A Day of Gifts

Day 39 Doxology:  This has been a day of gifts...even if I am into day 40 of my doxology sharing.  For clarity, Day 39 Doxology has been a true day of celebrations. 

This evening friends and family gathered at a high-flutten resteraunt in Birmingham to honor the birthday of a special friend.  This friend is a one-of-a-kind not unlike you!  She was one of the first people to step into my office after my dad passed away and prompted me to heal.  She was CHRIST to me.

Tonight, I experienced another kind of gift.  My church left, for me and my family, a gift that sheds light on the huge Easter experience.  Each year has been joy upon joy to share with my family.  And, my girls almost stand taller (if possible) when they see the church their dad serves pour out so much love this time of year.  I feel love throughout the year, but this time of the year is a special opportunity to share a Happy Easter Gift.  My church never misses an opportunity to remind me they care! This year, like years prior, we had an Easter Basket waiting.

Too many times we overlook the joy of the body of Christ...why?  Why would we miss out on elevating what God is doing in and through others...through ourselves?  

This Easter pause and think then...thank! Thank others for their thoughtfulness and caring.  If we all did it within our circle...it just might become contagious.  Praise be to God!

Looks that Kill!

Day 37 Doxology: Have you ever heard of the old cliche "looks that kill"?  Several times tonight I experienced the thought that mimic that old cliche -"looks that kill".  You are assuming that the word "kill" is a bad thing.  All my life I've called friends "killer", "choppy", "Captain," or "Gomer" when they did something goofy.  I think killer, choppy, Captain, or Gomer are terms of endearment a bond between people you care for.  They are friends that you never will forget.  When I called my friend "killer" it was as if I was saying you are a "killer" friend -A friend I'll never forget.  In kind... the term "looks that kill" is used to describe an image that will forever be a part of my memory.  Tonight, my mind is full of "looks that kill"!

Tonight was our church's Easter Eggstavaganza.  So many images run through my mind -children I've never seen, children I haven't seen in a while, and children that I never will forget.  Other images that can be described as "looks that kill" are the adults that serve tirelessly. They plan, paint, cook, pour, and toss their way into a child's life.  It's about the coolest thing one could ever witness.  What you see are "looks that kill"!

A couple of highlighted looks are shared for your viewing.  I will carefully not share their name because I don't have their permission, but I will share their picture -like that is better!  I begin with a small princess (we will call her Princess EK).  I've missed her while she has been recovering from surgery, and tonight I couldn't wait to be a part of this doxology moment!  My face looks so intense because of the huge squeeze being offered.  Thinking that I get to be this princess' pastor brings tears to my eyes...as you can see it is a look that kills!

The next image is from an adult-child.  She was wading through children to somehow offer and excuse to sling fake grass and toss eggs.  The kids loved her, but really, who wouldn't?  This is a look that kills!

To close, how many image have you experienced today that you blew passed, or over-looked?  In the end, they were forgotten when God offered them as a "Means of Grace" for you to draw upon for days and weeks.  Tonight was just that...a Means of experiencing the Grace God offers to me through the relationships and life of others.  I believe them to be looks that will be uploaded in my memory for every...they are "looks that kill" for a very long time!  Thanks be to God!

The Big Picture

Day 35 Doxology:  Mondays start early for me at the district office for a Bible study of the Mountain Lakes District's pastors led by our district superintendent.  Today, although my family's spring break, was no different.  Then it was spent with the Boaz Ministerial Association with a Holy Week Service. Not important, other than I had a lot of chances for huge doxology moments...but there was only one that trumped them all!

We (parents) hope and pray that our children hitch their wagon to the faith in which they were raised. Even if we do not have everything about our faith worked out...we somehow feel that their believing will be better for them than not believing...and we all want the best for our children.  Today's doxology is a proud moment for me even if it began several years ago.

In 2007, or 2008, I was asked to lead the youth of the Mountain Lakes District in a mini-game filled afternoon for a District Training Retreat at Camp Sumatanga.   I had prepared several game-type competitions that had made our own youth program a success, but there was one thing that I didn't realize would pay huge dividends.

J-2 can paint.  So, I asked her to paint a huge painting of our denomination's "Cross and Flames" for the event.  My plans were to have all of the youth sign their name and their favorite scripture for permanent art for the district office.  The picture was a huge success for more than one reason.

Since it hangs in the district office, and I see it often..today, it somehow struck me as a praise to God moment not just for the history of it, but also for the future.  My thoughts were maybe at the time of the event my girls might have been accepting the faith of their parents offered to them as a gift.  After our Bible study, like times in the past, I found each of my girls signature and scripture and I paused and prayed for each.  It's a great moment, and never gets old.

I think their scriptures are worth sharing...

Neh. 8:10, Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who those who have nothing prepared.  This is holy to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Jer. 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Gen. 8:21, The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart, Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclinations of the human heart is evil from childhood.  And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

For whatever the reason, to me these pictures are meaningful and exempts of their hope and understanding for the faith they are processing at that time.  It is the beginning of the faith of their parents becoming their own.  It is smaller images of a much larger picture!  Praise be to God!

The Three J's

Day 34 Doxology:  I have so many words to share describing today's doxology...So, instead of a lengthy discourse about my three "J's" being together, or the fact that they were getting along as if they liked each other, or if we sat a table after Jesa's wedding and laughed until we cried...regardless of what I say, or don't say, today's was a huge memory for both mom and a dad.

Probably, everything about today that I mentioned was worthy of praise, but what I kept thinking as I waited in line for the bathroom so I could get ready, prior to Jesa's wedding was simple...my three J's honored both their mom and dad by caring enough for Jesa, and her day, to get off work, come home from school, get ready to go, and enjoy doing it so much that this wedding ranks as today's top daddy moment, and...we have pictures to prove it!

Do each of us care enough to do the thing that we know in our heart is right?  Today, the "Three J's" did!  

Authentic Doxology

Day 31 Doxology:  Let me share how God has spoken to me today.  I can't tell you how much fun I get out of visiting a sweetheart of a doctor and friend Dr. Suzanne!  She has this special characteristic that allows her to hangs on to every word like it is the most important thing in the world at that particular moment.  She somehow builds you up without saying a word.  She is a special presence and a sweet friend!  I'm sharing her shameless plug without her knowing....http://www.guntersvilleeyeclinic.net.  Every time I go for a check-in and check-up it is always fun for me (maybe not so much for her staff)...but for me, it is awesome.


The girls at Dr. Suz's office are always a little reserve, but open to my mocking and "Tom Foolery" (I've been wanting to use "Tom Foolery" for years).  With all of that said...they are warm and accepting!  Today was a special treat, because I was able to visit with Breanna (Dr. Suz's daughter) while waiting for my eye appointment.  Like so many daughters nowadays, she is all grown up!  The really cool thing is she has plans for the future!  I may benefit the most from her drive and anticipation, because I have her autograph for when she competes in the Olympics! As part of a special doxology, this is the part of my day that included family and church family in perfect harmony!

I was blessed yet again!  There are special times when you are blessed by the words of others.  In a special way, it was one of the draws to ministry...it was the desire to make a difference...it was the blessing to extend my family boundaries.  Too many times in seminary I was told to not allow yourself to be "too" open.  In other words, don't reveal too much of yourself.  I'll admit, I can see times in my life where that has been a painful lesson for me, but the times that it works well are such a sweet spot that it becomes addictive.

This week is Spring Break for our church and their families.  A couple of families made plans to visit relatives and friends in Colorado.  They booked a rental, they bought plane tickets, and they scheduled their trip (although, thinking about it...they never invited me!).  Today's doxology is the blog of a friend.  This friend is special in more ways than I care to share tonight (maybe, Seminary still has a small amount of hold on me).  However, I guess the real admiration comes from her authenticity.  She writes!  And in her words she describes life as I wished others would see it.  She writes like we think...she allows you to share in her and her family's experience.  What a gift!  The really social thing about this person is you know that she is for real.  IT shows in her writing and her life.  She is the kind of person that her face cannot hide what her mind is thinking.  I believe this to be a TRUE gift of God.  In her presence...she must be authentic.  And, her writing reflects that.

I wonder how many of us care enough to write with a heart for others.  When my friend writes it's like she cares enough for me and my family that she just knows what I want to know next.  Part of you are sitting there thinking, he knows she will read this...and she is in his church...and he wants to make some brownie points...however!  It's time we write the stories of our life like we care to have someone accompany us on our journey.  It's time we ignore the seminaries of this already broken world...sharing our hurts, our regrets, our disappointments, our joys, our laughter, and our tears.

Last night J-2 and I watched a 30 for 30 special on Jimmy V. (Late Coach of N.C. State), and his words spoke to my heart.  He said, "There are things that we should do every day of our lives.  Number one is laugh.  You should laugh every day.  Number two is think.  You should spend time in thought.  And number three is, you should have your emotions move you to tears, could be happiness or joy.  But think about it, If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day.  That's is a heck of a day.  You do that seven days a week, you're going to have a something special."

This speech was given as Jimmy Valvano was dying with cancer. Today, in the wake of watching this special with my 2nd daughter, it reminded me how little we allow ourselves to be authentic.  So today's doxology is Dr. Suz and her daughter, and my friend and her blog.  In many ways, it is the way God said something is important more than safety...more than security.  God said being honest and open is holy.

Porch Doxology

Day 30 Doxology:  Today's thought is still a focus on the family.  Maybe it's because my family is becoming excited about Spring Break next week...maybe it's because the families in the church that I serve are excited that it is their Spring Break this week...maybe, just maybe it's because I am officiating a wedding this coming Saturday.  Regardless why, family is the focus!

It's funny how I get crazy because my family doesn't value the same things I was made (or inspired) to value a child.  I'm not going to share an itemized list, because my family is tired of hearing it!  But, I will say it is a great list!

Regardless of why something, or what, makes the list...it is of importance to me.  Regardless of my negativity...I have to admit that, as a family, we do some things that even my mom or dad would rate important.  They would be things that we do well that would make my mom and dad's list of family doxologies.

For instance, we gather in the sun on the porch. Our porch is a sacred place.  It is a place that I work on sailing knots; it is where our Hot Tub rest; it is where I chew on my daughters when they've done something bonehead; it is a place where I watch Shannon doze off to sleep; it's where we watch T.V.; and it's where I read and prepare for sermons.  My daughters will look back on our porch as a place where "family" happens.

The cool thing is it's not just temperature specific...meaning, we extend the life of "the porch" by putting up plastic walls for the cool parts of the year.  It's sacred, right, so you do your best to exalt it or treat it as such!  The family is worth it!

I think today our families forget the importance of "the family!"  We have fathers do stupid teenager stuff.  We have mothers...acting like they are cast for the movie "Mean Girls".  Sometimes I wonder if  life is so easy that we do not bond as a family...we take family for granted.  We charge more than we should...we go out to eat more than we should...we live in a house better than we should, and we do all of these thinking that it will make our family better!  Wow!  Why don't we just invest all that money, energy, and time in our families?

Why don't we just make our porch fit our families?  Today's doxology is our family's back porch...it where life happens, and where it happens more abundantly.  Here are a few pictures of ours.

        

Ottoman Joy

Day 29 Doxology:  So many times I know where I'm going before I start to share the highlight of my day, but today I don't. So, If I start to ramble...well, I'm a dad!

There are moments as a parent when you think..."can I have a do-over?"  In fact, most ever day I think that is my response.  However, sometimes a parent can hit the sweet spot.  Tonight, I witnessed that "sweet spot", and this is where it happened.

Tonight, one of my three daughters experienced somethng in their life that demanded her mom's advice.  This brings about two obvious joys outside the fact that God allowed me to witness this sacred moment.  First, my daughter cared and had confidence enough in their mom to share their concern or hurt...(I will never get tired of this fact!).  Second, by their action they admit that somehow their mom got it right in life.  This is where I share in this gloating moment.

Dadship, as it turns out, is hard.  More times than not, I go to bed wishing I hadn't said this, or I wished I had said that.  To sum it up, I'm always second guessing myself, except tonight.

The ottoman pictured is the place that my daughter sat to share, ask, and receive advice of her current situation.  The fist-pumps (not pictured) are not as a result that my daughter was struggling with a certain issue, but that she wanted to ask our (her mom's) advice.  What a moment of exuberant joy!

How great would it be if we were all so confident in our relationship with our Heavenly Father that reproduced such an image? What if we wouldn't pause with a moment of concern to sit on an ottoman before God and share?  Today, the church is full of families that get upset at others, doctrine, or programs mainly because they fail to pause and seek counsel with God.  Today, I pray for our Church (universal) because I'm excited about my family! Praise be to God for every joy I've experienced as a dad and pastor!