I rarely agree with much of anything that Pope Francis has to say, but recently I read an article where he said on Sunday that, “The Lord is not looking for perfect Christians.” He went on to compare Jesus’ merciful words to a doubting St. Thomas which reminds us that the Lord does not expect us to be “perfect Christians” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/ready-willing-and-able/

While family and friends may fail you, Jesus is always there with His unconditional love to turn you away from your sadness, loneliness, and disillusionment, whether you live in a pigsty or gold gilded mansion . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/the-secret-to-happiness/

So, I’m driving down the road in rural Costa Rica yesterday and in the middle of nowhere, I come upon a sign that says Happy Hour starts at 9:00 a.m. That one nearly got me, but I looked closer, and it was a sign in front of a small church. I smiled broadly and thought, now that has to be one of the cleverest Church signs I’ve ever seen. Not to say America does not have its clever sign keepers too. One example that I liked is this one: “The fact that there is a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/happy-hour/

I arrived in Costa Rica and though just a short two-hour flight from Miami, it seems like we traveled to an entirely different world. Our rental condo required traversing two flights of stairs heaving heavy suitcases up the steep inclines. I was clearly struggling, and a Costa Rica man who was working on the landscaping saw me and came running over to help me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/regress-is-not-progress/

As you read these words we are on our way to Costa Rica. This is our final visit prior to deciding which area in which we intend to settle down. We are going to the northern Pacific area and I’m told it is the most beautiful in all of Costa Rica, fishing is great, fabulous restaurants abound, gorgeous sunsets and sunrises, friendly people, and so on. Unfortunately, I have found that you cannot believe what you read on the Internet or hear from a fast-talking salesperson . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/is-everything-a-lie/

Recently I discovered that some readers of Words for the Day in a particular office seem to think that all my “talk” about our living in the “Last Days” and the end of the world possibly bearing down upon us in the not too distant future is just someone, (me), “talking out of my head” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/fact-is-stranger-than-fiction-3/

I took a van full of friends from Duck Key to Key Largo to church yesterday and a wonderful time was had by all of us. 700 folks attended the two services and 23 people were saved and are ready for Baptism . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/id-rather-be/

Please join me in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior today. It is an exceedingly happy day for us because Jesus defeated death and sin once and for all. The victory has been won for all of us who are true believers. Enjoy your day as you think about who our Savior really is! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/he-is-risen-4/

After Jesus said, “It is finished,” on the cross, “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”. His dead body remained on the cross until it was taken down and placed in a nearby tomb. His spirit, however, was elsewhere. Three days later, His body and spirit were reunited, and He rose from the dead, but where was His spirit during those three days? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/a-crucifixion-mystery/

I’ve only deeply loved a very few people in my life, but my brother Jim was one of them. The most difficult time in my life, (and I have had many), was when he committed suicide. I have not experienced such grief nor wept like that before or since his death . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/smiling-in-my-grief/