One More For JC

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.     (John 3:16) After 15 years, on December 1 st , my two co-founders and I sold Fantasy Postseason.  It was a bittersweet moment, as so much love, time and effort were poured into it over the years.  However, the time had certainly come to move on.   Unfortunately, the sale has made an already busy time of year that much crazier.  The days around the sale were extremely stressful and at times overwhelming – thankfully, each day I took out time to pray about it and on some nights, I’d get woken up around 2 or 3 am in the morning – with an important tip on things that had to be added to the ever-expanding to-do list (or how they should be handled).   Thankfully things have started to calm down as the weeks have gone by.  Today I even had a chance to smile as we received a follow-up email from a long-time ...

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11) My aunt just posted a picture from Christmas Eve from a few decades back from my grandparents’ home – it shows a pile of gifts overflowing the tiny living room in their tiny house.  Their home was always way too small and way too hot, but somehow it was always perfect.  What that home lacked in size was more than compensated for by love.  Christmas Eve was always my favorite day of the year – not just for the gifts coming my way – but because it was the one day of the year I could see almost all of my family members.  It was also the day I got to indulge on my grandmother’s cooking (and each pierogi and stuffed cabbage that she hand-crafted for countless hours to perfection). :)  As a young boy, I remember continu...

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) He could have stayed in heaven, but He chose to humble himself to become a man. He could have come to be served, but He chose to serve. He could have used his power on himself, but He chose to reserve that for others. He could have saved himself, but He chose to lay His life down on a cross as a ransom for all. In this Christmas season, I pray that we all take time out to reflect on these difficult choices of Christ…and when each of us comes to that ultimate fork in the road, we likewise choose Him.

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40) Every year around December 20 th , Dee and I have an annual Christmas get-together with a few of our closest neighbors.  This year as the month was flying by, we thought about maybe foregoing the annual tradition.  However, at about 12 PM yesterday we decided to go for it, and quickly made a few calls in hopes of getting us all together for dinner at 6:30.  We had one couple confirm, one politely decline, and another that confirmed after receiving our message about 3 minutes before the party was set to begin.  About one hour later around our dinner table, I had to do everything I could to keep from bawl...

Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. (1 Chronicles 16:9) I caught the tail end of “It’s a Wonderful Life” on television last weekend, which tells the classic story of George Bailey.  From a young age, George always wanted to go to college and travel the world, but he selflessly postponed his dreams time and time again.  When a serious financial crisis came his way, George was on the verge of suicide when his guardian angel, Clarence, stopped him.  Clarence slowly coaxed him back to life by showing him how miserable George’s hometown of Bedford Falls would have been had he never been born.  When George realizes suicide is a mistake, I never fail to get teary-eyed, as the entire town rallies around him and gladly donate the money he needs. So many emotions build up in me whenever I watch that movie.  It brings back fond memories of my Dad – and all the times we watched it together as a family on Christmas day.  It reminds ...

It's an honor to step aside and post a message my wife, Dee, has written and will share at a Christmas service next week. Merry Christmas! How many of us focus on Jesus at Christmas time? Many of us are caught up in material gift-giving, holiday depression, financial frustration, preparing for visiting relatives - all the extra "work" that comes with Christmas - it can be stressful and distracting. This year, more so than any in recent history, people are in need of a gift that they will not find in shopping malls, they cannot order on the internet, and they will not be capable of making with their own hands: We are seeking peace. We are seeking security. We are longing for lost loved ones. We are in need of hope. On Christmas Eve some 2000+ years ago, God gave us the first gift and the only gift any of us will ever need. Jesus was delivered to deliver us. Thanks to Jesus: None of us will ever truly walk alone. None of us need to live in fear. We have a bes...

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16) I was at an account this past week and I overheard a couple people talking about Christmas.  It seemed like a pleasant conversation at first, but then it turned disrespectful.  One guy in the group started to rip on Christianity and in a very condescending tone stated, “What’s the big deal about Christmas?  It’s just about gifts anyway?” I wanted to jump into the conversation, and tell him all about the true meaning of Christmas.  I wanted to tell him that Christmas isn’t about the presents.  It’s about a man who humbled himself to reunite the two things that meant most to Him: His heavenly Father and all of mankind.  It’s about a man who was born to die and be the perfect and final sacrifice.  It’s about a man who forever lives to intercede for the people He loves. I decided to keep my words ...