Dan Safarik

Writer at Grand Island Independent

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Articles

Rev. Dan Safarik: Check your ego at the door

2 weeks ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

Some years ago a Hollywood producer named Quincy Jones was able to bring together the superstars of the entertainment world. He produced and directed several entertainment events such as the hit recording, “We Are The World”. To set the tone for the team of music superstars he put a sign over the entrance to the recording studio that read: “CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR.”This is the same message Jesus delivered on several occasions. One of those was in Luke 14:7-11.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Come away and rest awhile

2 weeks ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

A man went to his doctor to see what could be done about his problem of snoring. The doctor asked the man if it was loud enough to disturb his wife. The man said, “Disturb my wife? It disturbs the whole congregation!”There are always a few in every congregation who try to catch up on their sleep during church. Most of them are babies. I have to admit I wish I could sleep through a service sometimes. We do need our rest. Even Jesus invited his followers to rest awhile.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Something solid in a shaky world

3 weeks ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

A well-known preacher tells of a little lady who approached him after he had preached at a convalescent home. After a little discussion, he admitted, “I’m afraid I may have preached a little too long for you folks.”“Oh, no,” she replied, it wasn’t too long it just seemed long,”That’s about the shakiest thing that can happen to a preacher. There are a lot of things that leave us feeling shaky in life. Have your ever had a car accident or a near miss?
Rev. Dan Safarik: How to bring out the best in others

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher who would leave the classroom and sneak back quietly to catch kids misbehaving. Ken Blanchard, who wrote “The One Minute Manager,” wrote, “Catch people doing something right and tell them.”Of these two approaches, which one would you like for others to do to you? Of these two approaches, which do you do to others? A lot of us could do much better than we do to build other people up.
Rev. Dan Safarik: No turning back

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

In a Sunday School class, they were reading the story about Lot and his family in the Old Testament. Lot’s family was delivered from the decadence and eventual destruction of the city of Sodom. The angels told the family when they escaped the destruction not to look back. Lot’s wife disobeyed and she turned into a pillar of salt.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Seasons of change

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

The old pastor made it a practice to visit the parish school one day a week. He walked into the fourth-grade class, where the children were studying the states. He asked how many states they could name. They came up with about 40 of the states. He jokingly told them that in his day students had to know the names of all the states. One boy raised his hand and said, “Yes, but in those days there were only 13!”Everything seems to change over time.
Rev. Dan Safarik: We all have our sacred places

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

There was a lady who had worked for the military for a number of years. She agreed to be the local church secretary. After she had been there awhile, the pastor found out all the files had been organized into two categories – Sacred and Top Sacred. We probably do that in our minds also. There are many memories that might be good and then there are those memories that are very special. We might even call them sacred and top sacred. What places do you think of as sacred?
Children Share Wisdom At Christmas

1 month ago | wahoo-ashland-waverly.com | Dan Safarik

Many years ago Mark Twain wrote the following holiday message in the New York World: “It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us — the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage — may eventually be gathered together in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss — except the inventor of the telephone.”Sounds like Mark Twain must have had a couple of teenagers at home.
Rev. Dan Safarik: To obey or not to obey

2 months ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

“Every time you disobey me, I get one strand of grey hair. If you want me to say pretty, you better obey me.” The mother quickly returned to her task of washing dishes. The little girl stood there thinking. She cleared her throat again. “Mother, why is Grandma’s hair all grey?”How do we get our kids to obey us? How does God get his kids to obey him? There are many verses in the Bible about the value of obedience.
Rev. Dan Safarik: 'The Only Place That Matters'

2 months ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

I ran across a story that means a lot to my family and me. I hope it is a blessing to you also. It is a story written by a priest from New Jersey:“I was driving along on the Garden State Parkway on my way home … the woman in the car ahead of me was talking to someone.