5 DADDY CHRISTMAS POSTS #2

‘TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE SECURITY AND NOT JUST GIFTS

My oldest daughter, Norah (2 yrs. old), has a new place to retreat and play.  It’s her bedroom closet.  She will spend lengthy periods of time hiding away from the world while embracing imagination and solitude.  If you’re lucky, she will welcome you into her petite nook in life.

The other day I had this privilege as she rallied up enthusiasm, gripped my finger and lured me in to her bedroom closet all the while asking, “Daddy, go play?  Daddy, go play?”  She wasn’t really asking for an answer.  She had only one response in mind.

I curled up my legs, squeezed in my belly and hugged against the wall barely allowing the door to close behind us.  She opened my eyes to more than just silly toddler amusement.  It was place of wonder. We feasted on mounds of plastic peas (that were never digested), sang beautiful melodies (that contained nonsense lyrics) and took naps every 5 minutes (that provided no rest).  It was mystical.  Lions were kind and performed doctor obligations healing all the other animals.  Frogs were funny and danced brilliantly.  Space was our enemy and time our foe, and the door was certainly never to opened.

More importantly, however, I learned how comforting it was for the world to be small and Daddy to be close.

There is no better time than Christmas to curl up next to your kids, open your imagination and let out some fun activities.  It’s important for their growth to feel safe and create lasting memories.  Jesus constantly practiced solitude with His Daddy, we should encourage our kids to do the same.  Plan your time with the family to ensure they feel loved and looked after.  Fight for their attention.  Plan a special daddy-date with your daughter or some guy time with your son.  Avoid the same old thickheaded tendency of sitting on the couch watching football and eating carbs.  Don’t drop the ball and get stressed by the money being spent on presents and miss another opportunity to lovingly lead your family.  Make sure that your kids are cared for and secure because daddy is close this Christmas.

5 DADDY CHRISTMAS POSTS #1

‘TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE EXPERIENCES AND NOT JUST GIFTS

This time every year it is easy for dads to allow the stress of the holidays to keep us from experiencing some of the most sacred moments our families can offer.  Our children grow quickly and if we do not labor to connect with and bless our kids, everyone suffers and we set in motion generations of missed opportunity.  The financial pressure that is the tag of our consumerist seasons can influence us to be grumpy and short fused.  If we are not careful, we will lose out on the joy of time together.  It is our responsibility to carve out moments that are fun and point our kids to Jesus.

When I think back on my own childhood, I do not measure it in gifts but in experience.  Sometimes the best thing for our children are intentional drives throughout neighborhoods searching for christmas lights, decorating their rooms with trees and snowflakes, sitting down to watch a movie, helping Mom in the kitchen, singing songs, reading new stories, or finding unexpected ways to give generously to others.

Allow the holidays to be opportunities of building teachable moments in your home and nurture growth.  Guard your family from the selfish attitudes that creep in like a Grinch and apologize for being lazy, thoughtless, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom.

Christmas should be a seasonal response to a God who was humble and served His children.  Dads, take the time to serve your family this year.

Creative Neurosonics

SATURDAY IN THE PARK

We took the girls downtown last night and let them run through the fountains.  We all had a blast.  Here are a few shots I took from the night.

GOSPEL4BRAZIL

I just designed this image for my father-in-law, who founded Gospel For Brazil.  It is a fantastic organization that is seeing Jesus made famous among northeast Brazil.  Check out their website for more info.

INSIGNIFICANT

I am learning one of life’s toughest lessons to grasp is the fact that I am insignificant.  It is difficult to be at peace with my lack of importance despite the fact that it is my unimportance which enables me to live life to the fullest.  There is nothing tangible that is contingent on my existence, yet I have the ability to influence beyond my own means.  And so it is my only responsibility to walk with God and know Him fully.

I have this crude belief that I can’t seem to shake where my only life’s requirements are to “believe in God,” “Be a good person,” and “Let God do the rest.”

But there is no abandonment in these behaviors, no raw faith.

So, when life doesn’t deliver me a comfortably productive Christianity, I am left doubting and frustrated.  I suffer a disgruntled relationship with what I believe to be an uninterested and uncaring God.  When life doesn’t work out the way I expect it to I feel mislead and betrayed.  God is a preoccupied father, married to His job, not paying attention, and far off.

When I am gripped with my own worthlessness, however, then my life’s outcome has no dominion or  rule in the temporal production of circumstances.  Regardless, if I am unsuccessful in ministry – do I know Him?  It doesn’t matter if I win a thousand converts – do I know Him?  Whether or not  I am rich in friendship or blessed with deep knowledge – do I know Him?  My life’s value is not determined by the product of my obedience but in the measure of how much I know Him.  My only real value is found in Him.  God IS infinite worth and that is all that matters!

So it is that most of my disbelief and faulty ideas about a holy God are altered by my own selfishness to produce godliness on my own.  My efforts are often to bring sacrifice before surrender, and that is not what God desires.

I have to learn to let go of my own worth.  I have to learn that I am insignificant.  Nothing  I do can add to my status or significance because significance is only for God.   Value is reserved for Him.  There is freedom when I grasp my unimportance because I am no longer burdened with producing my own righteousness and sense of value.

A NIGHT WITH NORAH