Pastor Rick's Blog

Yard Work

Pastor Rick — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:07:39 -0500

I try to keep my backyard clean, but the truth is that it is a battle I often lose, or willingly forfeit.

Some Quotes from 2011

Pastor Rick — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:48:47 -0500

Thinking about the beginning of a new year here are a few quotes that stuck with me this past year and one area that the Lord has been teaching me about.

Magna-Doodle Theology

Pastor Rick — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:45:44 -0400

My three year old daughter and I play a game with her magna-doodle (think etch-a-sketch with a pen replacing those wheels) that is a bit like pictionary.

An Unexpected Sabbath

Pastor Rick — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:49:10 -0400

Today was scheduled to be the third Sunday of our Global Outreach celebration.

The People You Meet at Walmart

Pastor Rick — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:15:25 -0400

You meet some interesting people in Walmart, especially in a down economy when people will take any job they can get.

Don't Give Away Your Blessings

Pastor Rick — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:09:05 -0400

"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8

Be Present (the drawbacks of social media)

Pastor Rick — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:12:56 -0400

As I am killing time scanning through tweets I notice that two people who I "follow" who live in different states are having dinner together.

Tiptoeing to God

Pastor Rick — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:55:13 -0400

So right now my two kids who are supposed to be asleep are sneaking up and down the stairs to "spy" on me.

Local Fruits and Vegetables

Pastor Rick — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:44:58 -0400

Growing your own vegetables is hard.

To Spear or Spare?

Pastor Rick — Sun, 22 May 2011 05:40:22 -0400

There are times in life when we believe that not only are we innocent in a situation, but that we are justified in being angry and no one would blame us if we took revenge.

The Subtle Difference Between Pity and Humility

Pastor Rick — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:47:44 -0400

I think sometimes we confuse genuine humility with self-pity or self loathing.

A Right of Passage for Dads

Pastor Rick — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:50:33 -0400

This week was a major dad right of passage for me. I "we" made Isaac's first pine wood derby car.

Of Tabernacles and Nuclear Power Plants

Pastor Rick — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:00:43 -0400

Lately, I have been learning far more than I ever wanted to know about nuclear power plants.

Thankful in the Midst of the Storm

Pastor Rick — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:18:59 -0500

Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”

Don't Forget to Say Thank You

Pastor Rick — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:25:14 -0500

There is a story in Luke 17 about Jesus healing ten people from leprosy. He instructed them to go show themselves to the priests and along the way all ten were healed.

Andy Stanley on A Bowl of Stew

Pastor Rick — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:59:04 -0400

At catalyst this week. Andy Stanley preached this morning on the passage where Esau trades his birthright for a bowl of stew.

Obedience = Fear

Pastor Rick — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:58:49 -0400

"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I'll tell you whom to fear.

Addi was the son of Cosam

Pastor Rick — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:40:24 -0400

I must admit that reading Luke 3 this morning I was tempted to breeze over all the names contained in the genealogy at the end of the chapter.

On Unanswered Prayer

Pastor Rick — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:32:27 -0400

Last Saturday my wife and I were playing a game with our son. The game had a spinner on which the highest number was eight and the lowest was one.

Opportunities for Grace

Pastor Rick — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:14:38 -0400

Reading today in C.S. Lewis. He uses an analogy for coming to Christ of moving from the hallway (place of waiting) into a room (place of relationship where there are chairs, meals, and fires).

How not to get caught in a snowstorm

Pastor Rick — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:22:08 -0500

While listening to the reports of snow for today, (which has yet to materialize) I could not help but think about a snowstorm two years ago that also occurred during the work day.

Bono on Grace

Pastor Rick — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:20:03 -0500

Just a quote I read today that I found worth sharing:

Bono, lead singer of the band U2, said:

Sports and Life

Pastor Rick — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:51:26 -0500

There have been two recent sports stories that have grabbed a prominent place in our culture.

Thanksgiving

Pastor Rick — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:02:49 -0500

"In this world, it is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich." - Henry Ward Beecher

The Difference between gods and God

Pastor Rick — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:12:28 -0400

Part of today's life journal reading says:

Whose fault is it?

Pastor Rick — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:29:44 -0400

Where do we point the finger when things go wrong?

We Can't Do Everything

Pastor Rick — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:04:45 -0400

I am just finishing up a book that I have been reading off and on for about a year.

Weeds in my Yard

Pastor Rick — Sat, 09 May 2009 11:30:24 -0400

Spent some time pulling weeds up in the yard today.

Taxes

Pastor Rick — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:50:47 -0400

Yesterday was tax day.

Resurrection Sunday

Pastor Rick — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:31:40 -0400

Last Sunday we had a great day at Mount Hope, as I am sure was the case at most churches. There is something special about Resurrection Sunday.

The Cost of Loving a Neighbor

Pastor Rick — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:42:06 -0400

I have to admit right off the bat that I have more than once seen someone pulled off on the side of the highway changing a tire or looking under the hood and thought about stopping.

Horton Hears a Who

Pastor Rick — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:09:43 -0500

"Horton Hears a Who" is a fun kids movie with an intersting message. Dr. Seus' character Horton is an elephant who discovers a whole world of "whos" living on a tiny speck on a flower.

Heartbreak Hill

Pastor Rick — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:12:00 -0500

In a couple of months thousands of people will set out to run the Boston Marathon and their greatest challenge will be around mile 20.5 in Newton when they hit heartbreak hill.

Sabbath

Pastor Rick — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:56:46 -0500

I really like the way the New Living Translation puts these verses:

Trust like Joseph

Pastor Rick — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:43:10 -0500

The Life Journal readings for the last couple days have had us in Genesis and the story of Joseph.

What to do with passages of Scripture we don't understand

Pastor Rick — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:21:03 -0500

As we are beginning the Life Journals and reading through the Bible together there are a number of common things that at some point we will probably all experience.

Don't Expect Too Much

Pastor Rick — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:38:26 -0500

Did you hear it? It happened late last night or sometime early this morning.

The devil and my toilet

Pastor Rick — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:26:56 -0500

So it has been quite an interesting weekend in the Picariello home. Isaac has hit that important milestone that every boy eventually reaches.

Roads

Pastor Rick — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 22:02:04 -0400

I grew up living on Nashua Road in Billerica. I always found it curious that Nashua Road was not in Nashua. I attended Mount Hope church when I was a kid which is off Lexington St. in Burlington.

I am Special, just like everyone else

Pastor Rick — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:23:38 -0400

While at a conference a couple of weeks ago I was enjoying a cup of free coffee from a group that helps the country of Rawanda by selling their coffee to Americans.

Golfing with Jesus

Pastor Rick — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:27:53 -0400

I was blessed last week to once again play in the Eric Habelow open golf tournament, which benefits the Mass Downs Syndrome Society.

Great Expectations

Pastor Rick — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:13:13 -0400

I read an article over the weekend about the two different sets of tears that were shed by USA gymnastic teams at the Olympics.

Sacrificial Leadership

Pastor Rick — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:22:52 -0400

I was reading this morning in Nehemiah 5:14-19 about some of the sacrifices that Nehemiah and his officials made as they led the nation in rebuilding the city walls.

Dealing with Personal Tragedy

Pastor Rick — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:39:51 -0400

Someone sent me this link to a video of the Chapman family on Good Morning America and how they have dealt with their personal tragedy of their daughter's death when she was accidentally run over by t

Personalized Worship?

Pastor Rick — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:23:09 -0400

I was driving in the car last week with Isaac in the back seat and I hear him say "I want to listen to Isaac songs." For a little while I couldn't figure out what he was talking about.

A Day at the Beach

Pastor Rick — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:37:13 -0400

We went to the beach this past Saturday. It was one of those rare beautiful New England summer days that we look forward to all winter.

What overwhelms you?

Pastor Rick — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:01:21 -0400

It's funny how in life we can allow ourselves to get overwhelmed by the wrong things.

Welcome Isabella!

Pastor Rick — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:00:50 -0400

On Thursday morning around 6:00 am Wendy and I welcomed Isabella Jean Picariello into the world. She was 6 pounds 4 ounces, 19 inches long, and pretty much the most beautiful baby in the world.

Hot Enough For Ya?

Pastor Rick — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:15:49 -0400

There is an interesting seasonal transition that takes place right about this time of year. It is a change that is as predictable as the leaves changing in autumn.

The End of My Old-New saw

Pastor Rick — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:22:28 -0400

I was cleaning out my garage on Monday and I came across a circular saw that Wendy gave me for a gift one year near the beginning of our marriage.

Home Improvement (Part 2)

Pastor Rick — Sat, 24 May 2008 20:17:51 -0400

Sometimes when people come over to our house I think about all the projects that need to be done and I want to post a sign that says "We're not finished yet." I wonder if God sometimes feels that way

Softball Tournament

Pastor Rick — Sat, 24 May 2008 20:04:32 -0400

Many Mount Hopers went to the annual Memorial Day softball tournament today. We had three teams all of which won at least one game.

Home Improvement

Pastor Rick — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:22:59 -0400

Sometimes I think being a homeowner means being willing to live with a lot of things that are a little broken all the time.

The Ebb and Flow of LIfe

Pastor Rick — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:03:56 -0400

A few weeks ago was school vacation week. With the school being such a large ministry of our church whenever there is a break or vacation things look (and sound) very different around the building.

Kicking the Stumps

Pastor Rick — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:54:32 -0400

I am sure that there are many things that you do once the Spring finally arrives. Maybe you put in some fresh flowers, spread the bark mulch, or give the lawn mower the first crank of the year.

God understands our fears

Pastor Rick — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:50:23 -0400

I came across a most interesting passage this week in Judges 7:10 the Lord is speaking to Gideon about going into battle and he says, "But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah

Thinking about the church

Pastor Rick — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:30:20 -0400

The youth did a great job with the service on Sunday. It is great to see them using the gifts that God has given them for God and to bless other people.

Ask

Pastor Rick — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:08:06 -0400

This past Sunday we looked at the passage in Matthew where Jesus says "ask and it will be given to you"(If you were not able to be with us check out the sermons online section).

A $10 Tarp

Pastor Rick — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:01:41 -0400

I like getting into Boston every once in a while. For those of you that work there everyday and battle traffic in and out it probably gets pretty mundane.

Waiting Rooms

Pastor Rick — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:15:29 -0400

I came across this verse in my Bible reading this week, "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us.

Neighbors and Missionaries

Pastor Rick — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:32:11 -0400

Today in our staff meeting we discussed a question that was something to the effect of, "If Mount Hope Christian Center were suddenly gone from Burlington, would anybody outside the church even notice

Why Should You Come to the Parents' Meeting?

Pastor Danielle — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:14:15 -0400

Our calendars seem to fill up very quickly and sometimes we don't want to add just one more thing to it. But here this Thursday (the 27th) we've added one more thing, the Parents' Meeting.

Mixed Signals

Pastor Rick — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:57:11 -0400

Last night before putting Isaac to bed we were going through the resurrection eggs with him.

What lies beneath

Pastor Rick — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:35:18 -0400

We had an excavator digging behind our building this week in order to find out if future building and expansion is a possibility out there.

Why I get the newspaper delivered

Pastor Rick — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:10:59 -0400

From what I understand I am in a dwindling minority of people who still read a newspaper, let alone have it delivered to their home.