nursing homes

Hope, Jairus and the Story of Two Parrots

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

But now abides faith hope and love, but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

The story of Jairus, is one that teaches us to hope when our hopes have run out on us. But I learned a valuable lesson on hope from the unlikely duo of two parrots. You see, when I was still in business, my possession of a pickup truck and trailer made me a very popular guy with my friends, friends of friends and, my family when it came time to move. It was really a great way to get to know people, get some free pizza and stay in shape. One December, Susan who was a friend from our church, asked my wife and I tot help her to move. Though it was chilly, the weather was not too bad by Northeast Pennsylvania standards, but the biggest challenge of the day came in the form of two large parrots. These fellows each had their own large cage, and I had left them for last.

So with the truck packed almost to the gills, After I carried out the first parrot and slid his cage carefully into the passenger side of the pick-up, I realized that there was no way that both cages were going to fit up front. So, the unlucky resident of cage number two was given the warmest spot I could find in between the boxes in the back, and I also carefully wrapped the entire cage in a blanket. Then after tying the cage in securely, and closing the tailgate, I slowly drove the eight miles or so of winding country road over to their new home. After pulling in, I first brought in my feathered friend from the front, while he was cheerfully chirping away, unfazed by the journey. The other less fortunate bird however was quite a different story. After bringing in his cage and unwrapping it from the blanket I saw him sitting as silent as a stone and virtually motionless. Whether he was suffering from shock or the cold I don’t know, yet nevertheless, after thirty minutes warming up, he seemed none the worse for wear.

The journey of these guys reminds me of that verse about hope. When everything else we have in this world is packed up and our world is changing around us, unlike the parrots, we get to choose between two options. We can ride up front close to Jesus, or we can make the journey in the back, wrapped in a blanket, safe secure and alone. Hope calls us to ride up front, close to Jesus. He promises us that even though we still won’t understand everything and that the situation is not in our control, that He will stay by our side and we can ride next to Him. I HOPE that you will like this little message that I shared with the residents at Life Care Center this Friday. Have a blessed weekend everyone!

Connecting the Spark Plug Wire

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
1 John 5:14 NKJV

God taught me a lesson about answered prayer during my battle trying to start my lawn mower last week. Here in Florida, we’ve had lots and lots of rain this October. Lots of rain is great because we were in drought, but lots of rain also means lots of lawn mowing (Every 5-6 day recently). Last Saturday I went out to start my mower, but when I pulled on the starter cord, it wouldn’t even budge. I decided to take a peek underneath and immediately noticed that it was totally clogged with grass clippings from the previous mowing. So, I carefully disconnected the spark plug wire, turned the mower on its side and spent several minutes scraping and cleaning. Feeling I had the problem licked, I turned the mower back up and tried again, and to my great relief the cord pulled back smoothly, yet the machine still wouldn’t start. Figuring that I had probably flooded the engine while leaning it on its side, I went inside, had a snack and a cup of coffee and came out to try again…but still no results. This time I went in again for a bit longer and came out determined to get my lawn mower started before it got too hot to work. I pulled…and pulled….and pulled, still with the same results. Just then, the neighbor, from whom I had bought my mower passed by and asked, “What’s up Pete?”

“”This lawn mower just won’t start for today.” I replied between deep breaths, and then, suddenly a little light bulb went off in my brain, “The spark plug dummy!” Sheepishly, I reconnected the loose wire and do you know what happened? Yup! That stupid lawn mower started! Many times, that is exactly what is happening with our prayers. We pray and pray, pulling with all our might on the cord, but nothing is happening, because we have become disconnected from the Lord Jesus Christ. Our mind, our heart and our schedules are so filled with everything else besides God’s will. We grow impatient, discouraged and frustrated yet all the while God is waiting for the spiritual light bulb to go off in our minds.

Sometime in the 1960’s in Namibia, Paul Makai wrote a simple chorus we call, “God is so Good.”. It became so popular that in 1970, when a missionary named Marilyn Foulkes, heard it, she loved it and translated it into English for us. But whatever language we speak, that truth rings clear, God is so good: and one of the first verses of this chorus that we sing adds “God answers prayer, He’s so good to me.” Does it feel as if you are singing about God answering prayer, yet experiencing very little of it? Remember the spark plug wire! I do hope you will enjoy this simple video, where I share this message and song at Life Care Center this past Friday. Have a blessed weekend everybody!

Jesus Remembers

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.
Matthew 10:29 NIV

Every Thursday, I get to sing with my friends in a memory care facility. It is such a blessing seeing them light up as they hear the familiar hymns and many of them sing along. But as I greet them, some cannot remember my name, or in a few cases, even their own! Visitors rarely come. Perhaps most people think that since their loved one doesn’t even remember them any longer, that there is no purpose in coming. But the good news is that even when everyone else forgets, Jesus remembers! Jesus also weeps. Just as when Jesus came to visit the sisters of Lazarus, while he lay in the grave, Jesus wept with them before He did any miracles. Sometimes people don’t need explanations, they need our tears, our listening ears and our presence. Yes, Jesus weeps with them, but then Jesus does something more: He prays.

But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32 NIV

Jesus is not retired, waiting up in Heaven for you and I to get things right. No! Jesus remembers us, Jesus weeps with us and Jesus prays for us. Jesus also prays for every one who sits in memory care. Jesus also calls you and I to remember, to weep and to pray. Will you take time this week to remember someone who has been forgotten by most? A few minutes, a prayer, a kiss, or an arm around their shoulders, may not seem like much, but it is everything to them. Have a blessed day everyone and remember to pray for those in memory care and put some feet to those prayers this week.