If the disciples struggled to get it right — and they had Jesus up close and personal for a good three years — we’re likely to have our less-than-stellar days, too.  We should be grateful for God’s patience … and patient with ourselves as well. — jri
 
“‘Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a
lunatic and suffers severely; often he
falls into the fire, and often into the
water.  I brought him to your disciples,
but they could not cure him.’  Jesus said
in reply, ‘O faithless and perverse
generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?  Bring him
to me.’  Jesus rebuked him and the demon
came out of him, and from that hour the
boy was cured.  Then the disciples
approached Jesus in private and said, ‘Why
could we not drive it out?’  He said to
them, ‘Because of your little faith.’”
        –    Matthew 17:15-20
 
Prayers do more than keep us busy.  They matter.  They make a difference.  God hears each and every prayer we utter.  Pray for those who struggle with depression, fear, despair, physical challenges, and lack of faith.  God bless.
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
November 17, 2009

MONDAY THOUGHT 11/16/09

November 16, 2009 on 12:29 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Good Enough
 
It’s been my experience that most of us, especially in America, are never satisfied.  If we can walk a 15-minute mile, we push to make it in 14 minutes.  If we earn $100,000 a year, we set our sights on $110,000.  And that’s fine; that’s human nature.  That’s how this great country has/had maintained its leadership in innovation.  However, this never-enough attitude also can lead to a never-good-enough sense of frustration, of restless uncertainty and of inadequacy. 
 
The exception — or at least it should be the exception — is with God.  On one hand, we can never be good enough to  match up to His perfection.  On the other, that doesn’t matter.  That’s because as we are — limited, clay-footed creatures that we are – is good enough.  It really is. 
 
My point:  God takes us as we are … thank God.  Sure, we should shoot for perfection.  However, let’s not be so dumb as to think we’re really ever going to achieve it.  But that’s okay.  God loves us as we are.  Again:  God loves us as we are!  (Repeat that until it sinks in.)  So, today, if only for this day, forget what you’re not and what you can’t, and just enjoy being who you are, which is loved by God … and that truly is good enough. — jri
 
“To please God … to be a real ingredient
in the divine happiness … to be loved by
God, not merely pitied, but delighted in
as an artist delights in his work or a
father in a son — it seems impossible, a
weight or burden of glory which our
thoughts can hardly sustain.  But so it is.”
    –    C.S. Lewis
            “The Weight of Glory”    
 
Holiday thought/commercial:  If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for someone special, I invite you to consider my book, A Perfect Day.  You can order it either through the publisher at www.lulu.com/content/2269531 or directly from me at the address below for $17.50 ($15.34 plus shipping).  Thank you and God bless.  
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722
November 16, 2009

FRIDAY THOUGHT 11/13/09

November 13, 2009 on 12:23 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
Hand-picked & Special
 
One of the few times my parents agreed on anything, it was to keep me.  Seriously.  My mother’s health was precarious while she was pregnant with me, and she was told she’d die if she went to full term.  Abortion under those circumstances was legal in New York back then. 
 
I think of that story now and then and feel quite special, favored, blessed.  (BTW, Mom lived another 30 years, spreading joyful chaos every day.)  I’ve also come to realize that, while I am super special in God’s eyes, I’m really no more special than anyone else in the world. 
 
My point:  Aren’t we all hand-picked, special, chosen … not just luck-of-the-draw survivors, but personally selected by the Lord?  I’m grateful for the gift of my life — albeit battered and bruised — and for the daily mix of blessings and challenges.  I invite you to enjoy this day also, to thank the God who gave it to you, and to celebrate the special gift of your life and the lives of those around you. — jri
 
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I dedicated you….”
        –    Jeremiah 1:5
 

THURSDAY THOUGHT 11/12/09

November 12, 2009 on 12:22 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments
My Way!
 
One of our family mottos is “Don’t tell me what to do!”  (Note that the exclamation point is ALWAYS included!)  We abhor obedience, take determined pride in cutting our own paths through the jungles of life, and get wistful looks on our faces when we hear the Frank Sinatra song, “My Way.”
 
Well, I’ve done it my way for years, and  I have to confess that the self-directed roads I’ve chosen have all led to brick walls, to some great successes with only passing joy, as well as to some very major clock cleanings.  So, I admit that I’ve grown tired of my way.  Having tried every other path and option, I am finally learning … no, not to bow down and submit to the will of God, but to joyfully and confidently seek and embrace His way as the only way, the best way. 
 
My point:  Victory through surrender!  (Note exclamation point!)  I don’t know how it works, but it does.  So, for those among us who are tired of stubbornly doing it our own way and who want a better path, try God’s way.  Works for me!    – jri
 
“In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.”
        –    Proverbs 3:6
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