From pillar to post Devotional 25

I haven't posted a devotional in about 10 days, I guess I was just waiting for a topic to reveal itself to me. This devotional is about friendship more specifically a friendship that I have with two people that are more like brothers than anything elese. I have creatively named this devotional pillar to post for a very important reason. That reason being "the historical known as "The Parthenon." I know what you may be thinking what does The Parthenon have to do with friendship?
Look at the image very close, how is it built? Throughout the historical structure there are pillars holding this giant piece of Greek history up. To say the least it has seen its fare share of years.

In reguards to me, it not easy to be my friend despite the reports of others. Friendship when it comes to me requires alot of self sacrifice. It does require a deeper understanding than what your eyes see.
Through my younger years my disabillity was really a strong compoenent of how I lived my life. I and my parents would base decisons around my disabillity 90% of the time. As a young child I was restricted with what I could do, because my parents feared for my safety.

I don't think anybody can ever imagine what its like growing up with this disabillity. You heard the old sang, "To understand a man's journey in life you have to walk in his shoes."
The year was 1992 I had just moved from a private Christian School to a Public Elementry School. This was done so I would get more attention physically and medically in terms of therapy. I recieved attention alright. I attended Central Perth Elementry School. I was kind of a pioneer student, for things to happen at the school. What do I mean by being a pioneering student. Well before men it is my belief that Central Perth had never seen a student like me before. When I entered Central or C.P. as the alummi members called it, it prompted change for learning and access to more areas of the school. People went along learning to deal with my student stature.

When I said earlier that I had recieved attention it wasn`t of the possitive kind, it was based on misunderstanding and curiousity more than anything. I became a local school celeberity with in a matter of days. The crowds of people only grow from the passing weeks and months. All the crowds asked me three questions.

1. Why do walk like that?
2. Why are you like like us?
3. Why are you here?

I would go record and saying amongst my troubles physically that hardest thing in life as young child was answering these three questions. Why? Typically everyone would ask me and no matter I said to them, I knew that they would never fully understand what I was saying to them. Heck at the time , I didn't even understand why? Two people were bold enough to approach me and a friendship developed, they two asked me those three questions I was asked so often, but they came back and began to talk more with ne, and it wasn't discussions on how big my scars are. Rather we made fun of everyone and used humour to a great extent. This came in handing when being in class and dealing witb boring school days. Because I was bored and competitive I developed a great rivalry with classmate Brent Nurse. a rivalry that grew to a legendary battle that I don't think had been seen since the battle of David Vs Goliath. At first thought people would concieve this rivalry as a bad thing and some people would even go so far as to call it a dark period in my life. But looking back on iy with friends as I often do I can say this "At that point in my life, never had a dull moment." If that rirvalry taught me anything it taught me to step up to the plate, with your head held high whem faced with adversity. O am glad that I learned that lesson at a very young to prepare me for events that. Through my life I have dealt with tribulation and trimuph. I couldn't get through my life without it. With all that being said.

Philippians 4:13
<< Philippians 3 | Philippians 4 | Colossians 1 >>

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.




Anth

ANGELS AND DEMONS

The anti drug Jesus Devotional 24

I want to start this devotional off by saying "Physical fittness is a great thing, I think anybody who is anybody should have fittness in there lives."

Its no secret to find out how I was raised, I was rasised more like a machine than anything else by my father. Who was constantly pushing me and eventually drove me into anger rather than desire. Thats what we are sitting here talking about "my desire." As I stated in earlier devotionals I grew and fell in love with the art of wrestling entertainment.
I was the biggest supporters of Superstars like The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Triple H & Steve Austin. There was only one problem I wasn't them, I didnt have the desire my father had for me. I think my fathers reality for my fittness was blurd just a bit. He used make me sit and watch Rocky Ballboa workout, I used to have to watch them religiously.

He said Anthony, one day that could be you. I knew it was never going to be, I was 14 years old and sitting at 80lbs. Somewhere along the line my father got it in his head to train me, even when I didn't want to be or asked to be.
Even though it was tough to do, I did it. When I turned 18 I said I've had enough, You have trained me for 6 years and you got me nowhere. All this did was get my father angry. I came to the conclusion that he had a point to what he was trying to do for me and I had a point to what I was saying.
When I became the age of 22,my family would always comment on my size, "I was never big enough, 'I needed more more muscle, strength." Whatever happened it always came back to the same old story, why can't you be the size of your brothers.
So in a bold act I put my foot down aganist my father. I went on a physical fittness test for three months comparing my father's workouts for me, and actually joining a fittness centre, Goodlife Fittness. My father wanted nothing to do with this test but he said "I will show you that your wrong."

At 23, I began to really get involved in fittness and I loved it, I felt awesome , I was in the best of my life. I even blew away my trainers with progress. To explain to you how overly dedicated I was about this fittness thing. Most days when I wasn't in school you could find me in the gym working out for the next four hours. Now I went that long because I had to work harder to get physically stronger, because I was at a disadvantage as you are well aware of because of my C.P.
I contined to workout and I wanted more and more results, so I went to an old friend and asked if there was anything I do or anything I could take to improve and show my results better. He sugguested a few things, but the most important thing he told me was "This is a marathon not a sprint, keep working hard and your results will come." Martin G.

I was faced with this oppertunity yesterday to enhance my look by taking not only supplments but steroids. I had been thinking about for three weeks. I brought this to my friend Krista she said " Jesus is your anti drug." No word of a lie I had been repeating this one bible verse, "Your body is a temple I just kept repeating it thinking ok so what do I do?
Well I can say this thank goodness for John Cena. Why do I say that? I picked up on something he said while watching RAW last week. "Adapt and overcome." John Cena see this proves I can learn more from the WWE than just the old Hulk Hogan saying "Say your prayers and eat your vitamins."

Wrestling superstar The Rock once a had T-shirt that he wore a few years back and it said I think it said "LIVE FAST, GO HARD, BE STRONG."
The end result being in my case anyway, that I'm going to have to work extra hard at anything I do in life, if I really wanted it. Sure on one side I would like better and faster results but how will I really know if its the steroids and other supplments or as a result of my hard work?
I'm going to take advice from all three WWE superstars. I'm going to pray and ask for Jesus to guide me through workouts, I will adapt and overcome, and I will be strong."

With that in closing I would like to leave you with this scripture.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (New International Version)

19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.



Anthony an Italian who knows Jesus

Kerri taks Italian - Devotional 23

Kerri Pomarolli a well known Christian comedian recently taught me a very important life lesson, "laughter is like chicken soup for the soul.

Yes her name is Pomarolli, and I can say that because I to know what its like to have "I"'s in your name. Since this devotional is all about laughter I thought I would do my best to make you laugh. But before I get to that I want to tell you how Kerri made me see that laughter is good for the soul.
For the longest I was right there with God getting it and I even got Jesus. But this is how I grew up. I was raised Italian, Christian , who had the hertiage of Catholic who later became a Christian Baptist. Yeah I know its quite a mouth full and were not even talking about food.

Growing up I was scared to speak to my parents because a wooden spoon became their best defense. How do I know that I am Italian well whenever my father speaks in his accent he uses his hands so he can help me follow along.

In my families culture I think if my family believes in the realilty of heaven it is my belief that they feel as though they have a golden ticket to heaven because they can make more than bread and God will never go hungry.

I don't work for the mafia, although I might like to, they always dress so nice.
My favourite singer isn't Kurt Cobain or Lady Gaga , its Andrea Bocelli.
If your Italian and you can name 100 saints before you can recall 10 verses from the King James bible than your Italian. For me thats where I was stuck, I would get to a certain point of known Jesus and building a relationship with him, and than say Ok I am good for three weeks. I came face to face with my oldself yesterday and won the victory. All because of laughter. To show you just what I'm tlking about here's a video of Kerri's testimony.



Proverbs 17:22
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

My name is Anthony and I am an Italian who knows Jesus.

Facebook Overload Devotional 22 Hebrews 10-25

We all knew it, the technological age is here. For wayS of communication we have Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Xbox, Internet, Cell Phones and txt messaging. This past week I have been all about Facebook. What do I mean by that? Well this past week I spend so much time on facebook that I had no idea where the time went before it was just that quickly the very next day.

Allow me to back it up an explain to you why I spend so much time on Facebook this past week. This past week my TV went down so I comprimised and told my friends that I would be spend alot of time on Facebook.
Recently my television got re-connected, not by a serviceman, but it was reconnected by myself. All I had to do was plug in a black cord, that kind of was a reminder of the old school Nintendo back in the day. The irony of this is, if I would have just looked around and saw the black cord it could have easily been connected again, but because I was so sure that it was disconnected I left it alone.

So through this past week I became so consumed in facebook, that I didn't do 2 things, I didn't look at the TV to see if something was really disconnected or not. My relationship with God suffered as well. Because I was so abundantley consumed in Facebook, here is what happened. I would plan schedule hours to spend with God, and they just would not happen, because I was so focused in on Facebook that it distracted me away from God.

So I made a vow to myself to stay off Facebook for 40 days, to gain back some of this week lost time, and be more aware of what God is telling me.

I thought rather than write the verse out, I have a couple videos here that will I think perfectly convey my point.

I have taken this time to take "40" days off Facebook.

Take a look....











P.S. Krista you were looking for another devotional from me, here it is. As plain as can be. This is the tell all truth of procrastination at it`s finest hour.

Anthony

See No Evil (The American Story)

When in Rome a testimonal Devotional 21 John 5:3-8

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This devotional deals with real issues about real matters from the cases of real people. In this matter , this devotional will be handled with sensitivity and respect to all the parties mentioned in this piece.
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Before you, you see an image of "Maximus" (Russell Crowe) characterized lead role in the movie The Gladiator.

No, I'm not here to tell you that I have suddenley became a Gladiator, because in reality I wouldn't last 10 seconds in that enviroment.

For me to tell you about this story , I use an image of Maximus as a symbolic measurement for my childhood.

Usually the birth of a baby is one of the happiest events to ever happen in a parents life.

Well my birth was filled with joy an sorrow. My parents found out that I would be diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. A certain disabillity to the legs, I was susposed to be confined to a chair for the remainder of my natrual life.

My dad refused to take that, day an night he would do home phyiso to help me with my legs. My parents both thought it would be eaiser for me to get the help I needed rather than sue the hospital for millions.

As I grew , it became a daily struggle for my parents to look after my physical condition. It was stressful to say the least. I'm sure at first sight every parent wants the best for their child.

I think the same can be said for my parents , they seem to accomplish that sometimes but by very misguided means. To them they thought were doing the best they can, but for me I would beg to differ. If I was to talk to anybody within the family I would get the same answers.

"Anthony, its how they were raised, thats their form of discipline because they know no other." My parents were raised in the 50's which in that time meant " a form of hard discipline." So you can raise your eyebrows and think for a moment of what I am refering to. You know that old saying , if your parents get mad at you and discipline you, its because they care.

Well I terrified that they cared a little too much. If you know where I am going with this. The reason I felt like that is because my brothers and sister were not disciplined the same way. "So what reward did I win that they felt the need to discipline me so much? I believe when it came to my parents discipling me they had a bibical mentality that wasn't fully understood. Their bibical mentallity was "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

I am constantly reminded of this line from the book "The Huricane."
"The kindest thing I can say about my childhood is that I survived it." Ruban Carter. I read that book when I was 18 and I thought Wow , so ture.
My childhood survival is due to my grandmother, who took me for most weekends and brought me to church.

Throughout my childhood my parents main goal for me was to live life like everybody else, enjoying the same advantages as everyone else. This is where I say my parents used misguided means. As a child I grew up watching wrestling and movies like Rocky.

When this happened my mother had a constant saying when I would tune into watch wrestling or another Rocky boxing match, "Anthony if you spent as much time on your phyiso as you do watching wrestling you would have the strength of a bull."

Reguardless even at my young age, I knew my my parents tatics to strength my physical condition weren't of always the best kind. My father had seen that I had taken a liking to Rocky films , so he began to raise me up like Rocky.

What do I mean by that, check this list out.

1.In the morning I would drink 4 eggs mixed in a cup blended with milk, and I was asked to drink it EVERYDAY.
2. I would be asked to run outsside for aleast four hours per day, you guessed it! EVERYDAY.
3. In the summer, I would be asked to wear the heaviest clothes and go for a run for three hours. This purpose was intended for me to sweat.

During the afternoons I still had my regular phyiso.
My condition wasn't satisfying to my father, throughout my life I went through 14 , yes 14 sugeries in multiple areas of the legs and bones. Nothing had seem to work , no correction to my physical appearance was made.

In what I can only believe was pure fustration my father had sold our house and we moved into the contry from a former small town. Just for the record if you move a child with physical needs to an area such as the country with stores and the busyness of a town far away,

The child (me) had no choice but to feel isolared and rather dependent on everyone, which is what I felt. In the eyes of my father he was doing a great service for me, buying a property that held 22 acers of land.

All the more land for me to use and run with. Lets face it. There's only so many times you can run without getting fustrated because you are going nowhere but back and forth. My father wasn't satisfied with just me running he instructed me to run the entire length of the property 10 times a day and yes it again was EVERYDAY.

During my running in a effort to correct my footwork, my father took it AGAIN one step further and took some rope and tied bricks to my feet. This was to ensure that I would remember to pick feet up when I ran.

I can flat out tell you that none of the above worked to improve my physical condition. Why you ask? Even though my parents would try the best they could to improve my quality of life, I had no motivation.

All of what I did, the runnning , the boxing, the phyiso to me it felt like a chore. A chore I wanted to nothing to do with. I did the "chore" to avoid more raging discipline, which I recieved anyway. Why? In my father's eyes I just didn't work hard enough.

My time to prove my point was coming, what point did I have to prove? I always told myse;f that if I wanted to correct myself than I would do it on my terms and not because a chore,
Two years ago, I had what I can only discribe as the most painful surgery I'd ever have. It included 4 months in rehab. I was quite happy about that because I would spend sometime away from home. I would finally get a chance to do things my way rather than what Dr. Dad had prescribed for me.

I did this because Jesus himself gave me the desire to get up an walk. These days, I don't struggle with C.P. As I used to when I was small. I believed that I could do it, and through that the inner desire was planted in me. Why would I want to be like everyone else? This is what God desires to show that I don't have to go to extraordinary lengths to be a "strong man." Jesus IS my STRENGTH!

3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.[b] 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

7"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

8Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.



Pay attention to the disabled man at the pool.




I have taken this clip from Rocky 4 to show an "example" of how desire works when it cames to my conditioning and how my father raised me.



This a song I found that perfectly and beautifully describes my abussive childhood. Take a listen....

Anthony

Starving & Stuck - Devotional 20

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Angels and Demons - Devotional 19 Peoverbs 1:2

Hello all, this is a key devotional that I write to you today. This devotional has nothing to do with the upcoming movie Angels & Demons but it has everything to do with it. What does that mean , well take it from someone who has read the Angels & Demons book, it is a well written book that has great action and suspense to go along with it.
Now I'm not here today to give praises to author Dan Brown, nor am I here to bash him in anyway.

Everybody knows that there is constantly a battle between Science and Faith. That is evidant, Science is a tempered learning suject that shows us physical evidance within the world. Where as "religious means are to show the greatness spiritual revaltions of God. So whos right?
Well in my opinion I don't believe Science and Faith, can't survive without the other.

What does that mean? Well men desire knowledge. Men are consistantly curious about the world we live. So there will always be questions asked by men. But really how can we understand the workings of the the Lord that is most high.

In that men's quest for knowledge for the world all to gain and grasp a better understanding is always going to be. Usually I give you one mention of scripture, but I feel there is way too much information about this subject within the word of God, that it would be unfair just to mention one point of scripture. I have studied three verses on this particular topic and here they are.

Proverbs 1:2 (King James Version)

2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

2 Corinthians 4:18 (King James Version)

18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Matthew 7:15 (King James Version)

15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.




Anthony