'Tis the Season

This will be our first Christmas in Florida. The grass is still green; there are leaves on most of the trees, palm trees all around. It was 80 degrees outside today. I think I’m going to like this. Although I might miss the white stuff on Christmas day, I know I won’t miss shoveling it.

I love this time of year. The lights, the cheer, the door buster sales, the crowds. Well maybe not those last two things. As a matter of fact my son and I did go to the local Wal-Mart late Thanksgiving night and the crowd was awful! No I don’t like the sales or the crowds.

But I do enjoy this time of year. And it really doesn’t matter where I am. In the north or in the south; Christmas is not about the weather. It’s about the Christ child. It’s not about the presents. It’s about the greatest present. It’s not about the getting or even the giving really. It’s about the Gift. God’s Gift to all humankind. God gave Himself, as a baby, to show us the way to Himself as the Father. There is no greater gift.

We’re trying this year to help our kids get a grip on Christmas. Not the tight-fisted get all you can get grip. But to get a true hold on what Christmas is really all about. Jesus.

It’s hard. With all the business of the season. With all the hype in the stores and ads on television. But we are determined that this year we are going to keep Christ IN Christmas.

How about you and your family? Will you keep Christ in your Christmas?

It’s all about Jesus, not about me.

Pastor Nick

Got Road Service?

Road Service?

What a vacation we had this summer! We went to Michigan where family resides. We have an older class “A” motor home that’s in pretty good shape for being 17 years old. Runs great and handles real good. Get’s pretty good gas mileage for the size.

Anyway, we headed out and traveled about 140 miles from home and had a flat tire on the driver side inside duely. Only a mile from a rest area … so we can deal with this. Not the first time we’ve had a flat on a motor home before. Called our insurance company for road service … found out they don’t offer road service for RV’s. Wish they would have told us that earlier. (Oh I should say we had just changed insurance companies when we moved to Florida)

The attendant at the rest area was very helpful and after about 4 hours and a little over $500 later we were back on the road. When we got to Michigan we immediately contacted Good Sam’s camping club and got road service insurance. Good thing we did. On the way home we got about 240 miles from home and had another flat tire on the same side, outside tire this time. Only a mile from a major exit. Called our new road service insurance company and within an hour and only $300 (cost of the tire) we were back on the road.

Got me thinking about life. Do you have road service for your life? There are a lot of bumps and hazards in life and if we aren’t ready for them … they can really throw us a curve and knock us off balance. Jesus is our road service for life’s hazards. Oh the hazards will still happen, but with Jesus road service, you’re covered.

We were surprised the first time we had a flat tire that we didn't have road service. The second time we knew we were covered. Don’t be surprised when this life is over to find out you didn’t have road service. Invite Jesus into your life and be covered.

It’s a really good deal,

Pastor Nick

Locked Out

Great way to start the day. I left the house this morning and after locking the door realized I didn’t have my house keys. Oops. I didn’t want to wake up my wife and kids, so since I had my coffee, computer and other work related items, just sat on the porch and waited until they got up.

It’s a beautiful day here in west central Florida. It’s probably going to rain again today but that’s okay. We have entered into the rainy season. It will most likely rain almost every afternoon throughout the summer so I’m told. They are usually just spotty showers.

So here I am locked out of the house. And I’m thinking about eternity. There will come a day when it will be time to enter Heaven. I wonder how many people will leave this world and not have the “key” to open the door? I was not really in a hurry this morning that made me forget my house key. I thought I had it in my pocket. I think there are a lot of people who think they have the key in their “pocket” but really don’t.

I’ve met people like that. “Oh I’m a good person.” “God is love. He wouldn’t send me to hell. I’ve never done anything really bad.” “I go to church at least once a month.” And they go on through life thinking they have the key in their pocket. All those keys are the wrong keys. Oh they’re good keys to have; to be a good person, never do anything really bad, go to church (more than once a month). But they are not the key that will open heaven’s door. The key that will open heaven’s door is Jesus. A relationship with Jesus is the only authentic key that will open the door to heaven. If you don’t have that key you will sit outside heaven for all eternity “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The Bible makes it pretty clear.

So my friends, don’t find yourself without Jesus, the key, and locked out.

I have the key to heaven, do you?

Pastor Nick

FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!

There was a fire at the neighbor’s house last night. Thankfully no one was injured. I haven’t had the opportunity to survey the damage yet, but I think it was mainly just their out building next to the house.

My wife woke up about 3AM to some hollering and she thought maybe there was a fight. When she looked out the window however there was a large fire. Of course I looked out right away and then called 911. It had already been reported and about five minutes later the fire trucks and police arrived. They had the fire knocked down in a matter of minutes. Then the firemen continued to “rummage” through the debris dumping water on it to ensure it was out.

So I got up this morning thinking about how devastatingly quick some things can happen that will totally change your life and potentially ruin your day. Our neighbors are relatively new. I’ve only met them once when I took a loaf of homemade bread over to welcome them to the neighborhood. So I’m not sure how they will react to this situation in their life.

I wonder how I would feel or react to such a thing in my life. Oh I’ve had some pretty devastating things happen in my life before and you just never know how you will take it until it happens. But this one thing I know, when those terrible things have come my way, if it had not been for Jesus in my life, I just don’t know where I would have turned.

The first thing I did, after calling 911, was to pray for our neighbors. I don’t know if they know Jesus or not, but I pray that if not, somehow God will use this tragedy to open their eyes to His love for them.

If you are reading this, I pray that the next time a tragedy comes your way, you will find strength in Jesus to come through stronger and in a deeper relationship with Him.

Disaster happens, but Jesus can help us become better persons because if them.

Lord, thank you for being there in the midst of the tragedies.

Pastor Nick

Sunshine

The sunshine is great. I love the sun and the warmth it brings. Recently we moved to Florida. For well over 20+ years my wife and I have longed to live in Florida. Born and raised in Michigan, I’m tired of the snow.

Since we moved to Florida I understand why it is called the “Sunshine State.” We’ve had very little rain. But the days are beautiful and warm and sunny. I‘ve discovered something though. Too much sun and no rain make for very dry and dusty conditions. We need rain once in a while to make things grow and turn green. My lawn right now is very brown and dry. It’s not green and lush.

Sometimes as we go through life we really enjoy the sun don’t we? We don’t like the rain because that usually means there is a storm around. But if there is never any rain, life gets dry and dusty. What I mean is that we need rain in our lives to grow. We need the rain to help us flourish and stay fresh.

God graciously gives us sun in our lives, but he also allows the rain (storm) to come so we can learn to trust in him and grow in our walk with him. The rain helps us to stay fresh in our soul so life doesn’t get dry and dusty.

I think we are going to get rain next week. I’m actually looking forward to it. As I think about my life, I think maybe I will look at the rainy times a little differently. They can be great times for growth.

Enjoy your rainy days. Grow in them,

Pastor Nick

WOW been a long time

It's been a long time since I wrote last. Much has happened since May of 2010. I have moved from Kentucky to Florida, taken on a new ministry, grown my family by three grandchildren. It's been a whirlwind of a year.

I was looking at a new job in the Florida area and ended up with a different job in Florida. All in God's timing and plan I am sure. I am almost settled in to the new surroundings so hopefully I can begin to get a system going so I will keep this blog up to date.

I'm hoping to write once a week or at minimum every other week. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway we are approaching Easter. One of my favorite holiday's (That's really "holy-day) I'm thinking we should concentrate on Easter and Christ's resurrection more throughout the year that what we do. Seems like Christmas gets a lot of attention and Easter get's very little. Of course without Chirstmas; well Easter wouldn't be. But Easter is looking foward to our eternal future. Let's dwell on that more shall we this year?

I think that would be a good idea. So that's what I'm going to do. Join me?

Pastor Nick

Almost a Wreck

A few weeks ago myself and thee others went to a conference in Orlando, FL. We drove down from central Kentucky in a 12 passenger van. We stopped in Valdosta GA on the way down and then finished the trip the next day to Orlando. It was a good trip with no real traffic of any kind even through Atlanta!

The conference was three days long then we took an extra day and went to Clearwater Beach for a little relaxation time and debriefing of the conference.

On the way home we had the opportunity to see just how good the brakes were on the van. I was driving on I75, center lane of a three lane highway going 70 MPH. Suddenly a minivan came past me on the left, immediately cut in front of me and slammed on his brakes. I hit my brakes and was thankful no one was close behind me. He then cut to the next lane to the right and over toward the exit we just passed. (He wanted that exit I guess, but he missed it) I found out that my heart beats very good and fast when given a big surprise. If it had not been for the hand of God between our van and the one that cut in front of us there would certainly been a wreck.

I suppose with over 2000 miles and that being the only near mishap, it was a very good trip.

We said a prayer together each time before we headed out for the day and God answered those prayers. What A God We Serve!



Pastor Nick