Easter Monday - 04/25/11 08:23 AM
Well, it is Easter Monday, and today is my last blog dealing with a "book" I wrote to my children about what I wanted to pass on to them.
  On Eagles Wings
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings bear you on the breath of dawn make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of His hand.
 Written by Michael Jonca
There were two reasons I wrote a book to my children. First, I wanted to share what little wisdom I had gathered through my lifetime and share those things I thought would … (5 comments)

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW HIS FAITHFUL TO SUFFER?…PART TWO - 04/22/11 08:58 AM
This is a continuation of my blog from yesterday.
As I looked at Christ hanging on the cross in church that Sunday, I started to really think about what Jesus went through as a human. In His example is the answer regarding suffering in the world. Many times, we are not going to be able to avoid bad things happening to us, or to the people we love. We have to trust that God will watch over His faithful, regardless of life's events. What we are assured of is this...God will give us the strength to endure the hardships we encounter.
… (4 comments)

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW HIS FAITHFUL TO SUFFER? - 04/21/11 08:12 AM
Today's blog is broken down into two parts, with the second part presented on Good Friday.
Let's tackle the single biggest hurdle to sustaining one's faith...Why would God allow His faithful to suffer?
It's easy to believe in God when you wake up Christmas morning and you celebrate Christ's birth with one of those Norman Rockwell holidays. Everything is picture-perfect! There is a joy on the inside of you that is bursting to get out...and everyone around you feels the same way.
Now counter that euphoria with turning on the television and seeing the death and destruction that occurs all around … (7 comments)

Learning to Respect Others - 04/20/11 07:54 AM
I think there is a real blurring going on right now about our values. Some of it has to do with medical technology, some of it is related to political correctness. I also think we spend so much time in front of the television that we  don't establish core values for ourselves. It's just easier to turn on "American Idol", and turn off our minds. When faced with life, and death situations, we have no basis from which to draw.
The dictionary defines the word "absolute" as having no restriction, exception, or qualification.  Are there things in this life that have … (4 comments)

Leaving a Legacy for Your Children - 04/19/11 08:02 AM
Today's blog deals with what sort of legacy have you left for your children. Have you provided them a firm foundation upon which they can build a solid life?
 In Luke 6:47 "Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice- I will show you what he is like: He is like a manbuilding a house, who dug down deep,and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but  could not shake it, because it had been well built.But the person who hears and does not put my words … (4 comments)

Let There Be Peace - 04/18/11 09:46 AM
Well, it is the final week of Lent. I have a few things to cover this week, with my final blog on the subject of my faith on Easter Monday. Thank you to all of you who have taken this Lenten journey with me.
Today's blog deals with the conscious decision we make everyday to find peace and joy in our lives...
Let me share with you my favorite hymn...
 LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
Let there be peace on earth,and let it begin with me.Let there be peace on Earth,the peace that was meant to be.
With God … (2 comments)

Be Open to God - 04/15/11 08:20 AM
Good morning, today's blog deals with allowing yourself to remain open to God's influence in your life. I was attempting to explain to my children that having faith is a choice we make.
  I Hope You Dance
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,May you never take one single breath for granted,GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,And when you get … (4 comments)

Lessons from Christ - 04/14/11 08:07 AM
Today's blog is a continuation of the previous two days, in which I talked to my children about the important lessons Christ offers to all of us.
What's really interesting is that Jesus was born into a poor, "normal", everyday family. Again, God could have selected anybody on the face of the Earth to be the mother of Jesus. I think there's a real point being made here, we are called to not overlook people. We get so busy with our own lives that we never "see" many of the people we encounter. People are turned into props in the background of … (4 comments)

Christ Gives Us a Much More Intimate Relationship With God - 04/13/11 09:29 AM
In yesterday's blog I was explaining to my children how I came to accept Christ as my Lord, and Savior. In today's blog, I am attempting to explain why I think God became man in the form of Christ.
If we accept Christ as an historical figure, and we accept Christ as a Biblical figure, then what was Christ's purpose? Logically, if Christ is God; then why did Christ have to become human? Could not God accomplish everything on Earth He wanted to do, without sending Christ down here? So...why did He come?
The first thing that comes to mind is that … (3 comments)

Having Christ in Your Life - 04/12/11 08:33 AM
Yesterday I spoke about my belief in the existence of God, in today's blog I was explaining to my children my belief in Christ.          
Previously I told you that growing up, Jesus was very real to me. With the help of the movies, I could clearly visualize Jesus going from place to place performing miracles. It was years later; when I had "educated" myself, that doubts crept in. I never had any doubt that Jesus was an "historical" figure. According to Wikipedia, the  on-line encyclopedia, historians "generally agree on these basic points: Jesus was a Jewish teacher who attracted a small … (3 comments)

Telling my Children About the Existence of God - 04/11/11 09:23 AM
I wrote a book to my children passing along my faith. In today's blog, I am attempting to tell them why I believe in God.
The focus on the reality of God is not on death...it's on living! It's not about some future time, in another dimension. Life is not meant to wasted worrying about what is going to happen after we die. It's about living...it's about yesterday, today, and tomorrow here on Earth. It's about what we do with the time we've been given.
To a non-believer, if God does not exist, then man is top dog in the universe. … (4 comments)

Our Faith in Action! - 04/08/11 09:07 AM
   My children are now all adults. This is their time. In my book to them, I was encouraging them to put their faith into action.  
       Our faith requires us to live it everyday. Think of it this way...a couple is married in a church in front of their family and friends. They make vows to God to love and honor each other for the remainder of their lives. All of these things are visible rituals of the couple's love. However, the success of that marriage will be determined by the couple's actions in private, every day events. So, it is with our … (3 comments)

Your Faith and Having Doubts - 04/07/11 08:14 AM
My children range in age from 39 to 25, and they are all at a different place in their faith journey. In today's blog, I was explaining that it is OK to have doubts. I thought that by expressing to them my own doubts that it would make it easier to understand themselves.
       I know all four of you are at different places in your spiritual life, and that is OK. Over the years I have beat myself up so much on the inside for having doubts...I felt so unworthy for so many years...not being able to live up to … (2 comments)

If You Don't Tell Your Children About God, Who Will? continued... - 04/06/11 08:58 AM
In yesterday's blog I spoke about going to Mexico, and how it changed our perspective on the world. In today's blog, I was explaining to our children how we came to adopt our Daughter, Gina. Towards the end, I speak of some difficulties...I will fill you in on this later. 
       A week, or two after mom and I saying we wanted to adopt, I headed out to California for a business meeting. During the week I was gone, we were having new window treatments installed in our family room. While I was at the convention, mom called me and said, "You're never … (1 comments)

If You Don't Tell Your Children About God, Who Will? continued... - 04/05/11 08:34 AM
 In today's blog, I am explaining to our children why their mother and I decided to adopt. (Editor's note: My wife and I have two biological children, and two adopted children.)     
      Prior to our trip, mom and I had never been out of the country; except for going to Canada. That trip opened our eyes to a world beyond Ashtabula, and Geneva, Ohio. I remember us going on a tour to see the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. Your mom and I sat on that tour bus stunned by the countryside outside our bus window. We passed village after village of … (3 comments)

Jesus Walks the Road to Emmaus - 04/04/11 11:10 AM
In this post, I was attempting to explain my spiritual awakening to my children. I hope you enjoy...
I feel I had a real spiritual awakening some time in my early 30's, and if it hadn't been for your mother, I know it wouldn't have occurred. I know...I know, you are sitting there reading this and thinking "Spiritual Awakening"; what is he talking about?
It was during this time that I decided to become Catholic, and it was also during this time mom and I decided to adopt. I believe both of these events were connected. At the time, I know … (2 comments)

My Story Continued... - 04/01/11 08:40 AM
Today's blog deals with my early faith experience...
Growing up, I feasted on King of Kings, which came out in 1961. Cecil B. DeMille was a famous director at the time, and he directed King of Kings. DeMille was noted for directing blockbusters...sort of yesterday's Steven Spielberg.  I remember sitting in that darkened theater, totally immersed as the huge screen brought Jesus to life.  Charlton Heston in 1959, stared in Ben Hur, the story of an influential Jew, Ben Hur, who was betrayed by his Roman friend. Ben Hur is sent off to be a galley slave on a Roman war … (1 comments)

 
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Thomas Craig

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