Episodes
Thursday Apr 26, 2018
FGG-180 Well Known or Worth Knowing
Thursday Apr 26, 2018
Thursday Apr 26, 2018
We live in a time of instant stardom and notoriety. People go from relative obscurity to fame overnight. Whether it’s American Idol, The Voice, Dancing with the Stars, a cable reality show, or an Instagram post that goes viral, someone is only a heartbeat away from being well known. In this podcast Tony asks, Well Known or Worth Knowing?
Quotes: “Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.” –Confucius
“Seek To Be Worth Knowing Rather Than Be Well Known” – Anonym
Scripture: “He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” –Matthew 22:37
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” –Colossians 3:12
For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.” –Romans 1:17
Reflections: What is the difference between well-known and worth knowing? Which do you strive for? Why do you think that popularity has become the goal and not being a better person?
Wednesday Apr 18, 2018
FGG-179 Quit Your Complaining!
Wednesday Apr 18, 2018
Wednesday Apr 18, 2018
“If you are not grateful for the things you have, what makes you think you will be grateful for the things you want.” –Tony Agnesi
Every March, Diane and I are blessed to spend the month in sunny Naples, Florida. We love the nearby Vanderbilt Beach and walk the beach every morning for an hour and a half. We are so grateful to share this time together. Every year, I comment on how I missed my life’s calling as a beach bum!
Naples is an upscale city and most of the people here are retired successful folks from other parts of the country and seasonal vacationers. I love everything about the area except for one thing. In the 20 plus years we have been coming here I can’t believe is how unfriendly everyone is.
You would think that with the beautiful sunshine and near perfect sunny days everyone would be in a grateful, cheerful mood. But, that doesn’t seem to be the case. People here are always complaining about something. Somewhere along the way being grateful for your blessings has disappeared.
“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” –Colossians 3:17
And, what do they complain about? Here is sample of what I overheard in just one day.
A wealthy woman complained that her smart phone battery wasn’t lasting as long as it should. She blamed the sales clerk at the phone store.
A man complained that he had his drink flag up at the Ritz Carlton for over five minutes before the waiter arrived. He wanted his drink for free.
A woman at the coffee shop complained that the foam heart on her cappuccino was misshapen and wanted it replaced.
A young girl arrived at Dunkin’ Donuts in her daddy’s Tesla and ordered a jelly doughnut with the jelly on the side and was disturbed that they couldn’t fulfill her request. She reluctantly took the regular jelly doughnut (with the jelly inside) and paid for it with Apple Pay on her iPhone 10.
An elderly woman complained that there would be a 30 minute wait to be seated in a popular restaurant. Her husband offered, “What else do you have to wait for besides death!” I liked him!
As I walked the beach, I smile and say good morning to everyone I passed. Of the many people I recently greeted one morning only one responded with a good morning reply. Most ignored me, turned their heads away or even worse, looked at me in disgust.
My point is that, even in arguably the sunniest, prettiest city on the gulf coast, people can’t even say good morning. And for some reason they are ALWAYS finding something to complain about.
Gratitude and humility just doesn’t seem to exist!
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” –2 Corinthians 9:15
I was almost ready to give up on humanity when I had an encounter with a migrant worker.
His skin was dark and stained from too much sun exposure. His hands were chapped and cut. His clothes dirty from the fields.
As we made eye contact, I smiled and said “Hello.”
“Hello,” He quickly responded.
“How are you?” was my automatic response.
He paused for a moment, raised his hands toward heaven, tipped back his head and rolled his eyes skyward, and didn’t say a thing; not a single word. Without speaking, he spoke volumes!
Without saying a word I heard;
Thank you God for my life.
Thank you God for being able to support my family.
Thank you for all the blessings you have given me.
Without speaking, he restored my faith in humanity. This man understands that all that we have is a gift from God and gratitude and humility lead to happiness.
Quite a contrast, right? So I ask you, who is happier?
Thursday Apr 12, 2018
FGG-178 Who are the Lepers of Today?
Thursday Apr 12, 2018
Thursday Apr 12, 2018
There is an often told story of St. Francis of Assisi and an encounter with a leper. I’ve seen many different versions. The stories might be different but the life lesson is the same. So, who are the lepers of today? Who are the voiceless, ignored and forgotten among us? Who does society reject? And, more importantly, what should we as Christians do about it? In this podcast Tony discusses the Lepers of today.
Quotes: “The Lord gave me, Brother Francis, thus to begin doing penance in this way: for when I was in sin, it seemed too bitter for me to see lepers. And the Lord Himself led me among them and I showed mercy to them. And when I left them, what had seemed bitter to me was turned into sweetness of soul and body.” –St Francis of Assisi in his Testament
“Among all the awful miseries of this world Francis had a natural horror of lepers, and one day as he was riding his horse near Assisi he met a leper on the road. He felt terrified and revolted, but not wanting to transgress God’s command and break the sacrament of His word, he dismounted from his horse and ran to kiss him. As the leper stretched out his hand, expecting something, he received both money and a kiss. Francis immediately mounted his horse and although the field was wide open, without any obstructions, when he looked around he could not see the leper anywhere.” — Thomas of Selano wrote in his biography of Francis Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul
Reflections: Do you feel that the homeless, handicapped, unborn and incarcerated are the lepers of today? What can we do to recognize them as God’s children? Are you ever guilty of shunning these people?
Saturday Apr 07, 2018
FGG-177 Scars, We All Have Them
Saturday Apr 07, 2018
Saturday Apr 07, 2018
As I was shaving in front of the bathroom mirror, I couldn’t help but notice the huge scar on my stomach. It reminded me that it has been 12 years since I had surgery for colon cancer. Two feet of colon removed and cancer free for over a decade and the ugly scar to prove it. In this podcast Tony discusses our scars.
Quotes: Other times, I look at my scars and see something else: a girl who was trying to cope with something horrible that she should never have had to live through at all. My scars show pain and suffering, but they also show my will to survive. They’re part of my history that’ll always be there.” ― Cheryl Rainfield
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” ― Kahlil Gibran
“Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?” –Fulton J. Sheen
Reflections: What are your scars? Have you become stronger when you embraced your scars? Have your personal scars made you more compassionate to others?