Archive for December, 2008

TUESDAY THOUGHT 12/30/08

December 30, 2008 on 12:12 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Transformations V
 
I’ve witnessed wondrous things this past year.  The spark of faith in one dear to me that finally, suddenly took hold and burst into a roaring fire that no longer requires my fumbling, annoying prodding.  In another, the painful and joyful rejection of a once-chosen path that offered only the guarantee of self-destruction and certain death (no, not a metaphor, actual death).
 
Miracles witnessed.  Prayers answered.  Proof that ALL things are possible and that not even the most hopeless cause is truly hopeless.
 
My point:  Never give up hope that our prayers will be answered, answered perhaps not in our way, but in God’s way, which is a much better way than we could ever dream, desire or imagine.  Celebrate and rejoice in the abundant miracles of this day and the days to follow in the coming year. — jri 
 
“He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes.  There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old
order of things has passed away.
 
“He who was seated on the throne said,
‘I will make everything new!’”
        –     Revelation 21:4-5
 
Thank you for letting me be part of your life and faith this past year.  I hope my ramblings have been of benefit to you.  I know your prayers and kind words have sustained me.  God bless.
John R. Ingrisano

MONDAY THOUGHT 12/22/08

December 22, 2008 on 12:45 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Where Heaven & Earth Meet
 
I know people who look at the road to faith and God as boring, dull, somber and dreary, the result of a sad coin toss where they chose God over the joy and pleasures of this world.  (Big sigh.) 
 
I, too, once thought of faith as sacrifice.  However, I am discovering (albeit with many moments of doubt) that when I can let go of that self-fulfilling, self-destructive stuff (now, there’s an oxymoron for you), there can be a marvelous merger of heaven and earth … of God’s way and pure joy.  It need not be an either-or deal.
 
My point:  Let go of the handrails.  Stop looking down to make sure there is a net.  Just let it go.  Put it in God’s hands not 30%, not 90%, but 100%.  No, life will not be pain-free.  But it can be a joyful, rewarding hoot.  Just celebrate and enjoy, and let God handle the details.  — jri
 
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope
for and certain of what we do not see.”
        –    St. Paul
               (Hebrews 11:1)
 
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  Let me also take this opportunity to wish you a joyful, wondrous, peace-filled celebration of our Lord’s birth.  God bless.
John R. Ingrisano

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 12/17/08

December 17, 2008 on 12:05 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Go Afflict Yourself
 
I flat-out detest the phrase, “Comfort the afflicted; afflict the comfortable.”  The clowns who recite it are usually awfully comfortable, annoyingly self-righteous, and they announce that phrase because they are about to embark on some self-proclaimed and nonsensical right to annoy and criticize you.  (Phew!  Glad I got that off my chest.)
 
Instead, I’d just as soon stick to the first part: comfort the afflicted.  Take my brother Lou, for example.  He is no different from the rest of us — worries that keep him up at night and bills to pay, family responsibilities and troubles, and no crystal ball to guide his decisions.  Yet he packs up his medical bag on a moment’s notice and heads off to hellholes like Darfur in the Sudan, where he tries to not get killed while making a difference among the huge, impoverished refugee camps, some with populations of over one hundred thousand souls with no hope of ever returning to a semi-normal life again. 
 
My point:  I don’t think Jesus said, “Afflict one another.”  Most of us do enough of that without trying.  Instead, maybe we can all focus a bit — if only for this day — on the comforting part.  And here’s another thought:  Maybe we can also rejoice and celebrate that we have comfort to share. — jri
 
“Trust in the Lord and do good.”
    –    King David
           Psalm 37:3

MONDAY THOUGHT 12/15/08

December 15, 2008 on 12:46 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | 1 Comment

Guardian Angels
 
Devils make sense to me.  They are wonderful scapegoats  (though they probably make lousy pets and even worse Christmas presents) when you want to do something wrong or when you can’t find that coffee mug you know you left right there on the counter. 
 
But angels?  Trying to fit them into my faith world leaves me standing around with that jigsaw puzzle piece for which I just can’t find the fit.  I mean, if I need something, I go right to The Boss, not my guardian angel.  The only part that does make sense (and I probably have this one wrong, too) is when I have a friend or other loved one in need, and I send my angel to watch over him or her, to be returned when the time of crisis passes.  Perhaps that’s the best sense there is of it.
 
My point?  Looking for that perfect Christmas present?  How about a McDonalds gift card and your guardian angel?  Seriously (no, not about the McDonalds card), in your Christmas blessings to those in need this year, let loved ones know that you are sharing your guardian angel to watch over and comfort them.  Oh, and for all of you, I offer my guardian angel, who has done a very good job over the years of saving me time and again from my own foolishness.  God bless. — jri
 
“An angel from heaven appeared to him.
And being in anguish, he prayed more
earnestly, and his sweat was like drops
of blood falling to the ground.”
        –    Description of Jesus on the Mount of Olives
               (Luke 22:43-44)

FRIDAY THOUGHT 12/12/08

December 12, 2008 on 12:39 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

It’s Who You Know
 
This one gets almost corny, but bear with me:  As a businessman, I value networking and relationship building.  That old saw is true: “It’s not so much what you know as who you know that matters.”  I’m halfway good at what I do, but it is my relationships that give me both personal joy and business success.
 
As a Christian, this concept makes even more sense.  No, I do not schmooze clergy and swap biz cards with holy rollers.  It’s that what I know — and, yes, even what I do — isn’t one speck as important as who I know.  Oh, and by the way, it’s a network of one.  I can’t hard-sell Him or impress Him with my wit or talent (or even my aging boyish charm).  But it is one amazingly valuable relationship! 
 
My point is that we cannot sell God, win God, impress God, or do anything to curry His favor.  But we can have it all by just working with Him, talking with Him, listening to Him, building a relationship with Him.  So, go have a power breakfast networking meeting with God this morning.  And enjoy the chat. — jri
 
“Into your hands I commit my spirit.”
          –    Psalm 31:5

THURSDAY THOUGHT 12/11/08

December 11, 2008 on 1:03 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Be Still
 
I have a habit of talking to God, not only in reverent prayer to the “O Lord” far away, but also sometimes just chatting — like two friends on a quiet walk — about stuff that puzzles, pleases or interests me.
  
But there are also times when — like true and old friends — we travel silently, comfortably, just enjoying each other’s company.  Not a word; just a presence that fills my soul and reminds me that I’m never alone, never cast adrift or left on my own. 
 
My point:  I guess it’s that prayer need not always be articulated with a lot of words.  Enjoy your many blessings, including the silence of God’s presence. — jri
 
“Be still before the Lord and wait
patiently for Him.”
    –    King David
           (Psalm 37: 7)

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 12/10/08

December 10, 2008 on 12:51 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

What’s Your God?
 
I have several old friends — womb-to-tomb buddies of my youth — who were once full of hope and optimism, but now their souls seem to have rotted away.  One followed a passion of self-serving social reform (the god of justice) that lined his pockets and has left him full of empty platitudes that he recites with dull eyes.  The other became a brilliant scientist and head of product development in a major research company (the god of science); he often laments the emptiness of life and scoffs and snarls like a vampire at sunrise at even the mention of faith and love and hope.
 
As for me, oh, I’ve wandered down all those paths — and, yes, I do admire the concepts of social equality and the benefits of science — but I’ve also found that they’re good ideas, yes, but certainly not much when it comes to something to believe in.  (Sort of reminds me of the Dead Heads, whose sole goal in life was to follow the Grateful Dead band from concert to concert across the country.) 
 
My point?  You can create a belief system — from “Save the Earth from (fill in the blank)” like my one friend — or just decide that all is for naught, like my scientist friend.  Or you can — gee, I bet you guessed it! — open your heart and your soul to the ultimate “belief system,” the ultimate God (with a capital G) and find a life worth celebrating and grinning about.  Your choice.  Enjoy! — jri
 
“I have chosen the way of truth;
    I have set my heart on your laws.
I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord;
    do not let me be put to shame.
I run in the path of your commands;
    for you have set my heart free.”
        –    Psalm 119: 30-32

FRIDAY THOUGHT 12/5/08

December 5, 2008 on 12:16 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Don’t Ask
 
I try not to hit God with a laundry list of personal favors every day.  Even with a “please” in front, they do sound like a Santa Claus “gimme” list.  I figure, what do I know about what I truly need?  I mean, given a Saturday night and a few bucks, my heart’s desire used to run towards mule-kick tequila and all-night insanity. 
 
My point:  I had a lousy idea of what I needed, truly wanted and, most definitely, what was good for me.  So, these days, even when it comes to good and positive desires, I’d just as soon say, “God, you go ahead and pick.  You know what I need.  You know what I truly want.  You know my heart’s real desire.” 
 
Bonus:  Wow!  What God has in store for us — yes, even here in this life — is a hoot and a half better than anything we could think up.  It’s that amazing peace and confidence and joy that beats a bottle of tequila hands down.  God bless and celebrate the joy of God’s grace. — jri
 
“O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;
    it is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;
    indeed, I have a goodly heritage.”
            –    Psalm 16: 5-6
 
Thank you for your prayers and support.  Please pray for all who struggle with alcohol and drug addiction, that they may find strength in God, who can and does deliver miracles to all who ask.  God bless.
John R. Ingrisano

THURSDAY 12/4/08

December 4, 2008 on 12:02 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

True Friends
 
I remember a time when I got my clock cleaned handily.  Lost everything — money, marriage, even my dog.  I was done.  Numb with pain, I retreated and holed up, licking my wounds.  Most “friends” scattered.  But a handful reached out.  Their gentle support — a dinner invite, cup of joe, but mostly just their quiet and caring presence — helped bring me back from the brink.  These few may not make the Cosmo and GQ short list, but I will never forget them, never turn my back on them, never take them for granted.
 
Oh, one of them, by the way, was and is God.  There were times I railed long and loudly about what He had done to me (or, more accurately, what He had let me do to myself), but He never turned his back on me.  Even in my deepest despair, I knew He was present.  And, yes, The Good Lord brought me through it … in spades.  He had a better plan, and it’s pretty darn wondrous.  Pretty amazing how He transforms total and utter disasters into wildly joyful blessings.  (Oh, and, yes, I even got my dog back.) 
 
My point:  Stand by your friends … and don’t ever forget that the Lord is and always is the most loyal one you will ever find.  Rejoice and trust in His loyalty and in His love.  You can count on it. — jri
 
“The breakers of death rolled over me,
    and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.
The cords of hell entangled me,
    and the snares of death were set for me.
I called upon the Lord in my distress
    and cried out to my God for help.
He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling;
    my cry of anguish came to his ears.”
        –     Psalm 18: 4-7

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 12/3/08

December 3, 2008 on 1:01 pm | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

God’s Rules
 
I want to get this straight from the start:  God didn’t beat me.  I let Him win!  I don’t obey God.  I follow Him!  I don’t fear Him.  I stand in joyful awe of Him!  I kneel before Him because I’ve tried it my own way and every other way and, frankly, nothing else makes sense but Him.   
 
This dawned on me around dawn this morning, while reading Psalm 119, which is full of references to God’s “commands,” God’s “laws,” and God’s “statutes.”  Such talk would have sent me running once, growling the family motto: “Don’t tell me what to do!”  But no more.  I’m done fighting reality, done cutting my own irascible path across the wasteland, done trying to pretend that it’s my life and not God’s.
 
My point:  God’s rules work!  Celebrate, read and enjoy the Word of God. — jri
 
“Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!
Then I would not be put to shame
    when I consider all your commands.
I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.”
        –    Psalm 119: 5-7

MONDAY THOUGHT 12/1/08

December 1, 2008 on 1:17 am | By | In Faith & Forgiveness | No Comments

Ignored Signposts & Missed Mile Markers
 
Sorry if this one wanders a bit, but here goes:  About 30 years ago, I was driving on the interstate between Indiana and Ohio with my first wife and young son.  Cori and I were having a doozie of an argument.  The subject?  Long forgotten.  Steaming and angry, I was passing a semi, doing probably about 70 miles an hour when, suddenly, one of our front tires blew, going instantly flat, and coming close to throwing the car out of control.  Miraculously, I kept the vehicle on the road was able to jockey it gently onto the shoulder.  The argument stopped, as life slammed instantly into glaringly clear — albeit temporary — perspective. 
 
Looking back at that time, I find myself thinking that God gave us a break (and though I’m uncomfortable with the term), a “sign,” an opportunity to quit squandering blessings.  Of course, that miracle moment didn’t last and we gradually returned to our quarrelsome ways, eventually divorcing.  (We now live in a state of semi-civil truce, occasionally coming together for family weddings and children’s crises.)   
 
My point:  God doesn’t leave us alone out there on the road of life.  I do believe that, every day, He gives us choices, opportunities, lots of help, and, yes, every now and then, a good, swift, kick-in-the-pants sign.  All we have to do is pay attention and just try to make good and positive use of these grace-given gifts.  Enjoy, celebrate, and take advantage of your blessings; they are all around us … always.  — jri
 
“[E]very time you make a choice you are
turning the central part of you … into
something a little different from what it was
before.  And taking your life as a whole, with
all your innumerable choices, all your life
long you are slowly turning this central thing
either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish
creature: either into a creature that is in
harmony with God, and with other creatures,
and with itself, or else into one that is in a
state of war and hatred with God, and with
its fellow-creatures, and with itself.  To be
the one kind of creature is heaven: that is,
it is joy and peace and knowledge and
power.  To be the other  means madness,
horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal
loneliness.  Each of us at each moment is
progressing to the one state or the other.”
    –    C. S. Lewis
           (Mere Christianity)
 
My brother Lou, who had been in Darfur, Sudan, for the last several weeks, is now in New York en route back to his home in Maine.  He sounds well, was briefly taken prisoner, and overall seems to have had a good time, at least in his own unique way.  Thank you for your prayers.
John R. Ingrisano
www.DailyConnections.net

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