Sat. 9-24-16

Can we talk? So this past week I sally forth and head over to Walmart. I actually did a little bit of shopping. I purchased some Mountain Dew, English muffins, Mountain Dew, bread, Mountain Dew (a man has to know his priorities) and I saw the potatoes and picked up a bag of them. I'm not sure why the pricing structure is the way it is but if you buy one potato it's a $1.50 and if you buy 10 pounds of potatoes is less than $5. Of course, I will never be able to use up all these potatoes. I think the potato's start growing legs or something after a while.

So I get the potatoes home and I decide to have a baked potato for dinner. Many of you that have been following this blog for a long time understand what I'm going through concerning backed potatoes. Just to refresh my memory I looked it up on the Internet to make sure I cook it properly. Set your oven at 425° cook for between 30 to 45 minutes, after you've scrubbed the outside of the potato and perforated the skin to let the expanding gases escape.

I did all these things and I really scrubbed it well. It also said to turn the potato every 15 to 20 minutes which I did. I decided to leave it in for 45 minutes to make sure that it was really cooked. Well, you know where I'm going with this. I take the potato out and I have everything ready on the counter and I cut through the potato and it's still hard as a rock inside. I immediately go into the fetal position and start going into depression. Just kidding, but I was very disappointed, to say the least. When you're preparing a meal, don't you sort of prepare your appetite for that specific item? You know I wish there was a little device I could just put the potato in and push the button and it would cook it perfectly. Maybe there is, I will have to check. I ended up having to throw the potato away even after I put it in the microwave oven for a bit. The reason I cook it in the oven instead of the microwave is because I want the skin to be crisp. There must be a way to do this consistently and end up with a good baked potato. I know, I'll go to a restaurant.

Now that I got that off my chest, we can move on. I get to take the grandkids out today for an outing. I'm going to take them over to the family fun Center this morning. It opens at 10 AM and if you get there when they opened it's virtually empty and we have the run of the place. Then I will take them out to lunch and probably feed them some chick chick (KFC). I sure wish Harriet was here. She would love to go out with the boys and we always had a great time together. I know that the time will probably come when it will not be on my mind so much, but I miss my girl.

Since I'm talking about my wife. I get a tell you that it's really interesting that I'm doing the vacuuming and laundry and dusting and stuff. I think I'm starting to get a little bit pickier . I mean really what is dust? If you will Google that question you will find that a lot of dust is dead skin. Since I'm the only one here, that means that a lot of me is on or in the dust. So I'm wiping myself up when I dust, what a crazy thought!

I'm still trying to revive the plants out front that seem to be dying. I hope I'm not over watering them. We had rain this past week which was so unusual. I remembered hearing the noise in the middle of the night and trying to figure out what it was? It was the rain on the roof and it's been such a long time since we've had rain that it was a surprise.

Tomorrow's message will be, "God Is in the Restoration Business". I will be using the life of Samson as a springboard for the message. Most people know about Samson. Did you ever think of why did God include some of these stories in the Bible? I believe these are true events, real people, and real life adventures. I will tell you why they were written.


"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Corinthians 10:11



Tomorrow I will explain how Simpson's life is an example for us. I believe that we can learn a lot from his life. You don't want to miss tomorrow's sermon.

Regardless of where you live, I hope that you'll be in the house of the Lord on Sunday morning. So many people today that call themselves Christians have time to do everything but worship the Creator of the universe, Our redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible specifically says do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is. I realize that's probably not proper grammar for this day and age but that is King James English. You know what they say about excuses, yes that's right and everybody's got one. Don't be an excuse maker, do what God asks us to do and do it with a joyful heart!

Maranatha,
Frank

Sat. 9-17-16

This past week I went to a new restaurant. My friend Lynn from church, had invited me out for a birthday meal and since I was sick the previous week we had to postpone it to this week. The name of the restaurant is Barrels and it is approximately one block north of the Imperial Beach pier.

They have a second-story in this restaurant and from there you have a great view of the ocean. We had a really nice time and the food was excellent. I had the hamburger, as usual. Very good! So if you are ever down that way you might want to check it out.

When I left the restaurant, I'd only driven approximately one block North and a mural on the side of the building caught my eye because it was of the ocean and a perfect wave. But what really caught my eye was there was writing in the upper left-hand corner and it was quoting from Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. You know when you first sees something like this as your driving you're not sure if you really saw what you saw so I had to drive around the block to make sure. I'm attaching a couple pictures so you can see what I saw.

Very Nice Barrel

I realize this is gonna sound bad. But I'm gonna tell you anyway. So yesterday I was having lunch at McDonald's, yes a Big Mac.(Hamburgers are a main staple of my diet) And I ran into a group of really super nice friends who previously went to Sonrise when Harriet and I did. So, I took a picture and here it is.

You will probably recognize a number of people in the picture.

Tomorrow morning's message at church will be: "Why Does God Love Me (and You)". When you know the depravity of man and as the Bible says the heart of man is desperately wicked who can know it? It does beg the question why does God love me?

I hope you will be in the house the Lord tomorrow morning to worship the Creator and our redeemer Jesus Christ the son of the most high God!

Maranatha,
Frank

9-10-16 Sat.

I just realized while putting the date in the title line that it's my birthday today. 70 years old, my how time flies! I don't want to do a life review here, but it's hard not to reflect on years gone by and all the things that have happened, mistakes that were made and of course the good times too.

Finally got over the nasty cold I had this past week or so. I'm glad of that. I felt my head was in a pressure chamber.

I guess it's been pretty boring around here this past week because I was sick. It seems like I managed to kill 2 of Harriet's plants that were out on the walkway into our house. I don't know if I should just buy some plastic plants to put in there? I know that sounds terrible all of you who are so good at gardening as was Harriet. I will have to think about this.

Tomorrow's message at church is, "Have Faith in God". Chapter 11 in the book of Hebrews is called the faith chapter. If I remember correctly in verse 6 it says something like this, "Without faith it is impossible to please him, for those that come to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".

You hear so many people today say that they are spiritual but they're not religious. That's like me saying I'm a vegetarian, but I don't eat vegetables. The reward comes to those that seek God in a diligent manner. It's so easy to not have time for God because of all the things we think are more important. Are you taking time to seek after God? I hope that you will be in the house of the Lord tomorrow to worship the Creator of the universe and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Maranatha,
Frank

 Its Hilda's Birthday today too!

9-3-16 Sat.

I'm late putting out the blog this morning because I got sick this week. Daniel comes over every Sunday morning about 6:15 AM to cook a big breakfast. He usually cooks potatoes O'Brien, scrambled eggs and sausage links. He actually does a pretty good job and cooking all these things.

When He  came over last Sunday he was sick with a cold and I know that he should not have been in my home because of the contagious factor. My son Joe and daughter Hilda, we have an agreement that if there's any sickness we don't get together. We don't want to infect each other. So, Wednesday night I started getting sick. You know the usual, headache, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, aching joints and so on. What a drag. I was thinking about this yesterday that with all the advancements in science, they still have not figured out how to cure the common cold.

I do not know if when you have a cold you have this same type of response but I always get this tickle in the back of my throat that causes me to cough and cough and cough. I think that is the hardest part of the cold because it's hard to sleep when you have to cough all the time.

Sorry about my ranting and raving about having a cold. It's probably the most exciting thing that has happened this past week. Fortunately Pastor Mike will be preaching this Sunday. This was scheduled a month ago and it's very timely. I always enjoy the challenge of the message that Pastor Mike brings to our church. And of course he and his lovely wife in attendance. The title of his sermon is, "We Don't Have To Worry".

I think that's it for this week I'm going to go and rest my weary head.  I hope that I'm well enough to go to church tomorrow morning. I don't want to contaminate everybody so if I go I will be cloister and myself in some remote corner.

Maranatha,
Frank

Lee Ann and Harriet. Sister and really great friend.

Harriet, Timothy and Little Joe, when he was still little.

8-27-16 Sat

Another week gone by. It's interesting how we measure time by certain events that have happened in our lives. Of course I'm thinking about when Harriet died and we had her funeral service. I would guess as time goes by, things begin to fade away in our memories. Not that they are not important anymore, it just seems that time dims the memories.

Speaking of funerals, we are having a funeral at our church today for Shannon. She was a good friend of Frank DeLorenzo. She was only 55 years old.

Tomorrow's message at church will be "The Joy of the Lord". Do you enjoy going to the house the Lord to worship the Creator of the universe and our redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ? Or is it a chore? I was reading about a recent survey that was just released and it listed the reasons why people don't go to church. It reminds me of that saying, "Excuses,................ everyone has one". I realize I can't write what goes into that blank area because it's very rude, even though it is true. In life we either find reasons why we should go into the house of the Lord or we make up excuses why we don't have to or shouldn't go. How about you? I encourage you to be in the house of for tomorrow to worship our Lord Jesus Christ.

So I'm ending this on a thought-provoking image I received this past week. There used to be a saying when you have a difficult situation in your life, "What would Jesus do?" Now read the little cartoon below.

I hope you have a great week.

Maranatha,
Frank

8-20-16 Sat.

It was a busy week. There is just a lot of things that needed to be attended too which our church related. You know when I was teaching 3 Bible classes per week it was much easier than the actual overseeing is small church. Unfortunately operating a church is like a running a business. That of course is the business side. The other side of the business and I hate to even call it that, is meeting the needs of the people. Both parts are important. One is for the physical operating and keeping track of all expenditures for the IRS. The other part of course is so important because of the different needs within the church.

On a lighter note, my friend Andy has twisted my arm and is forcing me to go to Hawaii. And be has taken up the sport of kite surfing and he would like to go to Hawaii because of the great conditions there. So it looks like and He in his wife will come over approximately the 1st full week of January. I'm planning on being there for about 11 days during that same time.

A great story I want to tell you about concerning our friends Andy and Autumn. Approximately 7 or 8 years ago we are planning on making a trip to Hawaii and in he expressed interest in going there during that same time. But when it came down to it he said that he couldn't make it because of his business. But because we are going there during our anniversary, he said that he wanted to pay for our dinner at Turtle Bay Restaurant, which is on the North Shore of Oahu.

When the actual date of our anniversary came I remember it was raining that evening and I did not want to drive from the South Shore to the North Shore in the traffic and rain, but because we promised that we would be there Harriet and I made the drive. We got there when the restaurant 1st started serving dinner which would be 5 PM. They seated us at a window table overlooking the ocean and it was really beautiful.

Harriet and I were talking before we placed our order and all of a sudden Harriet stood up abruptly from the table. I did not realize it but Andy and Autumn surprised us and came through the door and my back was to that door, but Harriet could see. I thought I'd kick her leg under the table or something because of how fast she jumped up. We had a really nice dinner and they stayed for about 3 or 4 days. This was the neatest surprise. The picture below is of Harriet and Autumn. If you've been watching the blog recently or over the past year you'll know that the picture that I used for Harriet's memorial service was this picture, cropped so that only Harriet was visible.

I also made reservations to go to our nephew's wedding. Harriet's brother John's, son Caleb is getting married in October. So I made reservations to fly up to Oregon. Both Harriet's brothers John and Jim live in Halsey Oregon. After much thought I decided to fly into Portland Oregon and drive down instead of flying to Eugene Oregon which is a lot closer, but it requires a layover of hours and then a short flight of about 30 minutes. It's just hours faster to fly into Portland Oregon and drive down.

Tomorrow's message at church is  titled, "Why Pray?" That's really a good question. It will be thought-provoking message. I hope you can make it. Regardless of whether you're at Maranatha Bible Church in Santee, or another church I hope you go to the House of the Lord on Sunday morning.

Maranatha,
Frank

8-13-16 Sat.

"Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"  I hope you've had a great week. Some longtime friends came down from Simi Valley California. I've known these friends for over 50 years. They wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant in old town, so we went to La Pinata Mexican Restaurant. I remember my dad and mom taking Harriet and me to this restaurant decades ago.

We then went up to the mission at the Presidio Park. I took a picture of them. They are Bruce, Susie and her grandson Sean.

It's probably been more than a decade since I've been up there. It's still a nice place to visit.

The message I'm preaching tomorrow morning is "What Would You Have Me Do Lord?". Often times we ask God what he would like us to do. I think it can best be summed up that most Christians are educated way beyond their level of obedience to what they already know to do.

Maranatha,
Frank