Be Careful, Someone is Listening

One day at a fast food restaurant, I appeared angry, although I didn't say anything, due to a long line. An attendant noticed this, and stated: " We're doing the best we can, sir!" Embarrassed and chastised, I sulked away after I got my order. It got me thinking that people are watching and listening when we don't think they are. Our behavior is our witness, not just our words. Be careful when you want to be an example of Christian behavior. It is not always praying in public, when we call attention to ourselves and our careful with our words, but in the everyday world of day to day affairs. Be careful, someone is watching, and not only God.

One More Day

There is an apocryphal story of a frustrated actress who jumped off the Hollywoodland sign because of not being able to get the parts she wanted from directors. After killing herself, a casting director called wanting her for a major role, not knowing she committed suicide. One more day could have led to a long and fulfilling life, as well as a possible flourishing movie career where she could have enthralled millions of people.

One more day. You just don't know what will come tomorrow. It may be the day you do something great, achieve a dream, perform a goal, or help someone change their life (or just helping them get through the day themselves). Life is a precious treasure by God, and given with a purpose with unique gifts. When the storm clouds of life appear, reach out to someone, seek help, and pray. Remember, just one more day can make all the difference between the end and becoming what God's purpose for you as well as others. One more day.

From the Balcony

I watched a string quartet alone from a balcony. Amidst the noise and hubbub of the frantic day, a brief interlude watching the violinists and cello player reminds me there is still a quietness and culture left in this world, if only we can seek it out.

Let's Start a Community

Checking the stats, I see I hit the 1,000 viewer mark. They come from Canada to Indonesia, and France to Russia. Maybe a modest amount compared to super blogs, but not bad for a guy from Northwest Pennsylvania.




I see from my stats on Google people from all over the world viewing the blog.  It would be great to hear from my international audience for their unique take on my posts as well as fellow Americans. I wonder though how many, if any at all, come back and regularly check for new posts. But I would like to state how much I appreciate everyone logging in and seeing my viewpoint on various topics, and would love to hear from all of you, too! Drop me a message of what you think, and what you like and don't like. I'm open to constructive criticism.




Book mark this site and check back. Please give me feedback and encouragement about what you like or don't like. Suggest what I can offer to sell, such as "Night Watch" merchandise like caps and tee shirts, and comment on a post. Let's start a "Night Watch" community.

What is Your Epiphany?

My friend Doug once said when he had a question about something spiritual, he would go to a secluded spot and pray to God he called "Dad." One night, being perplexed about a question, he gazed at the sky and asked for an answer. It was then a shooting star blazed across the sky, as if to tell him everything would be alright in the end.

What is you epiphany, or "Road to Damascus" moment? Did you have a question, or desire, that was overwhelming and you thought that there was no answer, only to have a response to it decidedly made? Maybe it was a question on the Bible; was it true. Or philosophical in nature. Whatever it was, was an answer given to you that, at least somewhat, answered your question?



 Someday, all questions and needs will be answered, so we can use this time on this side of Eternity on earth to appreciate the Universe of wonders to answers left to be delivered. I love serving a God that gives us a quest to always keep learning more and using faith
to rely on.

Birthday: A Remembrance

I had a friend I grew up with I reconnected with recently. He then decided to friend me on Facebook page, which I accepted. A few months later, I sadly find out he passed away of natural causes. Weeks later, his Facebook account gave me a notification of his birthday, and I was struck by it suddenness and irony. We live on now not just in pictures and memories, but now in a digital realm as well. In this sphere we can create the person we want to be by projecting our selves they way we want to.


Is that all we'll leave behind in the future, a social media account that records our milestones and accomplishments?


As the message came up, I looked into a picture, and seen a happy man who did not know of his impending fate. Accepting his message of friendship on social media was all I did, and wish I reached out back to him. Never take gestures of friendship for granted.

We were meant to be outcasts, not the establishment.

When I hear about prayer in public school, I become automatically sympathetic. However, formal prayer become rote, and perhaps we took it for granted.

Coming back to what we were: outcasts, martyrs, and rebels that transformed the world and establishing a worldwide religion of believers, willing to sacrifice to spread our faith.

But then we became the establishment, and such horrors as the Inquisition and stake burnings occurred we Christians became the mainstream. We became the opposite of what we were commanded to be. The most horrific crimes committed were done by theocratic states.


The Apostle Paul, John the Baptist, Dietrich Bonheoffer, and others like them, were anti Establishment and therefore not corrupted by it. They faced inhumanity and enslavement and fought back and created an example for all of us to follow. When Christianity became the Establishment, it had a new master to follow, and as a result the faith became the state along



Today in a multicultural world, more people are coming to faiths other than Christianity, such as Islam, Witchcraft, and Buddhism.


True, they took formal and prescribed prayer out of public schools, but something great happened to fill the void. Bible study groups and student led prayer have formed all over America. Some time it was against a court's ruling, but did it anyway despite the consequences. Students seen a void in their schools and sought to fill it, not by law or statute by an outpouring of yearning to fill what was missing.



Let's get back to our roots and become hungry again. Being establishment makes us complacent, and that's something the early Disciples were not. Let's become rebels again and regain that lost zeal.