Rev. Dan Polecheck - Universal Life Church Ministries - Older Blog Posts - Twinkies and Root Beer

Before I started this blog I was writing for a blog on the Family Worship Center - Algoma Campus website. This is a copy of one of those posts with links to the original blog.

Twinkies and Root Beer
Originally Posted Apr 23, 2020
Original Blog Post

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

Reprinted from Sweet Song Ministries

Rev. Dan Polecheck - Universal Life Church Ministries - Older Blog Posts - One Day I Decided To Quit

Before I started this blog I was writing for a blog on the Family Worship Center - Algoma Campus website. This is a copy of one of those posts with links to the original blog.

One Day I Decided To Quit
Originally Posted Apr 23, 2020
Original Blog Post

One day I decided to quit…
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God,” I asked, “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

His answer surprised me…

“Look around,” He said, “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seed I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern grew quickly from the earth. It’s brilliant green covered the ground. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year, the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the Bamboo.”

He continued, “In year three there was still nothing for the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I will not quit.” He said. “Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. It looked small and insignificant compared to the fern… but only six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.”

“It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it need to survive. I would not give any of my creations, a challenge it could not handle”

He said to me, “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don’t compare yourself to others…”

He said, “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern… Yet, they both make the forest beautiful.”

“Your time will come,” God said to me, “You will rise high!”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned.

“Yes.” He said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you happiness.
Bad days give you experiences.
Both are essential to life.
He will never give up on you.

A happy and meaningful life requires our continuous input and creativity. It is not a coincidence. It happens because of our decisions and actions. And every day we are given new opportunities to choose and act and, in doing so, we created out own unique journey. Keep going… don’t give up!

Happiness keeps you sweet,
Trials keep you strong,
Sorrows keep you human,
Failures keep you humble,
Success keeps you glowing,
But ONLY GOD keeps you going!

Rev. Dan Polecheck - Universal Life Church Ministries - Older Blog Posts - He Is Longsuffering

Before I started this blog I was writing for a blog on the Family Worship Center - Algoma Campus website. This is a copy of one of those posts with links to the original blog.

He Is Longsuffering
Originally Posted Apr 21, 2020
Original Blog Post

The Apostle Peter tells us there’s a reason Jesus hasn’t returned yet. He writes, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Our Lord is abundant in patience toward the ungodly.

Personally, I am amazed at God’s patience with us in this generation. The moral slide is grievous even to secular observers. Even if you try to keep a clean conscience, your mind is saturated with reports of the evils happening every day. Some things are so vile as to be incomprehensible: murders in schools, child abuse, militant homosexuality, unspeakable atrocities.

Often our hearts cry out, “Lord, when will there be justice? When will You bring evildoers to judgment?” We wonder why God waits so long to deal with the unspeakable wickedness so rampant today. We picture the scene when evildoers finally kneel before the Lord, facing His holiness.

But Peter says Jesus isn’t focusing on judgment right now, even for the worst of sinners. Rather, our Lord is preoccupied with mercy. He is longsuffering toward the worst of evildoers. And He’s waiting to show mercy to every unrepentant sinner, wooing and pursuing them.

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (3:11–14).

We can spend our days preoccupied with signs of the times, in the Middle East, or elsewhere. But God says, “Look to your own heart. Be sure you’re diligent to keep My Word.” Paul adds, “Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). He then warns us not to judge others, and to be careful not to become a stumbling block to a brother and cause him to fall.