I was born and raised in Connecticut and like all good Italian boys I went to the Catholic Church and Sunday School. However, I never did understand the Catholic religion. Back in those days the Mass was said in Latin and of course that helped to confuse matters more. I am writing this article purely to stimulate conversation on my blog, I am not putting down Catholics.
Here are some of my early childhood memories of going to church. First of all, every time we drove by a Catholic church we had to make the sign of the cross. We were not allowed to attend services at any other church except a Catholic church. Friday's we were not allowed to eat meat. Saturday we went to confession and told the priest all of our sins. He would give us a few Hail Marys and Our Fathers to say and all would be forgiven. Sunday we would take Communion and we were not allowed to eat or drink anything before receiving the Sacrament. (Since I was enemic, this often caused me to pass out in church.) After church we would go to Sunday school were we read from the Catacism, and memorized prayers. The Nuns who taught Sunday school were very strict and often wacked our knuckles with rulers. I never read the Bible or knew how to pray to God except by repeating the prayers that we learned in Sunday school.
I did not even know that you could make up your own prayers, and talk directly to God. We always prayed to various Saints or confessed our sins through a Priest. I attended the Catholic church till I was around 13-years old and then I lost interest in religion. I received my First Communion and Confirmation like all good Catholics, but I never knew God.
I started to read the Bible when I was 18 and serving aboard an Aircraft Carrier during the Vietnam War. I did a lot of praying while I was in the Navy, but still was not close to God.
When I was in my early twenties, I got married in the Catholic church but never attended regularly. Ten years later, I was divorced and still did not understand the Catholic Religion.
My second marriage was at a Justice of the Peace and we attended Baptist church once in a while, but not very often. Ten years later, I was divorced again and still not close to God.
The third time around I married a Methodist and we began attending church every Sunday. We went to Bible Study together and I started reading the Bible frequently. I learned that it is possible to pray directly to God and I started to understand what religion was all about. I became involved in Emmaus and Kairos which are great ministries and my wife and I have been active church members for the last thirteen-years!
I still don't understand the Catholic religion, so if you care to enlighten me...please do. I would love to hear everyone's thoughts about various religions. Please leave a comment.
Pictured here are my mom, Clarice Clark and my sister Joan Marinaro. Both of them passed away not too long ago. My mom lost a battle with cancer and my sister died suddenly due to heart problems at the young age of 50.
It is hard to lose a family member, and even though I know that they are in a much better place now, I get very sad every time I think about them. Life is short, we are only here on this earth for a little while.
I am writing this post as a reminder to everyone that no matter how busy we get in our day to day life, we need to take the time to keep in touch with family members. Years ago, when I was growing up, the family was close together and we could walk to grandma's house. Every weekend we would gather together and enjoy a good meal and play with all of our cousins. Now everyone is scattered all over the country and we seldom see each other anymore. I could not even tell you how many cousins or nieces and nephews I have anymore! It's a darn shame, but I'm sure it's that way with many of you also.
I had lost touch with my sister for several years and had no idea what she was up to, I spoke with her maybe once or twice a year on the phone but that was about it. Joan moved back to our home state of Connecticut a few years before she died, and I did get a chance to visit with her and get to know her again a little bit.
My point is this; I failed to keep in touch with her while she was away and I will never know what she was up to during that time. So please pick up the phone, write a letter or send an e-mail to your long lost family members. Life is very short...if you put off contacting your family, it may be too late! Don't let that happen to you.
I used to sell life insurance and I did very well because I really believed in what I was doing. I thought everyone needs life insurance because it provides for those who are left behind. True as that may be, I have since discovered something much better to believe in…life assurance! You can’t buy it from Prudential or Met Life but just like their life insurance policies, life assurance will provide for those who are left behind!
Only God can give us life assurance and it’s a wonderful feeling to know that we have something to look forward to after death!
In the last few years we have seen three people that were very close to us pass away. At first we were devastated by these losses, but after reflecting upon their lives and deaths and reading the bible; we came to understand that they are indeed in a much better place now.
Ezekiel 37: 1-14 tells us the story of the prophet Ezekiel who is shown a great miracle as God is able to give live to the dead bones and bodies that are scattered all about and raise them up again!
Three-years ago my mom lost her battle with cancer and Chris and I were overwhelmed with grief. We had always known her as a healthy, energetic person and to see mom in her last days after going through chemotherapy and fighting for breath with every step she took was heartbreaking, we hardly recognized her.
Then my sister Joan died suddenly two-years ago from heart failure. Just two weeks before her death she had visited us and seemed very happy and healthy! Joan was only fifty-years old. It didn’t seem fair that she should be taken away so young.
Subsequently just three months after Joan had died our family suffered another loss. Chris’ brother, Billy passed away after a life long struggle with diabetes. He too was very young, only fifty four-years old! Three different people, three different diseases, yet they all have something in common. They all have been gloriously resurrected and no longer have to struggle with their various ailments.
In Ezekiel 37:13 God tells us, "And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people." This assures us that we will know life after death! One thing is for certain, we are only here on this earth for a short time and eventually we will die.
However, it should not be a time of sadness and grieving for the friends and family left behind. Rather it should be a time of peace and comfort, knowing that our loved ones have left all their troubles behind and have been resurrected.
Sure we are saddened because we will miss them but it is reassuring to know that they are now in the presence of God in all His glory!We read in Ezekiel 37:14. "And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, says the LORD" .
What more assurance could we possibly need?
Prayer:Heavenly Father, we ask that you be with the friends and families of those who have lost loved ones. Touch their hearts so that they will know peace and help them to understand that there is life after death. Let us all embrace the fact that God gives us life assurance and He tells us that after our time on earth here is done we will be with our Father in heaven enjoying eternal peace!
When I was growing up my mother used to always tell me, “If you wouldn’t do it in front of your father and me, then you shouldn’t be doing it at all!” I have always remembered those words of wisdom from mom and many times they have kept me on the right track.
As I grew in my Christian faith I realized that by simply changing a couple of words in that statement it becomes even more powerful; “If you wouldn’t do it in front of God, then you shouldn’t be doing it at all!” In other words, God is watching us and we represent Him. One way to make sure we are doing the right thing in God’s eyes is to be an Ambassador for Christ in our daily lives. Christ paved the way for us.
2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us that we are Christ’s Ambassadors. This is definitely a full time job! What an assignment we have been given! Look in the dictionary and you will find that an Ambassador is defined as an authorized messenger or representative.
Many people fall short and are really only “Sunday Christians”. These are the folks who go to church on Sunday but never commit to anything else. They do not adhere to the beliefs of the church the rest of the week, or follow through on Sunday’s teachings, with their actions and words. They are cheating God and they are cheating themselves!
How can we be Christ’s Ambassadors if we leave church on Sunday and never practice our Christianity during the week? Remember, God calls upon us to proclaim His Word and to praise Him. Every day we encounter opportunities to do this but for one reason or another we fail to speak up or act when we have the chance. If we are truly representing God then we should be taking this Ambassador’s job that we have been given seriously and act like Christians every day – not just in church on Sunday.
One of the great Ambassadors was Paul. He suffered; had nothing, yet possessed everything! We should follow the words of 2 Corinthians 6, “…in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love...” That’s how Paul lived --we should learn from his example.
Instead of avoiding religious conversations we should seek them out. You’ve probably heard people say, “Never talk about politics or religion.” Well…forget about that (at least the religion part) talk about religion every chance you get…SPREAD THE WORD! BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST!
Prayer: Lord we ask that you help each and every one of us to be good Ambassadors of Christ as we go about our daily routines. Help us to recognize the opportunities to speak up and give us the proper words and actions so that we may encourage others to grow in their Christian faith. Guide us so we may be Christ’s loving servants and messengers.
This was sent to me by a listener at the radio station that I work for. The Light 103.9 I do not know who the original author of this poem and sketch is or I would give proper credit. I think it is GREAT and should be passed on.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little Lamb, His fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, The Lamb was sure to go.
He followed her to school each day, Twasn't even in the rule. It made the children laugh and play, To have a Lamb at school.
And then the rules all changed one day, Illegal it became; To bring the Lamb of God to school, Or even speak his Name.
Everyday got worse and worse, And days turned into years. Instead of hearing children laugh, We heard gun shots and tears.
What must we do to stop the crime, That's in our schools today? Let's let the Lamb come back to school, And teach our kids to pray!
If you agree, please pass it on. I would love to see your feelings on this subject, please leave a comment.
NBC has a new TV show that started Friday, Jan. 6th, called "The Book of Daniel". It is a pretty controversial series about a pill-popping, unconventional priest with a very messed up, dysfunctional family! Daniel is not only able to see Jesus but he also talks with Him and asks him for advise about all kinds of situations.
There are more sub-plots and story lines going on then you can keep up with. The series strikes a nerve of Christians because of the way it mockingly portrays Jesus as a wimpy character. Christ is shown to give flippant answers to Daniel's questions about serious moral issues.
The show has everything from drug abuse, homosexuality, and premarital sex, to stealing money from the church. A snapshot of the world we live in today? Perhaps.
I don't doubt that there are priests who have problems nor do I pretend to be unaware of the plethora of moral issues we have going on all around us. However, I do take offense to the way that Christ is depicted in this show. What would Jesus do if he were here now? I'm sure He wouldn't say things like, "He's a kid, let him be a kid", when asked about a teenager's sexual escapades!
I would like to hear what you think about the show. Please leave a comment and share your thoughts. My opinion is...NBC should cancel this show, although I'm sure they are getting tons of publicity from the controversy and therfore will let it air for a while. However, they did introduce this as a "limited series"!
We are only here on this earth for a short time. You have to wonder what happens when your time here is done. The Bible answers that question for me, the acronym above says it all. Dust off your Bible and spend some time reading it, you will find detailed instructions there on what you should be doing while you are here on earth and how to prepare yourself for what is to come.
I have placed a really cool tool at the top of this page that you may find useful. Just type in a keyword (example: love), or a Bible passage (example: John 3:16), and you will be taken to The Bible Gateway which is a GREAT website. There are several different Bible versions you can select from or you can also choose to listen to an audio version of the Bible. There are also commentaries there that you can read which help to explain the passages.
Please leave a comment and tell me which version of the Bible you enjoy reading the most.
Here at Blog Explosion, we have a great feature where we can rent space on our blog for a week in return for credits.
This week I have a tenant that you simply must visit; Kitchen Fun with Donna & Friends. This is absolutely the sharpest design I have seen yet for a blog and it is full of wonderful recipes. Be sure to stop by and tell them that Mike sent you from 3 is the Charm
I received this in an e-mail today. Normally I just delete these types of e-mails, but this one caught my attention so I read it; thought it would make a good post. I don't know where it originated so I can't credit the author.
There once was a bunch of tiny frogs, who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants... The race began.
Honestly...No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!!!" They will NEVER make it to the top!!!" or:"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!!!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one...Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher... The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!!!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...But ONE continued higher and higher and higher... This one wouldn't give up!!!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top! THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?
A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out...That the winner was DEAF!!!
The wisdom of this story is: NEVER listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic... Because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you...the ones you have in your heart!!! Always think of the power words have. Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!!! Therefore: ALWAYS be...POSITIVE!!! And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!!! Always think: God and I can do this!!!
Don't tell GOD how Big your storm is. Tell the storm how Big your GOD is!
Dec. 19th was our 13th Anniversary! I was going to post this a couple of weeks ago; however, we got totally caught up in the Christmas rush. Now Christmas has come and gone and our anniversary has passed and we are preparing for a New Year. Time sure flies when you are having so much fun.
This is the third marriage for both Christine and I and we have enjoyed the last 13-years and look forward to many more anniversaries. Seems like only yesterday when we met at The Long Branch, where we were taking line dance lessons. We became dance partners and soon started dating. I knew right away that there was something different about this relationship when on our third date I found myself in a church fellowship hall having dinner with Chris and a room full of Christian couples. Our fourth date was interrupted by a phone call and we had to rush to the hospital to witness the birth of our grandson to be.
After six-months of dating I asked Christine to marry me and the rest is history! We have enjoyed thirteen years together and have much to be thankful for. Throughout our whole relationship we have been active church members and that has helped us grow closer together with each other and with God.
We have gone to many Bible Study classes together and have participated in Emmaus and Kairos. I will briefly explain these two ministries for you.
Emmaus The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The program's approach seriously considers the model of Christ's servanthood and encourages Christ's disciples to act in ways appropriate to being "a servant of all." KairosKairos is a Christian, lay-led, ecumenical, volunteer international prison ministry, in which men and women volunteers bring Christ’s love and forgiveness to incarcerated individuals and to their families.
The bottom line is, that by surrounding ourselves with good Christian people and staying active in the church, our marriage has survived the ups and downs and trials and tribulations of everyday life over the past thirteen years. We continue to learn more about each other and we walk together in our journey with God.
We wish each and every one of you a very happy and blessed New Year.
I was born and raised in Connecticut and like all good Italian boys I went to the Catholic Church and Sunday School. However, I never did understand the Catholic religion. Back in those days the Mass was said in Latin and of course that helped to confuse matters more. I am writing this article purely to stimulate conversation on my blog, I am not putting down Catholics.
