I Am His Son

Here is an older picture of my dad and myself.  This was taken in our backyard, at our house in Salem OR.  Although I don't remember having this photo taken, it looks like I was about 8-10 month's old.

Our backyard was the life of the neighborhood.  As I grew older, all the kids usually ended being in our yard for various games and exercises (not like jumping jacks just fun stuff).

Seeing my dad in this picture brings back a lot of memories of him.  When I was 9 years old, our Heavenly Father thought it best to take my dad to be with Him.  This, because God works all things together for good, was a good thing.  Being 42 years old, I can honestly say that those 9 years of my life being with my dad were absolutely amazing.  Every second counted for something and I enjoyed every part of it.

He was my dad.
I was his son.

A week or so ago I was reading through Matthew 3.  In it is the recording of Jesus' baptism.

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented Him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' But Jesus answered him, 'Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he consented.  And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold, a voice from heave said, 'This is My Son, with whom I am well pleased.'"

Upon reading this, I remember Paul's words in Colossians 2:12

"having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead." 

 So putting these thoughts verses together, what I believe Scripture is telling us is that when our Father looks at us, He sees His Son, Jesus.  When He sees His Son, His first response is to declare "This is My son..." In other words, when God our Father looks upon us, He declares us to be His sons, with whom He is well pleased with.

What grace!
What unfathomable grace!

The Routine of a Father

I guess some of us like schedules and some of us don't.  It really depends on our personality, right?

Some of us, if given the choice could sleep in to 10AM or later every day.  
Some of us couldn't think of sleeping past 6 o'clock.
Some of us have no problem letting our lawns grow a foot before we cut them.
Some of us couldn't imagine having anything but a "golf course" for our back yard.


Choices.
Regular choices.
It's those choices that weave us through each day from start to finish.  When I was a child, I chose things that were young.  Now that I am older, I am hopefully making wiser choices.


Being married and having kids, I have had to learn to make wise choices.  Not just for myself, but for my family as well.  I have not just had to make those choices, but I had to choose to put myself into a routine of making right choices.


For my family, those choices look something like this:

1. Wake up early.
2. Talk with Mary.  Now this is a conditional one.  Sometimes Mary wants to talk and sometimes she doesn't.  I want her to have her time to wake up.  She doesn't need me telling her what to do at 5:45 in the AM.
3. Exercise.  This too is conditional.  There was a period in my life that I couldn't exercise.  Not because I was lazy, but because there were other priorities that needed to take place.  I must confess though, that for a long time, I did exercise and leave Mary to do so much work alone.  I was completely selfish during that time.  So look at your time to work out only if you have the time for it.
4. Personal quiet time.  Not in some book, but in THE BOOK.  The enemy hates us.  Hates me.  Hates you.  Hates all of our relationships.  Hates our marriages.  Hates our children.  He has three goals in mind - to kill, steal and destroy.  The only way to withstand the fiery arrows of the devil is to be in the Bible.  David said, "Your Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against You."  I take that as saying that to keep from sinning, I must be in the Word.  
5. Get myself ready for the day.
6. Breakfast with the family.
7. Devotions with the family.  Take the time for this.  We have the ability to set the tone for the whole day with this action.  It doesn't take much time, but you just have to do it.  Your wife will be reminded of what is important.  Your kids will be reminded of what's important to you as well.
8. Work.  While at work take time to pray.  Short prayers are still prayers.
9. Home from work, lovingly set the leadership role in your home.  Take the time to listen.  See what needs to be done and who needs to be served.  Don't just become a kid again and start rolling on the floor waiting for dinner to be served.  Take the time to listen to your wife.  She, more than likely, needs to talk to another adult.  So just shut up and listen to her.  She will love you for it.  Keep in mind that you are not your wife's "helper" you are the leader of your home.
10. Dinner.  Converse with your family.  Ask them questions about their day.  Enjoy each other.  Eat. Laugh. Love.
11. Devotions the family.  This is how we do it in our family.  For breakfast and dinner.  Again, it helps to remind the whole family what is truly important. 
12. Clean up.  Men - that's our job.  Let your wife have a break.  She has been "cleaning up" all day.  She will be grateful.
13. Play and interact with the kids.  They will think you are amazing!
14. Put the kids to bed.  Men - again our job.  Spend some more time thinking about the Lord or singing worship songs with your kids.  They will now what is in your heart.
15. Love your wife well.  Serve her by making sure that all the responsible things are taking care of.  Laundry, bills, groceries, house maintenance (honey-do-list)...

Now this is how it's done in our home, and your home may look completely different.   That is OK.  As the head of the household, I had to realize that I needed to get into a routine as a husband, as a father, as a leader.  If I didn't, what would be the alternative?

Have you figured out your routine?  If so, what is it?  I would love to see how you manage your family and your day.

The Talent of Doublespeaking

I am so talented.

I have the ability to talk out of both sides of my mouth.

Can you do that too?

As I look within my heart to identify this problem, I am noticing a trend.  I don't really do it out in the general, meaning I feel free to be honest and truthful over "public" issues or items.  The problem is much deeper than that.

I am finding that I doublespeak to and about those closest to me...

my kids

my wife

my Savior

In doing so I make a mockery of both them and myself.  

So on this day, I am thankful for the grace of Christ that covers both the praise and the profane.

What Do You Want to Be Known For?

Earlier in 2010, there was a mass gathering of people in Vancouver BC, Canada for the Winter Olympic Games. All for the purpose of celebrating diversity in sports and the spirit of human ability. Hundreds of people entered to be the best in their sport category. Many played, few won. Medals were handed out and records were broken.

In November of 2009, the team from Guinness World Records organization decided it would be good to hold a "World Records Day," encouraging people all over the world to set their own records. You can see some of them by clicking here (viewer discretion is advised).

This one in particular, I thought was a little funny.

Joel Waul, 27, stands on top of his rubber band ball on the driveway of his home in Lauderhill, Fla., Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. Waul, a 27-year-old who works nights restocking a Gap clothing store, has spent the last six years carefully wrapping and linking and stretching rubber bands of various sizes into the ball shape. The Guinness Book of World Records declared it the world's largest rubber band ball in 2008. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Now, I don't want you to hear me saying that celebrating great feats of mankind should not be celebrated. I most definitely think we should. My family, like many others sat glued to our TV sets watching many of the past winter games. It was thrilling.

Even some of the recent Guinness World Records are creative, fun, exciting and thrilling - and need to be celebrated as well.

But my question or rather the reason for this post is what about you? What do you want to be known for?
Ski jumping?
Largest ball of yarn?
A messy home?
The husband of a frazzled wife?
The father of a family that is disconnected from the Word?

Men, I want to challenge you to step up and be the man that God has created you to be. No more slacking off. Today is the day. God has created us as federal heads of our homes. Let's take that label with gusto.
For our wives.
For our children.
For the church.
For the glory of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”