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On the Personal Side… (3)

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If you’ve been following my weekend, today is the day my wife returns from Florida. Although the night included Andrew waking up at 1:30AM claiming “something was in his room,” the night was pretty uneventful. Woke up to both boys ready to play at 6:55AM. During breakfast, I broke a tooth. Strange for me…I’ve never had teeth issues. But, for whatever reason, that bread seemed too big for my tooth to overcome. That was trial #1. It’s been crazy. I’m ready for Meg to be home and know that God wants to continue sanctifying me, exposing my heart’s weakness in this crazy day.

Got time this morning to do reading, (read Spurgeon on Colossians 3:1-2), listening (Chandler’s latest sermon as well as an excellent sermon from JR Vassar on what the church is to be and do), and cleaning (flooded the kitchen with laundry water). But, looking forward to heading to Wichita around 4 to get my babe.

On the Personal Side … (2)

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If you read my last post, it seemed as though I was going to cruise through the weekend without a hitch. After a great Friday night with friends, who really helped to give me a break, I was rolling Saturday AM. Got the boys loaded and picked up a package at the post office, but when I got back in the car, it wouldn’t start. After much work (and coming home using the truck to shuttle the boys around to run some other errands), found out the starter needed replaced and finished that up around 6:45PM. After supper, baths and prep for Sunday, boys went down.

Today was a pretty uneventful day, getting up and getting the boys around and then settling into a typical Sunday AM routine at church. Got through everything, grabbed some lunch with other friends, and came home and all boys (including me) got a nap in. Tonight, we get to be with some other friends for a Fish Fry. Just one more day till Mom gets home. I can’t wait!

Please continue to pray that God would be glorified in our home.

On the Personal Side… (1)

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A few of you know that Meg is in Florida with her mom for the weekend, which leaves me home with the 2 boys (4 and 2 year old if your wondering). Had a productive day yesterday: a friend came over and helped me clean maple tree sproutlets out of the gutters, fix the attic fan and put together a swingset. In the evening, we went to watch our adult church softball team play (we won pretty handily). Then, we went and got some ice cream.

Today, ran a few errands and am home enjoying some down time while the boys sleep. Have some friends over tonight for a break (for kids from me and me to adult world conversations).

So…if you’re a reader of mine, please pray that I would exhibit godliness to my boys by being patient with them, having a few extra things to account for this weekend. I really enjoy having an opportunity like this (and being able to bless Meg in this way), but I realize also my sinful nature is crouching at the door waiting to be served and I want to master it so the boys are served well. Pray for me to be holy in this.

Keeping the proper perspective on family…

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I was directed back to Voddie Baucham’s excellent book Family Driven Faith recently. One of the major themes of the book is how God has set apart the family as the primary means of grace for children to be reared on a proper foundation of loving God. Unfortunately, many today feel that this role should be done by the church. Voddie comments on how reading an average youth ministry’s purpose statement sounds really incredible, covering all of the bases, but then he laments:

There’s just one problem with the aforementioned mission statement. It makes absolutely no mention of parents! This ministry sets out to do for teens what God commands parents to do. Think about it. It is not the job of the youth pastor to evangelize my child — that’s my job. It is not the youth pastor’s job to equip (disciple) my child — it’s mine. And it is not the youth pastor’s job to send my child out to engage the world; you guessed it — that’s my job too. (pp.176-177)

There are an increasing number of people who think that it is the church’s job to provide all this kind of “meaningful programming” for their kids. All the while, in their very admission, they are confessing with their life and lips that they don’t measure up the standard God has clearly set forth for them in His Word. This doesn’t mean the parenting task is easy or that we shouldn’t seek help in doing this most effectively. It does mean that we shouldn’t shirk our duties to others.

Isn’t this an amazing gift that God has given us? May all of our families be tools in God’s hands to further glorifying and enjoying God, forever, in the lives of our children.

For more info on Voddie and his ministry, visit Family Driven Faith.

Andrew’s 3!

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A letter to my son, who turned 3 today…

Andrew,

I’m really having a hard time believing that you are already 3 years old. It seems like a long time again when your Mom and I were working hard in the delivery room to bring you safely into this world. God was faithful and allowed you to be born. Now, looking back over 3 years, we see that God has been faithful to mature you in so many ways.

When you turned 2, you could barely speak, but now you seem so grown up. Even yesterday when we were going to celebrate your birthday with Grandma Robin, you asked Mom if this was where we turned to go see Bob the Tomato. Mom was quick to correct you and say, “Yes, that is where we go to see Mr. Lansdowne” (at small groups). So you are making headway in maturing.

Our greatest desire, though, is that we would continue to be tools in the hands of God to raise you to know Him. God has only given you one life and we desire that God’s purposes for your life would be recognized and pursued. Our hope for you is not so much that you grow up, get a nice job and degree and then have a happy little family. Our hope is that you will be so captivated with God that you would follow Him in whatever He calls you to do. This may mean you go to tell another part of the world about Jesus or that you forsake the comforts of this life for the enjoyment of the next.

As another year passes by, we praise God for His work in you. May He continue to accomplish all that He intends to in you.

Happy Birthday, son. Your Mom and I love you!

Dad