Happy Atheist

This past Sunday was a great day.  

It was Easter.  

Time to celebrate the Love of Christ and have some candy too, 

because salvation is pretty sweet. (sorry bad pastor humor) 

It was a beautiful time to spend with family and quite frankly the weather was equally beautiful. 

Nothing like a spectacular Spring day on Easter, it just seems to fit. 

The most memorable part of the day was not so much church, 

but what happened after church.

My wife has a pretty cool blog and we were scoping out some sweet spots for taking pics.

We landed on Kelly Drive off the river in Philly, by boathouse row. 

As I was taking some shots of my wife and son, a man asked if he could take a picture of all of us.

Normally giving a stranger a nice camera to take your picture in Philly is probably not the best idea, but I had a good feeling about this guy.

He really took his time to frame our picture and make us look good. 

This gentleman mentioned he was a photographer and after our mini shoot,
he showed me some of his work on his iPhone.

He had some great photographs.

After going thru his mobile portfolio he asked what I do.

A question that I like, and sometimes do not like, because I never know how people will respond.

So I went for it, I said "I am a Pastor."

That was proceeded by a big chuckle from our friend, and he replied,

"Of all things a Pastor... just my luck, I am a card carrying Atheist."

I smiled and laughed too (I didn't know Atheists carry cards).

I introduced myself and my family and he told me that his name was Will.

We had a great conversation.

He was very kind. 

He actually talked about Jesus more than I did, and said that the only way he would believe in Him is if Jesus would be on the Larry King Show.

What made an impact on me the most was that Will used to believe in God,

until he got the heaven beat out of him.

Growing up Will was beat up by Christians, often.

Even as I write that last sentence, it brings tears to my eyes.

Will reminds me of my brother Jack, who was also beat up by Christians, often.

There was even time during Jack's college years that I didn't know if he would
believe in God from all the hurts he experienced.

I think every Christian has a path.
I think everybody gets hurt, sometimes even by Christians.

In my experience I have come to know a number of Atheists, 

and most if not all Atheists have had some experience in the church and not a good one.

Faith is not flawless.

It may be irony, or the beginning of bad joke, that a Pastor and Atheist would meet on Easter.

C.S. Lewis once said, ""Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but
when you look back everything is different."

I hope that one day when my friend remembers this Sunday,
he looks back and remembers an Easter.

Forty Days Without Facebook (Twitter too)

Hey everyone, it's good to be back.  I took some time to put the social media scene on pause.

I have been giving up something during the season of Lent for the past couple of years. (The year I gave up Starbucks was not fun.)  I am not Catholic although I think Protestants, like myself, can learn a few things from our fellow Christian brothers and sisters.  (I am still waiting to see Rick Warren cruse around in a Pope Mobile).

This years Fast of Facebook and Twitter began with a conversation with my wife.  Discussing what would be a worthy sacrifice, she joked with me about giving up the Tweet because my phone is always chirping.

Hey, if I can please God and my wife with the same cause, that's definitely a win.

In the beginning it was not that big a deal.

It was was nice to fly under the social radar for a change.

I find it interesting when someone who I have not talked to would comment later in a convo about my status as if I mentioned something to them face to face.  I guess that's where this social thing is heading.  As time went on things began to happen in the social collective conscious that I found myself wanting to join and add my two cents to "the cloud."

The banter and trash talk of March Madness left me locked in the lockeroom, however I don't think anybody had any brackets to brag about this year.  Shaka Smart is not just a new Spider-Man villain, and I always seem to pick Kansas on the wrong year.

Rob Bell happend to release a book that blew up the Blogs and the Pulpit.  It was nice to see Christian's get Theological for a change and not just try to have the Best Life Now. The topic of Hell was a hot conversation that seemed to have cooled off of late, as long as John Piper does not cast any one else into the nether-regions with another Farewell social smack-off.

When things get hot and bloggy, you need something light and fluffy to bring some levity.  During times like these with high gas prices and earthquakes our biggest dilemma will be, "Which seat should I take...?"

It could be that 2012 will be the end of the universe or maybe it could all end on Friday.

I wouldn't be surprised that if the Apocalypse does happen soon, Charlie Sheen might have something to do with it.

Despite all the interesting things or absolutely absurd things that have happened in the past 40 days here are the Top Ten things I have learned from my social media Sabbath.

1. Twitter is for friends and Facebook is for family.

2. Social Media can take up a lot of your time and you not even know it.

3. A real hand to hold is much better than virtual "thumbs up."

4. America still does not know what real music is.

5. Christians love talking about eternity much more than engaging it.

6. The best conversations are the ones face to face.

7. It felt good to have my first tweet in 40 days be about the Love of Jesus.

8. It felt good to have my second tweet be about the Flyers forcing a game 7.

9. Social Media is not a bad thing or a trendy thing, but it is all in how you use it.

10. Some of the best things in life are better left off Facebook & Twitter.

You might have noticed a different blog format and title.  There is a reason for that.  A lot has happened in the past 40 days, but you will just have to keep reading to find out all the interesting details to come.

Maybe I'll post on Friday or Saturday, but then again Sunday does come afterwards.

(Thanx for sticking around and reading.)

Under Construction

Hey readers, my blog just got hacked.

So in the meantime, I have a simple layout. I will have an all new layout shortly.

Thanx for your patience, and keep reading!

Grace & Peace

Al

The Moment

When you hear people talk about their kids and how it changes them, they are right. Whatever they said they are right.

I have become a more forgiving and understanding person since I have had my son Keane. I do not say that to say, I am this awesome person, if that is what makes a person awesome.

When I look at him (stare really) there is this picture of how I want people to treat him, how I want to be towards him all the time. One word comes to mind.

Love.

I want people to treat him with compassion, to always give him a second chance, to see his potential and not his flaws (which at this time seems to be his adverse response to the word NO).

I want people to see the best in him, because I will always see the best in him.

In the midst of that, I am learning to see the best in others.

Even the people that have really screwed me over in the past, which seemed to be alot in the past year or so.

Thats ok, in the words of Tupac, "I ain't mad at ya."

We had "a moment" yesterday, well, to be honest I had the moment, he was just happy to be playing with his favorite thing...THE BALL (any ball really).

This ball happened to be a soccer ball, (he's Italian, soccer is in his blood, GOALLLLLL!)

I digress, back to "THE MOMENT."

In the midst of washing dishes, I had Pandora playing in the background (because no one really enjoys doing dishes), and my wife was playing with Keane and the Soccer ball. I was trying to get a few kicks in between the dishes.

The song "How He Loves" came on, it was as if time slowed down, and all I could see was my son's smiling face...

Boom.

Moment.

What happened next I will try my best not to sound super-spiritual or cliche, but I will say it and you can decide.

I felt God say to me, "As much as you love your son, you have no idea how much I love you."

Maybe I got carried away with "the moment."

Maybe I got to much Dawn soap in the bloodstream.

Maybe I am just a guy who is starting to learn about love.

I want to love the way God loves me.

There have been so many times I have blown it.

It's really amazing how much patience my parents, my college (VFCC woot!), and my wife have had with me thru the years, (put up with me really).

Speaking of my college years, I was just sharing a story with my wife, about something I never knew until recently.

I had lunch with the president of VFCC Dr. Meyer, and he shared how proud he was of me and we talked about my college years. Definitely some highs and lows.

He shared with me something I never knew, in the midst of my dismissal for a semester, (see the full story here), I almost did not make it back into VFCC.

It was one teacher, one teacher who I did not get along with, Daniel McNaughten, that gave me a second chance and spoke up in my defense.

He never told me, he just believed in me.

Love that I never knew, but Love that made an impact.

It's a love that steps into the Sandals that John was not worthy to carry.

Love that covers.

Love that forgets.

Love that believes.

That is the type of Love I want to have for others,

the type of Love I want my son to know I have for him.

Always.

Love Cancer and a Train Pt. 2 (Oprah Isn't All Bad)

I posted yesterday a blog about Kristian a man who recently discovered he had cancer. He made a touching video for his wife Rachel, for her birthday.

It was creative.

It was heartfelt.

It was inspiring.

One can only imagine the fear of passing before your wife and children.

I have known too many families where this is true.

This life is not easy and sometimes bad things happen to good people. Life is not simple. The more I try to make sense of it the more I am left with questions unanswered.

I have learned to not always ask why, but to ask how will this shape me?

Instead of trying to find an answer, find a way to help.

Say what you want about Oprah, the one thing I can say is that she gives back. She helps people. I do not care about her intentions of why, the fact of the matter is that she does, help. I respect that. She recently discovered this couple and there story...

Don't you just love their accents!

I do not have the funds to help people the way I want. Actually, this year I have found more people helping me out, especially since my family started this journey to plant a church. One day I would love to help people they way they have helped me. It would be awesome to have the resources to give back like Oprah.

I can however in the in-between do this; be more positive than negative.

To encourage.

To listen.

To consider others better than myself.

We live in a broken world, with broken people, it can feel like hell.

C.S. Lewis says it best,

"Taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long your are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature."

The best thing we can do as we wait for the other side of eternity,

is bring a little heaven here on earth in the little things we do every day.

Love Cancer and a Train

"Who so loves, believes the impossible." -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Love seems to cure anything.

Cancer seems to kill anything.

And the hands that are held in the in-between hold on to anything.

I have recently heard a song that is love in four chords.

It makes me think of my wife and all the reasons of why I married her; while at the same time not mentioning any of those reasons. Except maybe some illusions to a cafe. And you know how I feel about coffee...err Starbucks.

My wife and I recently spent Valentines Day in Philly.
We had reservations at a charming French Restaurant, Amuse (you must go if you can it was amazing).

It was one of our most memorable and needed times we had to celebrate our love.

The place was right across from Love Park, and it truly is a love park. We saw a couple get engaged. The gentlemen got on one knee, (like how it is supposed to be done boys and girls) and she said Yes!

It was one of the most spontaneous things I have ever seen.

It was one of the most spiritual things I have ever seen.

Love changes us.

Love is most inspiring in the midst of challenges.
Maybe because it is the most pure during a time of being refined by the fire of trials.

I stumbled upon a video (literally, it wasn't even on said website) it is

about love, cancer, and a train.



Yes, I cried (in public even, because of course, I am at Starbucks).

Their story makes me want kiss my wife, and tell her I love her...again.

Hug my son and realize every day is a gift.

I am reminded that this life is a breath and sometimes we feel like we have all the time in the world.

The daily trials and worries of the day make us miss the value of 24 hours.

The value of the moments we share.

The value of believing in the impossible.

The value of love.

Today and every day.

The Girl, The Force, & The Car: 2 out of 3 Ain't Bad

Growing up I have always had a love for cars. I do not know if it is an Italian thing, a guy thing, or just a me thing.

Wherever I would go I would carry a small bag full of Matchbox and HotWheels cars.

I loved naming cars on the road and playing that game with my dad.

Cars capture my imagination.

When I was in my late teens early twenties there was one car, or should I say one commercial that left me spellbound.

The commercial was brilliant. The music told a story just as much as the images of a man or groom presumed to be late for his wedding.

Turns out he was late for a wedding but not his.

I do not know if I wanted to be the guy or wanted to drive that German automobile.

Even when I would cruise around in my little beaters (had a Dodge Horizon once in college, ouch) I always had an eye out for that particular VW and that brunette.

Well, turns out that commercial hit kind of close to home for me.

I got the girl...never really did get that silver Jetta.

Fast forward almost ten years.

Married to a brunette (even cuter than the one in the VW spot).

Still don't have a Jetta.

And another Volkswagen commercial captures my imagination... again.

It features a pint-size Darth Vader roaming the house using "The Force."

You never see the boys face under the mask, but I think that is the point.

Every time I watch this commercial I kept waiting for him to take off the mask and find my son's smiling face.

I want to be that Dad who comes home, arms wide open, waiting to see this son who he raised well on ways of The Force.

My son is only 12 months old. We haven't gotten to movies yet, but this commercial gives me a glimpse of what it might be like for Keane and I.

It's a clever spot with charm and wit by which the dad in one brilliant press of the button, not only starts the ignition, but starts a boys imagination.

Whether the ad men at VW intended this, but not only did they make a silver four door sedan seem cool, but a family of four as well.

I may never get that Volkswagen, but that's ok, I have someone just as cool.