Are you paranoid?

Paranoid - par•a•noid (păr'ə-noid')

adj.
1. Relating to, characteristic of, or affected with paranoia.
2. Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others: a paranoid suspicion that the phone might be bugged.

I’ve noticed that Arby’s is advertising that their chicken is 100% real chicken…does this mean that other so called “fast food” places serve only partial chicken . I remember working for McDonalds “back in the day” and I was a big fan of the McRib Sandwich, My boss who happened to be my best friend told me that I wouldn’t eat them anymore after I saw how they looked coming from the box to the cooker…he was so right…they looked like frozen formed pink play-dough blocks and if I remember correctly, the ingredients included the word “etc.”…speaking of McRibs, I haven’t seen them in almost 10 years…

What if the labels that you read on the outside of food that you purchase isn’t correct…how do I know that those labels are what they say they are? Is it possible that the protein, cholesterol, carbs, and vitamin count on the labels are wrong? Wouldn’t it be funny when we get to heaven and God smiled and said, “You could have eaten those carbs, cholesterol, and fat”…

How does a chunk of metal a.k.a the airplane stay in the air?

What do doctors or surgeons really do when they put you to sleep and “perform” surgery? What if really only took 15 minutes compared to 3 hours as they say. I wonder if we are being laughed at people when we supposedly “bite the bullet” and pay lots of money for $5 to $15 procedure or stuff.

I wonder what the government actually really bugs…telephones, cell phones, internet, TV…think about that for while.

Actually none of this stuff really bothers me but I thought that it would give those who read this blog, some interesting things to think about. About the only paranoid that I know is that one song from Black Sabbath…for some of you out there, I probably really messed you up. It’s okay… trust God, it works believe me. Have fun!

-Gravy jmm

Today is 5th Step Freedom

Today is Thursday and tonight at 6 pm, I will sit with my sponsor in celebrate recovery and do the 5th Step in Celebrate Recovery:

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. “Therefore, confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed.” James 5:16 NIV

This is an absolute 1st for me…confession, a complete confession to another human being that I trust of everything that I kept hidden…whether sin, pain, feelings…it is all coming out, 28 years of “stuffed” stuff, tonight and I am actually really excited. For me, there is so much healing in sharing, taking my mask off and just being real helps me so much in my walk. Tonight my sponsor will point at my character defects that I display which I now look as a blessing because now I can identify my stuff and surrender it to God on an hourly, day by day basis. They tell me when I am done with my 5th step that I don’t have to pick it up again…EVER. It is finished…move forward...why should I pick it up ever again when God has not only forgiven me, but forgotten? WRECKLESS ABANDON ,BABY…I believe William Wallace said in best in the movie Braveheart, “FFFRRREEEDDDOOOMMM.” In the words of the man, Jesus, “Get behind me Satan.” WOOOOO, YEAH
-Gravy jmm

cars are fun to fix

God is great and cars break. My history with cars isn’t great but hey what fun would life be without cars and the fact that they break. Today is Friday and my wife and I currently have 2 cars…both of which probably will be living with God soon but hopefully not until we have replaced them. I must though, say that God has blessed me with vehicles, and they might not have been Bentleys, but they were God-sent and that makes them special. My 1997 Nissan was a gift from God because the car I had in 2004 was destroyed by Hurricane Frances and someone just gave me that car. I just put, well I didn’t, put a new rotor and new brake pads on the front of the car. It currently has working air condition but needs new rear brakes as well as a new radiator. My wife’s car which is worse has 2 windows that don’t work and as of today, it needs a new tire as well as the alignment is shot and it needs new brakes both in the front and back. Her car is 1997 Lumina and its air condition is shot and it has fewer miles than mine. Cars are objects and they break and God wouldn’t have me lose my serenity over it. Besides I am sure that the 3 people who read this blog can understand the fact that cars break and that they break at the most inconvenient time. But of course God’s time is never inconvenient. What I guess makes it inconvenient for me is not the fact that cars break because I have come to accept that years ago, what makes it inconvenient for me is that gas costs $9,786.73 a gallon…of course that is a “jamesim” (see GBH for explanation of term). I guess what I really want to say is…it would be cool to have those hover boards that they had in Back to the Future II which took place in 2015 which is only 9 years away and it seems we are no way near what they predicted the future to look in that movie which really bums me out. To quote C. Thomas Howell in the movie Red Dawn…”Wolverine”

-Gravy jmm

I'm sick so here's a some funny bulletin bloopers

I always seem to get sick this time of year with the stupid cold/flu thing. My old thinking was this is really inconvenient…I can’t do this, I can’t touch this, blah, blah, blah. My thinking this time was…hey I can rest which I got very little because we have a puppy that believes his daddy’s arm is his teething bone. Any-the-way, needless to say I’m using Lysol. Since I am sick and have a major brain fog issue…as the GBH has always told me, “Dude you have random thoughts.” Here are some of my favorite church bulletin bloppers:

• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
• The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
• Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please use the back door.
• The third verse of Blessed Assurance will be sung without musical accomplishment.
• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.
• The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, "Break Forth Into Joy."
• During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• A song fest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.
• Today's Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.
• On a church bulletin during the minister's illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.
• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.

My personal favorite
• Don't let worry kill you off - let the church help.

Here’s one from our bulletin back in the day around 2001: we normally would have a bold message in our bulletin that read “Pantry needs” only this one time it read “Panty needs” which all of our seniors were red in the face.
-Gravy jmm

Being Real

They say in recovery that it will be worse before it gets better…what options do I really have…I could go back and stay in my struggles or continue the journey through the desert and up mount Everest. Why can’t life be like that Staples commercial, push the “easy” button? Of course the reality is…there is no “easy” button. There is a minister friend of mine that once said that in his 17 years of ministry, he learned 2 things…I thought he was going to say something that rocked but instead his said, ”God is great and life is painful.” Everyday is different for me and I have come to find out that I have limits. I once thought that I was strong and could do things on my own and all it got me was into a celebrate recovery program. Actually truth be known, I really acted for many years…I enjoyed wearing a mask because I didn’t have to be real and be held accountable. It was easy to hide behind a religious spirit. I finally couldn’t run or hide anymore. I was found out. I was a broken man. I thought I was on way to a mental institute, really. For the first time in my life, I am real. For the first time in my life, I don’t care anymore about pleasing people. For the first time in my life, I am transparent and not a Pharisee. For the first time in my life, I am finally dealing with everything that I’ve stuffed for 28 years. For the first time in my life, I am admitting all my wrongs and accepting life for what it is. For the first time in my life, I am no longer pointing my finger. For the first time in my life, I have really given up and surrendered. For the first time in my life, I don’t want to medicate with anything and I want to face my issues. For the first time in my life, I am finally joyful and grateful. For the first time in my life, I want to know God intimately. For the first time in my life, I am willing to be used by God. For the first time in my life, I no longer want to think that it is the world according to James. I thought for awhile that God’s will for me was to go back to Bible college and get my degree…I know now that I needed recovery…I have learned more about God and His purpose for me since I started looking in the mirror and got serious about recovery from my hurts, habits, and hang-ups. God is awesome and I love Him so much…I am so thankful that He knocked me off my feet and showed me how insane I really was…I am thankful that He finally broke down my walls and I finally let Him come into all of my life. It feels good to walk around weightless for the first time. Thanks for letting me share.
-Gravy jmm

Fundamental Elements of Blogtown

There always seems to be something going on! I’m not much for politics, I thought I was once but I rather swim in a tub filled with scissors than “get into” about politics. I’m not sure where I stand on the whole immigration thing. Its funny how in our country we are so divided on issues instead of being united as the name of country seems to give but none the less I am proud to live in the USA. Actually I can’t wait to be united with Christ in heaven but that’s God’s call when He calls me. Anywho as GBH likes to say…there always seems to be something going on and there always will be. I am no longer paralyzed from fear that news seems to give us on a daily basis. The only fear I need to have is that for God.

Jeremiah reminds me that, “This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. "But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

I hope all is well in “Blogland” and blog at ya’ll later. Until then …live in grace and prosper.
-Gravy JMM