Happy Birthday Dad

What Does the Future Hold?
What Does the Future Hold?

Happy Birthday Johnny. Johnny, my Father-In-Law, turns 84 today. Can you imagine 84?

His father died when he was just a young boy. His uncle, an alcoholic, tried to raise him as best he could.

Johnny got his driver’s license to get a job with the City of Allentown, but never drove a car, his entire life.

Johnny served our country in Europe during WWII, putting his life on the line for you and me.

Johnny provided for his Family, working hard all his life, at a job that provided no glamour, no glory, no prestige.

Johnny always tried to make his wife and daughter happy, so they never had to “go without”.

Johnny is a devout Catholic. And a big Frank Sinatra fan.

Johnny retired and never had to work another day in his life.

Johnny is a “rich” man.

Like many 84-year olds, his health is failing. He knows it. We all know it.

Johnny, if this is the last birthday you have (and I pray to God it’s not), my birthday wish for you is that you know that I Love You!

Guest Blogger This Sunday

It's Cold In Ohio
It's Cold In Ohio

Craig Nickoloff, from Ohio, will be jeffnoel.org’s Guest Blogger this Sunday.

Craig is a young man with a wife and two children. He’s a Christian, self-proclaimed Disney freak and a man who inspires me by his will and determination to become a better man, a better person.

We all struggle with it.

Can’t wait to introduce you to Craig on Sunday.

Have an AWESOME Friday today.

Safe For The Little Ears

Safe For The Big Ears Too
Safe For The Big Ears Too

Do you listen to music? I mean, all the time? Or do you listen to talk radio? Perhaps you don’t listen to radio at all.

It really makes no difference what we do.

Until.

Until we take an inventory of our spirit.

Huh?

At any given moment, if you were put on the spot and forced to give an honest answer, could you immediately say, “I’m blessed beyond measure.”?

Could you? And we’re not talking some fake, or politically correct, “Of course!”

One of my secrets? Listening to Z88.3 every single day. The Z, as we call it here in Central Florida, plays contemporary Christian Music that is, Safe For The Little Ears.

Holy Family Catholic Lector

Food for Families.Nov18
Food for Families.Nov18

Where do you volunteer? Presumptuous of me to think you volunteer, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

You do volunteer, don’t you? Not judging anyone, simply assuming everyone does something, no matter how big or how small.

When I look at volunteer opportunities, there are a few criteria:

  1. We do it as a Family
  2. We look for “traditions”
  3. We focus on a learning point
  4. We have to be able to integrate it into our lives

This morning is a perfect example. I’ll be reading as a Lector, and Cheryl will act as a Minister of Holy Communion.

Our son (9) has seen us do this once or twice a month for his entire life.

We also have him place our offertory envelope in the collection plate every week. He knows how much money we give.

When he gets older, we are confident that our actions will instill in him a duty to serve others with his time, talent and treasure.

Do you ever think about the messages you send to your children, or the young people in your lives if you have no children?

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” –Einstein