Father’s Day

Hey, Dad.

Facebook has a way of refreshing someone’s memory.  This was eleven years ago.  You were on our back porch.  It was Father’s Day.  Oh, how you loved all the celebrating.  Not for yourself of course, but with us.  Any opportunity to celebrate with all of us is what you loved.

Noah is getting married next week.  You would have loved being there for this celebration.  To think how close you almost got to do that.  You would have walked Mom down the aisle, but instead Noah will be doing this honor.  There is no one better to stand in your stead.

Dad, he is a lot like you.

In his new home, he grows plants and enjoys the care of them like you did.  He already cooks and does it very well, just like you.  He enjoys a good beer and various varieties of bourbon. He is so full of joy like you were every day of your life. You loved life and enjoyed as much of it as possible, leaving very little time for empty space.  It’s just like him.

We’re going to miss your presence next week.  Mom is going but she doesn’t want to cry.  I can’t promise that.  I’m doing it right now. You’ve established for us the legacy of a long matrimony.  You likely would have won the coveted longest dance this year like you almost did every wedding reception.  It would have been 66 years. You didn’t like to come in second place.

For my own marriage, you never once said anything wrong about the man I married.  You set me straight if I did, though.  You loved me, but never sided with me.  You sided with our marital vows.  It’s probably the fatherliest thing you ever did.  And, you did a lot!

Legacies have long-lasting impacts.  It’s the greatest gift to leave your grandson.

I’ve no doubt he’ll see this through, Dad.

He is a lot like you.

Proverbs 13:22, 20:7

He Grew

All 4 pounds and 5 ounces came into this world on June 3.  It was 26 years ago.  I held on to my son with everything I had.  He wasn’t much bigger than the palm of my hand.  He is how I learned God gives immeasurably more than I could ever hope or imagine.

And then he grew.

He grew right out of my hand and onto my lap.   The lap that held his sleepy-self, cushioned his hurts, softened some sorrows, and cradled my little snuggler.   It was the lap that rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

And then he grew.

He grew physically for sure. All he wanted was to be taller than his momma and one hairdo taller than his dad.  He always wanted to out us. Out run us at the park, out muscle us in the gym, and one or two times try to outsmart us, and especially at night, always out last us.

And then he grew.

He grew in confidence, in interests, in independence, and even in mistakes.  Here at home he would be present, then at times vanish, but always reappear.  And, by all physical evidence he ate here, changed here, slept here, but then he would disappear.

And then he grew.

He grew in love.  They say when a boy finds a girl, he breaks up with his momma.  This is a boy who wanted to marry me.  Yet, in mere days this baby boy will marry his bride to be.  I could not be happier for this other woman. She is the woman for whom I’ve prayed.  The woman who loves him the way we do, but more than that, loves him the way the Lord does. That’s what I prayed.  A woman who has added to his life wisdom, joy, maturity, experiences, faith and love.  It’s to her that I give my son.

And then he grew.

Ephesians 3:20

Romans 12:10

Sound of Silence

What if the sound of silence is God raising His voice?

My garden seeds have been sowed.

What if God raising His voice are the sprouting seedlings.

My flowers are budding.

What if God raising His voice are the signs of blossoms emerging.

This growing environment is weather dependent.

What if God raising His voice is the cloud formation and precipitation.

There are pesky threats.

What if God raising His voice is pollination and habitats for beneficial insects.

Wild plants will compete with cultivated vegetation.

What if God raising His voice is regeneration of natural life in the soil.

He calls out.

Raises His voice.

Listen.

It’s the sound of silence.

Psalm 19

Proverbs 8

Isaiah 41:1

1 Corinthians 1:30

Word of God

This Bible has been by my side for over half my life.

For years, that is literally all it was.

By my side.

I would always keep it near just in case I might read it.  I wanted the visual reminder.  So there it sat on every bedside table I ever had.  I felt guilty reading other books over the years while I was neglecting this important one.  I got hung up thinking I had to start at the beginning every time and read it in the order it was bound. Three to four books in and come weeks maybe months later, I was out!

Then there came a time when I heard of a simple breakthrough.  Sixty-six books are in this Bible and I don’t have to read them in order.  This challenged my strong tendency to follow what seems like a natural defined order.  I mean, I could read the gospel chapters.  I could read the prophet chapters.  I could read from back to front.  This was a developmental discovery that removed my self-imposed restrictive barrier.

This unintentional barrier kept me distant and away from God’s word for years. In its place I found opinions and worldviews of other respected and trusted sources around me that were becoming my own. Without being in the word itself, my belief system was being formed by theirs. This wasn’t right.

It’s the word of the Lord that is right.  It’s the word of the Lord that holds true. God says hear the word of the Lord.  Blessed are they who obey it and put it into practice. It’s not outdated or irrelevant. It’s infallible, inerrant, authoritative, complete, and effective, It endures, lasts, lives on, and remains forever.

The Word of God has its place.

It’s on the inside.

“He was dressed in a robe dipped in blood and He has a name.  Word of God.”

Psalm 33:4

Luke 11:28

Revelation 19:13