My Journey

God is With Me 

and my Journey Through Life…           Apr 29, 2016

As I look back on today and the past month that led up to it, I can't help but wonder sometimes.......

Is God is up in Heaven looking upon us  thinking, "Oh, my dear children I know you may feel the pain & suffering right now but, if you only knew what you are about to  become a part of,  you would not fret".  

"All your life you have put your trust in me and now, I really need you to let your faith in me be your fortress because now is your time to shine ". 

I wonder if that shine is the brightness that everyone sees right at the end? 

I'd like to think that I will be a stronghold for Jesus in my final moments. 

What a remarkable and amazing journey you give me lord. I never would have imagined that it could be like this!  I'm all in. 

Gino 

Paid in Full...Too good to be True?

April 22, 2016

Don’t Miss the greatest investment in the universe .

Astronomers say  that for every grain of sand on Earth , there are a million stars out there. 

I say "Oh yeah, I just saved 15% on my car insurance, that's about how much that means to me ". 

Now tell me something I want to hear.   Like, did you know for every person that accepts Christ in this world there are ten thousand that don't ? Now,  to me that is mind boggling . I  just picked those numbers  because I don't think anyone really knows, but  it got your attention didn't it?  

If people hear something that's to good to be true then the majority of them are just not going to believe it. When I started to work at PPG all of the employees had a chance to invest  money into a savings plan in which the company would match every dollar you put in with one of their dollars, and it's still like this today. You put in a dollar, they put in a dollar.  Now that's pretty hard to believe. 

You know what's harder to believe ? There are people that never participated in this and took advantage of it because this was just to good to be true for them, I guess  , I really don't know why.But I  bet when they go for their retirement and they see how much more they could have had they wish they had the chance to do it all over again.  But they can't. 

I  wonder if it's like that with us? If people go through their whole life not giving Jesus a chance but when they stand in front of God to be judged they ask for another chance because they never really thought that it ever could have been true. But at that point it is to late! 

 I started to invest in God's everlasting love late in life so now I'm pouring every thing I live for into it, and now  God is not only matching me on this ,but he is giving it back to me ten fold. I am now paid in full. And this I am 100% sure about. I'm all in. 

I love you Lord. I love you Travis, Morgan & Vince.  I love you Paula.  I love you Donna, Rob, Britney and your family I grew to know.  I love you PastorChuck .I love you Ron & Diane. 

Gino 

Don’t Miss the Greatest Investment in the Universe

April 22, 2016

Astronomers say that for every grain of sand on Earth  there are a million stars out there. 

I say "Oh yeah, I just saved 15% on my car insurance, that's about how much that means to me ". 

Now tell me something I want to hear.  Like, did you know for every person that accepts Christ in this world there are ten thousand that don't? Now,  to me that is mind boggling!  I just picked those numbers  because I don't think anyone really knows, but it got your attention didn't it?  

If people hear something that's too good to be true then the majority of them are just not going to believe it. When I started to work at PPG, all of the employees had a chance to invest  money into a savings plan in which the company would match every dollar you put in with one of their dollars, and it's still like this today. You put in a dollar, they put in a dollar.  Now that's pretty hard to believe. You know what's harder to believe? There are people that never participated in this and took advantage of it because this was just to good to be true for them, I guess, I really don't know why.

But I  bet when they go for their retirement and they see how much more they could have had they wish they had the chance to do it all over again.  But they can't. 

I  wonder if it's like that with us? If people go through their whole life not giving Jesus a chance but when they stand in front of God to be judged they ask for another chance because they never really thought that it ever could have been true. But at that point it is to late!  I started to invest in God's everlasting love late in life so now I'm pouring every thing I live for into it, and now  God is not only matching me on this, but he is giving it back to me ten fold. I am now paid in full. And this I am 100% sure about. I'm all in. 

I love you Lord. I love you Travis, Morgan & Vince.  I love you Paula.  I love you Donna, Rob, Britney and your family I grew to know.  I love you PastorChuck.

I love you Ron & Diane. 

Gino 

Heaven....but Now?

Do you want to go to Heaven?…   

Hi … 

I thought a little humor might brighten our day.

Kenny Chesney wrote a song once that goes like this,  "Everybody wanna go to Heaven but nobody wanna go now." That says alot. I'm hoping everybody wants to go to Heaven , but now?  

My Scenario of this is this. 

 "Right now???  Really, right now Lord" ?  "Your really, really giving me the opportunity to go to Heaven right now?"  "You mean I'm done here on earth Lord?"  Wow! that went quick. "You mean it Jesus? You're giving me the chance right at this very moment to  be with you forever in Heaven? " OH MY! Paradise at last!   HALLELUJAH!  Hooray! Yeah Yeah Yeah.  "This is what I've devoted my life for". "Man, I'm the luckiest guy in the world right now ". "Yes sir,  look at me , I'm one of the Chosen ". "It doesn't get any better ". "OK, Alright, we're wasting time,  lets get this show on the road"! "I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready"!

OH, wait, wait, wait. 

Wait one second!  "I think I, ummm,,,,,,,,,there was something I ummm, wanted to do".

"Aaaaaaaa,,,,,,,,,,,, Lord?"

"Aaaaaaaa,,,,,,,,,,,,Do you really, really need me right at this moment" ? " I kinda wanted to try another ALPHA, and, aaaaaaah... I really did want to go to my friends Bible study a few more times, because I know how you wanted me to read over your brochure before entering your Kingdom ". 

"Yeah, I think I should do that "."Oh yeah,  and then there's my Grandson ".

 "You created me to be his very favorite person in the whole wide world , and I really think I should swallow my pride and give him a few mores years of my time , because you taught me that I should sacrifice my needs for others and what an opportunity to show you Lord ". 

"Oh, and I'm pretty sure he would want me to stick around to see him graduate from college. I really didn't to wait that long Jesus, but after all, graduating from college is a big deal and I know you would want me there for him". "Aaaaaaa, did I mention he's probably going to be a doctor ?"  "I'm not sure how many years that will take, but for You I know it will seem like seconds ". "Then I'll be ready Dear Lord , then I'll be ready ".

 " You know something God?, I was just thinking, I might as well hang around till he gets married if I'm sticking around this long , don't you think? "  "I know it'll be tough once again, but there are no boundaries for the extent of sacrifices a grandpa will go through for his grandson ".

 I'm so proud of myself. What a good man I am. 

"ALRIGHT ! FINALLY!  I'm ready to go to Heaven God, and I'm sure this time ".

"But, aaaaaaaaaa,  ya wanna know something

 Jesus ? I forgot about the Great Grand Children!!! "

Man, that Kenny Chesney sure does know what he's talking about. 

God bless you ……

I love you Jesus, my Lord and Savior. 

Gino 

Note from a Friend

4/12/16 1:37 PM

 Dear Gino

Even though we are separated by miles, my spirit within puts you on my mind frequently each day and each time I lift you up to our Heavenly Father for His care and mercy. We especially will  pray on Friday as you go back to the doctors. May He lift you up on angels wings for this meeting and give you HIS peace.

Was reading some favorite verses of mine and I want to share this one psalm. It is so beautiful.

May it minister to you at just the right time......

Psalm 121:1-8 NLT

[1] … I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? [2] My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! [3] He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. [4] Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. [5] The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. [6] The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. [7] The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. [8] The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. …

AMEN

" Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but HE is perfect security IN storms. HE has never promised you an easy passage, only a SAFE LANDING".                  Streams in the Desert

Love you dear Paula and Gino, our brother and sister in Him!

Blessings

Your Friend D

A Part of God's plan?????

On Apr 12, 2016,

Thank you Friend, for your kind words . I loved the passage  " Jesus is no security against storms but He is perfect security in storms". Now you got me thinking.  Would this be considered a storm that we're going through right now with Paula's situation? Or is this just a part of life , A part of Gods plan? 

Or should I look at it like this...... "Jesus is no prevention  against the disease but he is perfect comfort during the sickness ?" What I mean (without trying to sound heartless) is I got it that God can't prevent everything bad happening to everybody because if that were the case then people would live forever, or a very long time anyway. So would something like sickness, which might lead to ones demise (which is eventually everyone's fate)  be considered a storm? 

I do pray that God heals Paula but I really don't consider us to be caught in a storm. You know,  if I were still a drunken ass and all this was going down, I know that I  would be blaming everybody in the world, including God, for my hopelessness. Why? Because if God is really in control then He must be responsible for this, so excuse me while I sit here and drink and feel sorry for myself . Now in my opinion that is a big storm brewing right there because I just turned my problems over to Satan .

Lord, my God , there are times in our lives that are complex & confusing to say the least and these  are the times when we need you the most. But what we must always  remember, (but is easier to preach than practice) is that you had never abandoned us. Like the Footprints in the Sand poem. 

Don't Let the Attack Set You Back.

Hello Friends
 I am so sorry I never got back to you after that message I left you last week about Paula. I really did want to write you , but between mandatory overtime at my work and other things that are going on right now, it's been a little hectic and I sort of forgot. I apologize.

Paula has had this persistent cough going on for a while and we both thought it was a cold or bronchitis or something that just wouldn't go away. She went to the doctors a couple of times and they finally did an x-ray and found a mass on her left lung. That really floored me when she came home and told me that. This past Tuesday (the day I was telling you about) we were in the Carlisle hospital for about six hours for a biopsy procedure on her lung. We found out yesterday what we were fearing the most.

It is cancer.

This is the first time I think I ever had to actually write that word. She has to go in again next Friday for further testing and we will know more about the extent of it and treatment options. She is taking it so well , you would never know that she has gotten news like that. Tuesday, after her biopsy her sisters and niece came into the hospital while she was in recovery and it really was a special moment . We laughed and prayed and somehow we took turns reading Psalms from this book by Joyce Morgan that Donna had brought along, then afterwards I took everyone out to lunch.

Then, Sunday at church we all went up with her to the front while the Pastor anointed her and said a prayer. I told the Pastor after the service that that was the first time I cried in a long time. We are all praying for her and asking God , The Master Physician , to heal Paula. Holly sent us a spiritual video today called "Don't let the attack set you back" and it was pretty awesome. I look at Holly and I can truly understand that "God made us in his own image". Oh, that reminds me, are we still on for Bakers on Tuesday, the 12th at noon? I will be there. 

God is taking care of His children and I know that He loves us and I will never think ill thoughts of my Father, because I trust Him unconditionally and nothing can change that. I know right now is an opportune time for satan to step in and say "So now where's your God"? , and I know that this is an excellent time for the devil to try and take advantage of my faith because he thinks I am weak. All I can say is "Bring It On!" "Give me everything that you have oh prince of darkness, but let me tell you this. Don't you remember you tried this once before and failed ? So come ahead and try it again because I am not one bit afraid!!! Come on!! I dare you! I dare you to mess with me when I have God on my side.

There is no time for you satan! Not for me , and I know not for God because He has better things to do, like healing my wife. You really did scare me once but now I laugh in your face , your evil disgusting , ugly face. The only thing that scares me now about you is that there are so many people that fall into your trap. You infect them like maggots thrive in dead, rotten animals. You make me sick! For so many years you sucked the life out of me like a tick on a dog, but no more. No No No.

Now Jesus is my Savior , God is my strength and excuse me devil for seeming a bit over-confident but , try as you may , there is not a thing that you can do to change that and since you are not even worth the very little effort it takes to type these words, I still have to write one more thing that you should know you piece of filth.    " GOD'S NOT DEAD " !!!!!!!!

God Bless You Friends.
Gino

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him.... I Peter 5