The Most Beautiful Girls In the World

Last week I spent the entire week relaxing, playing, laughing, swimming, floating, fishing and having a great time with three of the most beautiful girls in the world. As the week progressed I found myself at different moments with each of my girls realizing that I have been blessed beyond belief with these three precious treasures.

It wasn't in the big things, it was the little things. It was the way Emma would look me straight in the eye, smile her wry little smile which just melted my heart with love for her. That look which for her may have meant something else, but for me I believe was just unconditional love of a daughter for her daddy.

There was the moment when a little hand just reached out for mine as we walked along and held on tight. There was no request from me, no need to hold hands for safety, but Cara just wanted to walk with her daddy and hold hands. As I looked down at this beautiful little girl I once again was reminded of the tremendous blessing that God has bestowed on me.

There was the moment when I looked across at my beautiful wife, Julie, who was sitting on the boat with Cara's head resting in her lap as we slowly headed towards the sunset after a perfect evening of fun and laughs.

Each day there was one moment after another. Nothing big or great, but each little thing which would melt my heart once more. Even the stuff that often can be frustrating would somehow become sweet. The sticky fingers and faces covered with melted marshmallows, or covered with chocolate ice cream or covered with ketchup. It didnt matter what the mess was, behind the mess there were looks of love, looks of acceptance, looks that reminded me once more how blessed I am.

As we returned home there were still more moments when Cara would say something silly or Emma would sing a worship song to herself, or Julie would challenge my thinking on something I had been reading. Again, no major life changing flash, but each moment enough to challenge me on how much I return the love to my beautiful girls. Each moment a challenge to be the head of the household in every aspect, and that means I need to give out more hugs, more kisses, more praise, more encouragement, more prayers, more support for each of my girls.

My prayer has become that God would give me the strength to be the dad that He has called me to be. That I would have the wisdom to be the husband that God expects me to be. That I would love more and be slow to anger. My prayer is that God would knit our family together with bonds of love that cannot be broken, regardless of what comes our way.

This week was supposed to be about relaxing and recharging as we/I prepare for a couple of busy weeks of church service.

This week was actually about me falling in love with my girls all over again. Don't get me wrong, I never fell out of love with them, but this week was a week when my love for them deepened and God showed me the specialness of each of my girls.

To Julie, Cara and Emma - I love you with everything that I have. You are my treasures, you are my inspiration, your are my loves. I pray that God would richly bless each of you in the calling on your lives and bless us as a family as we seek to do His will.

Choices

This coming Saturday two very special people have the chance to make a choice that will change both of their lives forever. Sean and Janelle will be asked the most important questions of their lives and their choice is simple - "I do!"

We all have choices that we make every day. There are simple choices - like which radio station to listen to in the car on the way to work, and there are more difficult choices - like donut or muffin? Seriously though, we all make choices every day.

I would like to challenge us all to make some choices that will potentially have wide reaching effects. I would like to challenge us all to choose to get fully involved in the things that are going on at Mt Oak over the next few weeks. We have such an exciting opportunity to reach out to this city that we live in, but there is one thing that is holding us back - US. The biggest hindrance to the advancement of the Kingdom of God from the time of Jesus until now is not the Lord and His willingness to move, it is our choices and our decision to make ourselves available to be used by God or not.

As I write this I have a sense that this posting may cause some offense, and please hear me when I say that this is not my intention. I do not want to guilt anyone into action nor do I want to upset anyone, but I do want to bring the reality of the choices that we make and place it right in front of us for everyone to consider.

I know that for some, the idea of talking to people, or even walking and praying through a neighborhood is a scary thing. In fact, I am sure there are some of our congregation who have already chosen to attend another church on July 12th rather than take part in Amazing Sunday. I want to encourage you to reconsider that choice. I want to encourage you to choose to join with us as we reach out to a hurting city.

I want to encourage you by telling you that last Sunday we had all the kids up on the stage at the end doing actions to our closing worship song. Among those kids was one little boy who you probably did not recognize. Now dont feel bad that you dont know all the kids, because for this little boy the only person in the congregation who knew him was his mom. You see, this little boy who was up on stage trying to follow Babette as she led the kids in hand actions was a first time visitor. His mom met someone at the StreetReach booth at Bowiefest and she made a choice - she chose to come to church.

Last Saturday we had a small team walk through the P section dropping leaflets at doors. People who made a choice to come and serve. On Monday morning Milford received a call in the office from a resident on Pinelake Lane asking for help with some yardwork.

A simple choice to stand beside a booth and hand out information led to a new family visiting our Sunday service. A simple choice to walk through a neighborhood and hand out leaflets led to a connection with a new family and a chance to serve.

As you look at your schedule over the next few weeks what choices will you make? Will you choose to take your family out of town on Amazing Sunday weekend or will you choose to stay in town, come to Mt Oak and reach out to the city. During the VBS will you choose to stay at home in the evenings or will you choose to come and serve as a helper or will you choose to invite your neighbors along?

Its your choice.

Busy-ness is a bad business

I got sick last week - and I am still sick. Here it is the middle of June and I have what feels like the flu, and it wont go away. The funny thing is that I know why I got sick. Without fail the main reason why I get the flu is that my body is screaming for a break. It is crying out for some rest and some time to just do nothing. I find that hard to do, but have done my best this week to have a 'quiet' week. What is strange to me is that in this, my 'quiet' week I have worked in the clinic two afternoons, presented a poster at a National Conference for PT's, had a meeting to discuss my research agenda for the next year and a half, talked with church staff about some significant changes, had two meetings at church and had a softball game canceled due to rain.

Aside from these few items on my to-do list this has been a quiet week. I have had 3 mornings at home and been able to do absolutely nothing - which I must admit feels a little odd.

When I say that I am doing nothing at home that is not really an accurate statement. With our Summer StreetReach mission only a few weeks away we are busy organizing and planning. This is a busy time, but it will all be worth it. One more week of busy-ness until we have a week away as a family - and that will truly be a week of down-time.

So here is to hard work, and here is to looking towards good rest.