This ones for you Vin!!

I was riding out to Washington, Maine today to pick up some laundry. My thoughts were on Vinny and God as they are most of the time lately. I started thinking about so many things and then a fire was lit in my chest. I hope I can communicate it.

I was thinking about mine and Vinny's belief in God which I will say more about later. My idea of God is a man in heaven sitting on a couch that smells like wet dog with fast food wrappers balled up on the floor. He has his stinking feet up on a coffee table with his dirty socks thrown on the furniture. No, this absolutely isn't who God is to me. I say this because so many people say "whoever God is to you is okay". I believe God's nature is inherent to every human being whether they listen to the inner parts of their soul or not. People can create any god or any energy in their mind and many people do. Many people follow false religions because they are searching for God or because of their cultures. In western culture it's just cool to create your own image of God. Some people make themselves god and say that you can create your own destiny. But when your mother, father, brother, sister, child or best friend dies suddenly, your false ideas or false gods are no comfort. There is something inside of all of us that tells us that God is just and righteous. There is something inside of us that tells us that God is merciful, gracious and forgiving. And God tells us this in the Bible. Many people believe they are too modern or above reading and believing God's love letter to His people. Well, I give you this challenge for my brother Vinny. He would give you this challenge too. Read the entire Bible. Read it slowly. Challenge God to prove Himself to you. Tell God you are going to disprove the Bible. Read it for one year. What do you have to lose? Nothing - especially if it's true. Read Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. After you have done that, come to me and tell me the God of the Bible is not the real and true God. Tell me there are other gods and other ways to reach God. Do it. I dare you.

That brings me to my brother. I know he would say the same thing but probably say it better. I was thinking today about our belief in God. Some people would think we were raised in a devout Christian home that was very patriotic. They may think that we had prayers together and long Bible studies. Well, that picture is very wrong. Our mother did tell us about God when we were very young. She told us about Jesus dying on the Cross for our sins and to accept His free gift of Salvation. We did and we believed. After that God wasn't discussed much in our house. We went to church off and on and sometimes went years without going to church. We did go to Sunday school sometimes but it wasn't like it was this amazing curriculum that changed our lives. Most of the church we experienced was not filled with life or the presence of God.

My father left and remarried when we were very young (babies) and my mother worked very hard to support us. She remarried and had an on again off again relationship with our stepfather. We had it a lot worse than some and better than others. I think that both of us felt that we didn't really "fit" anywhere. But there was something that happened to both of us that both of us understand and probably neither could put into words. There was something inside of us that always knew we were God's. Often times during my life I picture Jesus kneeling by my bed when I was a child with His hand on me telling me I am His. I knew. God Himself told me and God Himself told Vinny. Denying I was God's was like denying Vinny was my brother. No one had to tell us this and no one or no circumstance could take this away. Whether we were special to anyone else, we knew we were special to God. We both had times of straying away from our convictions, but even during those times if someone challenged us on Jesus Christ they would get an earful. It was the three of us and we always knew it. That's why I understand why God took Vinny home. He was our Father and He is our Father. He wanted to be with Vinny face to face. That makes me happy.