“GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS”

I can still clearly remember the very day/hour that my life changed from being destined for hell, to being eternally secure in the fact of knowing my new destiny for heaven. That day and hour was: Saturday, August 28th, 1987, approximately 11:00 p.m. Perhaps for some or most Christians, they cannot recall a specific day/hour. But for me, there was NO doubt as to when I became a part of the “family of God”—saved by His mercy and
grace at the age of 36 years old! (I John 5:11-13)

Before telling you of that pivotal point in my life, let me first explain a bit about myself. I was born the 3rd of 7 children (2 older brothers, 2 younger sisters, and then 2 youngest brothers) in a small town in southeast Texas to what I thought was a “middle class” working family. It was only later in life that I realized we were really considered “lower class” since we lived in 100+ year old very modest wood frame house—next to the county courthouse square!

In any case, we never went hungry—even if it was as simple as Karo syrup with crackers and water for supper. Nonetheless, I was born into a religious family that believed in being active within the community, school and attended Sunday school and church every Sunday morning. We were later told how the pastor and others always looked forward to seeing our family come —that way we’d boost the attendance, taking up a whole pew at church!

Daddy was a ”young entrepreneur” (only 20 years old) who borrowed money from a long time family friend to become sole proprietor of a small sheet metal, and later air conditioning business. Dad was, still is a prideful man who worked long and hard hours (not unusual to get up and be working at 3:00 a.m.) to provide for us the best way he knew how. After all, Dad wanted each of us to get that college education that he never got—where he said many times he wanted to become “a Philadelphia lawyer”! Mom meanwhile had a “full-time” job simply raising 7 kids.

So it was, I grew up in this humble setting where I worked in the family business from junior high through high school, and then through college until I received my bachelors degree in 1975. (My inspiration for getting a degree was so I wouldn’t have to keep working as an air conditioning laborer in those very hot attics with itching fiberglass insulation!) Upon graduating with no money in the bank, but at least no educational loans to pay off either, I had proposed to my dear wife. We were married 3 months later—living and enjoying the “big city life” of Houston.

JAMES POLASEK TESTIMONY

So it was, my brothers and sisters also got married either before or afterwards—each of us trying to make our fortune in life. Not meaning to be competitive, yet it appeared we were all working towards that bigger, new house, car/truck, while trying to be active in our community and churches—“going through the motions of life”!

I had played piano and/or organ in Sunday school and church from the early age of about 12 years old all through out my life, and when/if I didn’t play—I sang in the choir. My wife and I also became involved as Sunday school teachers, serving on various church committees, administrative boards, etc. After all, I was simply “going through the motions” of being a good Christian (or so I thought!).

All was well until that fateful day I’ll never forget, where my faith in God was tested to the nth degree. That was that Friday mid-morning, August 28th, 1987 when my wife received that dreaded phone call from a family member, and then called me at work to tell me that I needed to come home quickly. And so I did, not having any idea why or what happened, but knowing it must be very serious.

Upon getting home, my wife was in tears as she told me of the sad tragedy of our then 11 year old nephew, Michael (my sister’s oldest child), who had just been struck by a van crossing the highway in front of their house. Later we were told that Michael had persisted in his pleading with his mother (my sister), to let him go get the mail for her from their mailbox. After all, he had done so many times before.

Even though my sister indicated to Michael that she appreciated his willingness to do so, but that she would go get it after she finished her work in the kitchen, as she was also caring for his younger brother and sister. Nonetheless, with Michael’s persistence, she allowed him to go for the mail. Moments later, she heard the screeching van tires, blowing horn and the horrific “thump” of Michael’s body being hit and thrown some
distance—in front of my brother’s house. Michael had died instantly upon impact. It was at this point that my brother-in-law (his father) who was at the office at work said later he knew in his spirit from God what had happened—even before ever receiving the dreaded phone call.

It was this point in my life that changed FOREVER! Because as tragic as it was for us to lose this young boy at only 11 years old, we KNEW that he was in heaven with God. As for me—with my very heart torn out, aching for my sister, brother-in-law and all of the family, I realized that “IF that were me and my dead body on that highway, I DIDN’T KNOW if I would be in heaven!!

*Having given you this background of my life circumstances, to continue reading about the details of my conversion from a life destined for Hell, to a life destined and eternally secure for Heaven (as written/recorded by me after my conversion—July 17, 1988), read:

“The Polasek Family Conversion”--,

Chapter 1: My Salvation Experience, and
Chapter 2: My Growth with Christ in Understanding His Will, --Not Ours

Sunday Morning July 17, 1988

5:30 a.m. By: James Polasek

THE POLASEK FAMILY CONVERSION

Chapter 1: My Salvation Experience

My new life in Christ as a “born again” Christian –

My first experience where I asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into my heart was 2 days after my nephew’s tragic and sudden death (death to the non-believer, but life for Michael—even at age 11 already being a “born again” Christian) on August 28th, a Saturday evening at about 11:00 p.m.

I was home wrestling with myself, trying to go to sleep when I couldn’t. I became caught up emotionally in all of the week-end’s events-trying to grasp the reality of Michael suddenly being gone from our family with no warning of sickness or lingering injuries (but “in the twinkling of an eye”), the morbid ordeal of having to make the funeral service arrangements, and other
funeral preparations at hand, and most of all experiencing the helplessness of trying to comfort
my sister Martha and Guy for all the hurting and grief they were feeling, having to give up their first-born child (the oldest grandchild on my side of the family) at only age 11 when he was just beginning to blossom in life.

Then I think, how would I feel—could I handle such a tragedy as this, being so real yet unbelievable, if it had happened to Steven, my son, my first-born, my pride and the love and joy of my life? And to that I have to answer, I don’t think I could, or at very least I too would have great difficulty in accepting it. It would certainly change my outlook on life as I had previously
known it and would change my priorities of what was and is important in this life on earth.

So it was out of these thoughts and realization that I came to realize this tragedy was changing all of my family and we would never be the same again. We would not, we could not take God’s gift of life to us for granted anymore. Even though we were feeling all of the emotional anger towards God, a God of mercy and love, for having allowed this to happen to this family, and it
did happen—we later came to realize that perhaps there was a reason God allowed Satan to do this.

It was time this family truly believed, trusted, and fervently and reverently worshiped God Almighty, King Eternal and Maker of Heaven and Earth and not just “go through the motions” of being a good Christian. Only giving lip service to him, saying yes I believe, going to Church every Sunday with our hearts out-of-tune with God, my playing the piano and organ at Church, being Sunday School teachers and leaders, or elders of the Chu

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