Hey kids,
I'm working an evening shift at the pharmacy, filling in the dead time with some blogging. Mom's at home with you three. She just said you all were napping and she was getting some quiet time. Glad to hear. Wasn't sure how she would handle the increased workload of caring for three under 4 years old. It's a labor of love, though. We're so grateful to have all of you in our blossoming family!
I was in my men's group at church a couple evenings back and was listening to someone speak about the many facets of God's love towards us. A refreshing study, as I oftentimes can't appreciate his love in its fullness. Probably due mostly to my weak efforts at including him in my daily goings on. I don't pray a lot or meditate much on his love for me. A new year's resolution was to read through the Bible this year (not entirely, just whatever I can manage) with the focus of picking out God's love for us in the text. I wanted to know God's character, specifically his fondness for his children, by studying his interactions, statements, promises, demands, and actions.
Anyway, this particular study mentioned a verse that stuck with me above the others that day - Hebrews 11:6:
"Without faith, it is impossible to please God"
At face value, this verse tells me only christians can please God, as only christians demonstrate true faith in God. The speaker took it a step further, though, and I don't think he was wrong to do so. He said "it is my trust that pleases God". Faith/trust is the common denominator in all things that please God. Without it, those same things wouldn't please God. Therefore, it is the trust/faith itself that brings a smile to God's face.
It is my trust that pleases God.
Those days when I feel like a bumbling fool, incompetent towards God's purposes, sinful beyond measure - I still have my faith. Therefore I still please God. He works in and through my weakness.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9
Though I struggle daily, I can be at peace, simply by knowing God is pleased with me because of my faith. He understands I am weak and sinful, prone to wander and mess up - and loves me anyway. I am redeemed because of Christ. I am marked for glorification. I've heard it said before, I can stumble on the deck, but I can't fall off that ship! He upholds me with his righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Jesus, my faithful shepherd, will not lose me (John 18:9).
All that said, trust in God, my children, and be at peace. Enjoy basking in the radiance of his warm pleasure!
I love you!
Dad
Friday, January 27, 2017
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Daisy is Here!
Mom and I are hanging out at the hospital with Daisy. Get to go home tomorrow. We're so excited to have you as the newest addition to our family! I guess I need to come up with a good nickname for you. Keep wanting to call you "babe", but that's mom's! Mom keeps calling you Rhett by mistake because she says you remind her of him at that age - same nose I guess. DJ might work unless I come up with something else. You captured my heart with your first look into my eyes.
Love you so much,
Dad
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Pursue Excellence... Under God
Hey kids!
You will see it everywhere. People solely devoted to being the best at, well, whatever. Be it sports, academics, business ventures, you name it, a vast majority of your peers and neighbors will be bent on "making somebody" of themselves, spending sometimes insane amounts of time and effort toward this end.
While the pursuit of excellence isn't a bad thing, perfectionism is actually idolatry. We should work hard to get better at things that are important to us, because that glorifies God. But when those efforts start impeding our relationships with God and others, it's best to consider changing things up. Only you will really know if this is the case, although you may receive feedback from others that I would advise you to ruminate over. Sometimes others can see things we might be blinded to. However, sometimes others are simply jealous at ones accomplishments and are only trying to bring you down. Gotta be able to discern the difference!
Proverbs 11:14: "...In the multitude of counselors there is safety"
Have fun, aim high and glorify God with your efforts!
Love you!
Dad
You will see it everywhere. People solely devoted to being the best at, well, whatever. Be it sports, academics, business ventures, you name it, a vast majority of your peers and neighbors will be bent on "making somebody" of themselves, spending sometimes insane amounts of time and effort toward this end.
While the pursuit of excellence isn't a bad thing, perfectionism is actually idolatry. We should work hard to get better at things that are important to us, because that glorifies God. But when those efforts start impeding our relationships with God and others, it's best to consider changing things up. Only you will really know if this is the case, although you may receive feedback from others that I would advise you to ruminate over. Sometimes others can see things we might be blinded to. However, sometimes others are simply jealous at ones accomplishments and are only trying to bring you down. Gotta be able to discern the difference!
Proverbs 11:14: "...In the multitude of counselors there is safety"
Have fun, aim high and glorify God with your efforts!
Love you!
Dad
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
"All Things Are Lawful"
Hey kids,
Your mother and I are trying to enjoy the simple pleasures of Christmas while preparing for family guests and Daisy's arrival. Got the lights up and the tree, although it's only decorated on the top half (thanks to Rhett's kleptomania)! Sharing advent calendars and Christmas stories with you boys, although you don't really understand any of it yet (other than gift unwrapping).
I just finished a fantasy football season with friends. The game will probably still be around by the time you all are old enough to know what I'm talking about. Am quite happy it's over because I found it a little too fun (invested more time than anticipated) although the players themselves a little too hard to root for. I love sports, but the professional sports world, like most things, is saturated with worldliness - violence, hatred, lust, greed, humanism, etc. Hard to find athletes to be proud of. Too easy to find ones that make you want to boycott their world. Decided to do just that, actually. Will still play sports myself, and certainly with you guys, but won't follow the pros (or college really). Not that I'll ban it or anything. Would just rather spend that time doing other, better, things - like investing time with you all!
The reason I bring this up is to discuss a passage in scripture (1 Cor 10:23):
"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful"
Paul wasn't referring to things that were obviously unlawful, as referenced clearly in other areas of God's word. He was referring to the "gray areas". People in his time were not sure whether it was permitted to eat certain foods, employ certain customs, or take part in certain festivals, etc. He was trying to inform them that, while they are permitted to engage in pretty much anything (freedom!), they still need to judge rightly whether it is to their advantage to do so (responsibility!).
Getting back to my example, are sports good? They certainly can be. And in other ways, not so much. Are we free to play? Yes! Are we free to watch? Yes! Are those equally "helpful"? Depends on the circumstances. I have judged for myself that watching pro sports is not worth my time investment. There may be circumstances where I will tolerate it for the bigger good (social occasions), but I won't say I am a pro/college sports fan. Rather than try to explain this to others, I'll probably just say "I'm not really into watching, though I like to play".
Anyway, you get the point. There are other areas where I employ this verse too. Like music. If I get to choose, I would prefer to listen to Christian music because it is uplifting to my spirit. Not that secular music is inherently unlawful (although some selections are certainly dishonorable!). I am free to listen to anything. But the one I find more "helpful" than the other.
Another biblical quote that plays into this comes from Jesus in Matthew 15:11:
"It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person."
To apply that to music, what goes in our ears does not defile us. No, we are already sinners, fortunately covered by God's grace! On the other hand, it would behoove us to choose rightly when our conscience beckons us. In other words, listening to "Running With The Devil" by Van Halen on the radio won't send us to hell, but certainly there is a better choice?
So, I encourage you to choose things that are helpful for you and honoring to God. Consider how you spend your time, what activities you take part in, etc. Feel free to leave behind the stuff that simply doesn't help you worship God, love others, or enjoy life. Enjoy the abundance of better alternatives!
I love you!
Dad
Your mother and I are trying to enjoy the simple pleasures of Christmas while preparing for family guests and Daisy's arrival. Got the lights up and the tree, although it's only decorated on the top half (thanks to Rhett's kleptomania)! Sharing advent calendars and Christmas stories with you boys, although you don't really understand any of it yet (other than gift unwrapping).
I just finished a fantasy football season with friends. The game will probably still be around by the time you all are old enough to know what I'm talking about. Am quite happy it's over because I found it a little too fun (invested more time than anticipated) although the players themselves a little too hard to root for. I love sports, but the professional sports world, like most things, is saturated with worldliness - violence, hatred, lust, greed, humanism, etc. Hard to find athletes to be proud of. Too easy to find ones that make you want to boycott their world. Decided to do just that, actually. Will still play sports myself, and certainly with you guys, but won't follow the pros (or college really). Not that I'll ban it or anything. Would just rather spend that time doing other, better, things - like investing time with you all!
The reason I bring this up is to discuss a passage in scripture (1 Cor 10:23):
"All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful"
Paul wasn't referring to things that were obviously unlawful, as referenced clearly in other areas of God's word. He was referring to the "gray areas". People in his time were not sure whether it was permitted to eat certain foods, employ certain customs, or take part in certain festivals, etc. He was trying to inform them that, while they are permitted to engage in pretty much anything (freedom!), they still need to judge rightly whether it is to their advantage to do so (responsibility!).
Getting back to my example, are sports good? They certainly can be. And in other ways, not so much. Are we free to play? Yes! Are we free to watch? Yes! Are those equally "helpful"? Depends on the circumstances. I have judged for myself that watching pro sports is not worth my time investment. There may be circumstances where I will tolerate it for the bigger good (social occasions), but I won't say I am a pro/college sports fan. Rather than try to explain this to others, I'll probably just say "I'm not really into watching, though I like to play".
Anyway, you get the point. There are other areas where I employ this verse too. Like music. If I get to choose, I would prefer to listen to Christian music because it is uplifting to my spirit. Not that secular music is inherently unlawful (although some selections are certainly dishonorable!). I am free to listen to anything. But the one I find more "helpful" than the other.
Another biblical quote that plays into this comes from Jesus in Matthew 15:11:
"It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person."
To apply that to music, what goes in our ears does not defile us. No, we are already sinners, fortunately covered by God's grace! On the other hand, it would behoove us to choose rightly when our conscience beckons us. In other words, listening to "Running With The Devil" by Van Halen on the radio won't send us to hell, but certainly there is a better choice?
So, I encourage you to choose things that are helpful for you and honoring to God. Consider how you spend your time, what activities you take part in, etc. Feel free to leave behind the stuff that simply doesn't help you worship God, love others, or enjoy life. Enjoy the abundance of better alternatives!
I love you!
Dad
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Sound Judgment
Proverbs 3:21-26:
My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
There were a couple things I wanted to talk with you about today. Firstly, I read a news story today about a young chess grandmaster who fell to his death from his 12th story balcony because he was engaging in extremely risky parkour acrobatics. The lesson here is that you can be incredibly smart and still make incredibly bad judgments. Remember, your lives are not your own to risk as you please. If I had to choose between smarts and good judgment, I'd pick and recommend the latter! It's more likely to lead to a long, happy, and productive life in God's service!
The other thing ties in with the verse you see above "when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet". Sinful choices (greed, envy, lust, etc) will rob you of your peace and plague you with consequences you may not have predicted. For me, I know the guilt/shame that comes with making sinful choices leads me to being angry with myself. That tends to boil over into my interactions with others, where I make more bad choices out of irritability and the cycle rages on. I may have preached this before, I don't recall.
Be mindful! Choose God's ways, even when you may not see the immediate benefit or, conversely, the immediate consequences of disobedience. The better you are able to accomplish this, the sweeter your life, and sleep, will be. Not to mention, you will be looked upon with admiration ("an ornament to grace your neck"). Defend your peace! Fight the sin in your lives. Pray for wisdom. And as the psalmist says, preserve sound judgment and discretion.
I love you!
Dad
My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
There were a couple things I wanted to talk with you about today. Firstly, I read a news story today about a young chess grandmaster who fell to his death from his 12th story balcony because he was engaging in extremely risky parkour acrobatics. The lesson here is that you can be incredibly smart and still make incredibly bad judgments. Remember, your lives are not your own to risk as you please. If I had to choose between smarts and good judgment, I'd pick and recommend the latter! It's more likely to lead to a long, happy, and productive life in God's service!
The other thing ties in with the verse you see above "when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet". Sinful choices (greed, envy, lust, etc) will rob you of your peace and plague you with consequences you may not have predicted. For me, I know the guilt/shame that comes with making sinful choices leads me to being angry with myself. That tends to boil over into my interactions with others, where I make more bad choices out of irritability and the cycle rages on. I may have preached this before, I don't recall.
Be mindful! Choose God's ways, even when you may not see the immediate benefit or, conversely, the immediate consequences of disobedience. The better you are able to accomplish this, the sweeter your life, and sleep, will be. Not to mention, you will be looked upon with admiration ("an ornament to grace your neck"). Defend your peace! Fight the sin in your lives. Pray for wisdom. And as the psalmist says, preserve sound judgment and discretion.
I love you!
Dad
Monday, November 21, 2016
Daisy Joy
Hello my beautiful one,
I just wanted to say I'm so excited to meet you in a couple months! Feels surreal to me to be talking to my own daughter. I will try to add posts especially for you since being our only daughter makes you unique. But I will also keep it all on one blog since some messages will be important for you all.
I find it a great blessing that God has given you to your mother and I. When I set out to decide on your middle name (wanted my kids to have them especially from their father), it didn't take long to come up with Joy. Yes, it held with the J theme your brothers had, but I wanted it known that you bring me tremendous joy and if I only get to choose one word/name for you, that would be it. I haven't laid eyes on you yet, but my heart is bursting at the seams already.
I don't want to write all my thoughts right now, but did want to get this ball rolling.
May God grant me many happy years with you! I love you so much. Always will.
Dad
I just wanted to say I'm so excited to meet you in a couple months! Feels surreal to me to be talking to my own daughter. I will try to add posts especially for you since being our only daughter makes you unique. But I will also keep it all on one blog since some messages will be important for you all.
I find it a great blessing that God has given you to your mother and I. When I set out to decide on your middle name (wanted my kids to have them especially from their father), it didn't take long to come up with Joy. Yes, it held with the J theme your brothers had, but I wanted it known that you bring me tremendous joy and if I only get to choose one word/name for you, that would be it. I haven't laid eyes on you yet, but my heart is bursting at the seams already.
I don't want to write all my thoughts right now, but did want to get this ball rolling.
May God grant me many happy years with you! I love you so much. Always will.
Dad
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Love and Marriage Pt 3
Don't have a lot to add to the other two posts, but I did want to say something on the topic of divorce. Is it permissible? Well, biblically speaking, it is under a couple circumstances - adultery and abandonment (domestic abuse probably falls under the latter). There really isn't any instruction regarding the concept of separation (living apart, perhaps temporarily, but not divorced), so I won't say much about it either.
What I would like to say is, avoid it! For all practical purposes, jettison the idea from your vocabulary. Most of us are not subjected to the situations above. "Irreconcileable differences" they call it. Baloney. All differences can be reconciled in a way that allows a selfless, biblical-loving relationship to continue and, in time, thrive. God is the God of reconciliation. He changes hearts. Even hard ones.
Just because we have legal permission to divorce, say they commit adultery, doesn't mean we have to cast them out. Consider Hosea's treatment of Gomer (Hosea chapter 3), symbolic of God's relationship to us (persistent adulterers in our relationship with him). God doesn't simply divorce us, even though he is incredibly, justifiably entitled to do so! No, he lovingly and long-sufferingly calls us back to himself. Provided your spouse is repentant and wants your forgiveness, I would advise giving it to them. Shoot, do everything you can to help them do so. If you were unfaithful, repent and seek forgiveness. Easier said than done for sure, but a temporary period of hardship is so worth the fruit of a thriving relationship later.
If they up and leave (abandonment), I'd say it may likely be worth a shot (or shots) at trying to persuade them to reconcile and come back.
Get counsel from multiple Godly people if these situations arise. I say Godly because if they don't seek the Lord's will for their lives, they have no business counseling you. And be wise about marriage, yours will be tested! Never a bad idea to seek counseling early on, even when things are "okay", to help each other cope with the changes and see that the other is committed to building a life together. Don't wait until things break down to begin construction. Fortify from the start. Every single day be going about strengthening your marriage.
Anyway, that's enough on that. Hate divorce. Love forgiveness and reconciliation.
I love you all!
Dad
What I would like to say is, avoid it! For all practical purposes, jettison the idea from your vocabulary. Most of us are not subjected to the situations above. "Irreconcileable differences" they call it. Baloney. All differences can be reconciled in a way that allows a selfless, biblical-loving relationship to continue and, in time, thrive. God is the God of reconciliation. He changes hearts. Even hard ones.
Just because we have legal permission to divorce, say they commit adultery, doesn't mean we have to cast them out. Consider Hosea's treatment of Gomer (Hosea chapter 3), symbolic of God's relationship to us (persistent adulterers in our relationship with him). God doesn't simply divorce us, even though he is incredibly, justifiably entitled to do so! No, he lovingly and long-sufferingly calls us back to himself. Provided your spouse is repentant and wants your forgiveness, I would advise giving it to them. Shoot, do everything you can to help them do so. If you were unfaithful, repent and seek forgiveness. Easier said than done for sure, but a temporary period of hardship is so worth the fruit of a thriving relationship later.
If they up and leave (abandonment), I'd say it may likely be worth a shot (or shots) at trying to persuade them to reconcile and come back.
Get counsel from multiple Godly people if these situations arise. I say Godly because if they don't seek the Lord's will for their lives, they have no business counseling you. And be wise about marriage, yours will be tested! Never a bad idea to seek counseling early on, even when things are "okay", to help each other cope with the changes and see that the other is committed to building a life together. Don't wait until things break down to begin construction. Fortify from the start. Every single day be going about strengthening your marriage.
Anyway, that's enough on that. Hate divorce. Love forgiveness and reconciliation.
I love you all!
Dad
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