Do you believe it?

Louie shared these truths a few weeks ago at Passion City Church.

• I Am Somebody, A Saint, By God's Grace, In Christ
• I Am Blessed With Every Spiritual Blessing And Have All I Need In Christ
• I Am Chosen By God
• I Am Holy And Blameless In His Sight
• I Am A Loved Son/Daughter Of God
• I Am A Trophy Of God's Grace
• I Am Redeemed And Forgiven
• I Have The Holy Spirit In Me
• I Am God's Possession
  

Do you believe it?

Two roads diverged...

Have you ever read something and thought, "They're talking about me!"  That's exactly what I thought when I read this from TrueFaced:

"As we're walking down life's road, we arrive at a tall pole with signs pointing in two different directions.  The marker leading to the left simply says Pleasing God.  The one leading to the right reads Trusting God.  It's hard to choose one over the other, because both roads have a good feel to them."

On the path marked Pleasing God, "I come to a door that reads Striving to Be All God Wants Me to Be.  These words reflect the values that flow out of the motive of Pleasing God, and they describe how we believe we should act.  Since my motive is a determination to please God, I will value being all God wants me to be.  So, I open the door by turning the knob of Effort.  The motive of pleasing God has now produced the value of Striving to Be All God Wants Me to Be.  As I enter this enormous room, a hostess with a beautiful smile greets me and says in an almost too polite tone, 'Welcome to The Room of Good Intentions.'"

"The stifling atmosphere in the room...make[s] it hard for me to breath.  I am so tired of pretending and keeping up appearances.  As I search for the door, someone walks up to me and, looking over his shoulder, whispers, 'Hey, umm, I'm going to check out that other path back at the crossroads.  For the past several years, I've given this room everything I've got and something's not working for me.  You look tired too.  You want to go retrace our steps and head out for the Trusting God trail?'"

On the path marked Trusting God, I come to a door that reads Living Out of Who God Says I Am.  "I tilt my head to the side, thinking the phrase might make more sense if I do.  Those are certainly some words, one right after another.  What in the world to they mean?  It can't mean what I think it means!  When do I get to do something here?  Where's the part where I get to prove my sincerity?  Where are my guidelines?  When do I get to give God my best?  I shake my head and stoop down to read what it says on the doorknob...Humility."

"As I step inside, another hostess immediately approaches.  She smiles kindly and, with a voice that is at once knowing and reassuring, says softly, 'Welcome to The Room of Grace.'"

 "We will never please God through our efforts to become godly.  Rather, we will only please God -- and become godly -- when we trust God."

Mimi's house now?

So, I just got home from work.  Maddie greeted me at the door and immediately gave me a hug and kiss, which has NEVER happened before. 

I said, "This is one of the best days of my life!"

Meanwhile, Emily's cracking up. 

Sensing something was up when Maddie asked, "Mimi's house now?", I realized Emily told her she couldn't go to Mimi's house until she gave me a hug and kiss!

I may have been played, but it was one of the sweetest moments to date.

SOOOOO much!

I don't know why, but it's been my experience that infants/toddlers love playing "How much does mommy/daddy love you?  SOOOOO much!"

Try it right now.  Even if you're alone.

Did you stretch your arms out?

Maybe I'm slow, but I just realized its similarity to Christ on the cross.

"For God so[ooo] loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

40 Good Reasons Not to Have Children?

Are you kidding me? 40 good reasons not to have children. That's the title of a new book by Corinne Maier. Here are the 40 "good" reasons:

• The "desire for children": A silly idea
• Labour is torture
• You avoid becoming a walking pacifier
• You keep having fun
• Rat race plus rugrats: No thanks!
• You keep your friends
• You won't have to use the idiot language when talking to kids
• Open the nursery, close the bedroom
• Kids are the death of desire
• Kids are the death knell of the couple
• To be or to do: Don't decide
• "The child is sort of vicious, innately cruel dwarf" (Michael Houellebecq)
• Kids are conformists
• Kids are a treasure, and will cost you one
• Kids are unbiased allies of capitalism
• A brain teaser: How to keep kids busy
• The parent's worst nightmares
• Don't be fooled by the "ideal child" illusion
• Your kid will always disappoint you
• The horror of becoming a merdeuf
• Parent above all? No, thank you
• Keep the experts at bay
• The family: a horror
• Don't revert to childhood
• It takes real courage to keep saying, "Me first"
• Kids signal the end of your youthful dreams
• You can't stop yourself from wanting your kids to be happy
• You can't get away from your kids
• Get used to it: School is a boot camp
• "Raise" a child...but toward what?
• Avoid benevolent neutrality like the plague
• Parenthood is a sad, sweet song
• Motherhood is a trap for women
• Motherhood or success: Pick one
• When the child appears, the father disappears
• Today's child is the perfect child: Welcome to the best of all possible worlds
• Danger, child ahead
• Why wear yourself out for a future that doesn't include you?
• There are too many children in the world
• Reject the ten absurd commandments of the "good" parent

I might be bias, but I think the title should be changed to 40 Selfish Reasons Not to Have Children. What do you think?

I was the happiest man alive!

I first noticed Emily at Southland Christian Church's Day of Service in June 2003. We were at the same site clearing brush. I recall being taken back by her beauty, but more importantly, her desire to serve.

At the time, I was in one of those started-dating-in-high-school, on-again-off-again relationships. The relationship finally came to an end in April 2004. I found myself sitting through a service one Sunday night. The pastor mentioned his prayer that men would search for a woman like that in Proverbs 31 and that women would strive to be like that in Proverbs 31.

Never having read Proverbs 31, I did so immediately. I was amazed. It was exactly what I had longed for and more importantly, what God longed for me. Now knowing what I wanted and having just ended a long-term relationship, I told God I was willing to wait...a year...five years...ten years. It didn't matter. I knew what I wanted and I was willing to wait. In the meantime, I prayed for her.

Shortly thereafter, I found myself in the same circles as Emily. I hadn't seen her since the day of service. Having remembered what went through my mind that day, I took an interest. She was quiet, didn't talk to "boys" and hadn't dated anyone for a NUMBER of years (the same number of years I had been in a relationship as a matter of fact). She believed God would bring "Mr. Right" into her life, so why fool around? Her family always felt if she was going to go (i.e. get married), she would go quickly -- and she did!

It didn't take long for me to realize she was "the one". There was only one problem -- she was "rooted" in Lexington (i.e. had started her career, her family was in town, etc.) and I was moving to Atlanta. I wrestled with whether or not I should tell her how I felt. I didn't want to say "Hey, by the way, I REALLY like you." and then move several hundred miles away. But at the same time, I didn't want to move without tell her how I felt out of fear of "what could have been".

So I took a chance. I put myself out there and let her know how I felt. I believe we were in the cookbook section of Joseph-Beth. I think I said something profound like, "I have something to tell you. I REALLY like you." As you can imagine, she was shocked. We "stepped outside" to discuss the "bombshell". Than God the feelings were mutual!

Knowing I was moving to Atlanta, we didn't want to waste ANY time. My parents had taken off the week I was moving, so we decided to get married that Thursday night. I actually moved everything to Atlanta, got the apartment ready, and drove back the day of our wedding!

It was an intimate affair -- 15 people in all. It was somewhat of a whirlwind, but I'll never forget how badly my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I was the happiest man alive!

Our "reception" was at the Merrick Inn. They had a room that fit us perfectly. After the dinner, Emily and I drove off to the Cumberland Inn. Our drive to Atlanta was one of the most memorable moments as well. I'll never forget Em sitting with her back against the passenger door, her feet on my lap, smile on her face, sun shinning, country music blaring and the two of us looking forward to starting our lives together.

If I had to do it all over again, I would -- and I wouldn't change a thing! I'd take a wedding on a Thursday night and a honeymoon in Atlanta any day of the week.

I love you sweetheart.

Happy 5-Year Anniversary!

Life is short, God is in control, and He's still good -- SO good!

A year after our friends suffered through a stillbirth (Brooks), I find myself reflecting on the brevity of life again.

Samuel Erik Apinis died after four weeks. Samuel is the son of Bryan and Kathryn. Bryan is on staff with North Point Community Church and is the Director of community groups in our area.

As a group leader, I meet with Bryan on a quarterly basis. We've met three times since our group launched in January.

At our first meeting, Bryan revealed Kathryn was pregnant.

At our second meeting, Bryan revealed "the baby" had a heart condition and would immediately require surgery. Although concerned about the surgery, he seemed more concerned about Kathryn's concern she wasn't going to be able to hold the baby in the days/weeks immediately following the surgery. With Emily pregnant and recalling how it felt not holding Maddie for over six hours after she was born, the news hit close to home.

At our third meeting, Bryan revealed "the baby" wasn't going to require surgery until it was older. We celebrated the news and looked forward to the birth. Micah was a few weeks old at the time. I had forgotten what it was like to have a newborn and reminded Bryan of what was to come.

If you've followed their blog, you're aware of what has happened. I believe Samuel, as well as Bryan and Kathryn, have had more of an impact on the lives of others in four weeks than I have in 28 years.

Their testimony of faith is amazing and I can only hope that Emily and I would respond to tragedy in the same way.

For me, Brooks and Samuel are reminders that life is short, God is in control, and while the outcome can be tragic, he's still good -- SO good.

"I don't know what to do with the fact that God answered all my little requests but did not answer my big one. I am thankful for His faithfulness in the small things, and I continue to trust that He is good and loving. He is my comfort in this new day without Samuel. But I don't know why God didn't save the day and heal my son. I will probably never know. What I do know is this: what God asks of me is my trust in Him, my continued faith, my obedience to Him, and my heart. He wants me to come to Him in the dark times and continue to proclaim His goodness (He IS good!), and He wants me to love Him. Those things I will seek to do with all my heart, but I know some days it will be harder to do than others. I know I can rest in His unchanging grace, and I know on the harder days, He can handle my sorrow, anger, and lack of faith. I will strive to authentically walk this road of grief before me and let God, who did not heal Samuel's heart, now heal mine."

Rotten Fruit

If Saturday was a test, I failed -- MISERABLY.

When you're the parent of a newborn/infant, you can't help but break your life down into three hour increments. Within those three hour increments, some "experts" suggest your newborn/infant sleep for an hour and a half or more.

NOT MICAH. He averaged 30 minutes. And when he wasn't eating, he was wailing. And when he wasn't wailing, he was dozing. And when he was dozing, you couldn't sit down or he would start wailing again (in which case you'd have to get back up and bounce him in your arms in a futile attempt to get him to doze again). And before you knew it, it was time to start it all over again.

Long story short, I handed him to Emily (who stays home with them EVERYDAY) and said "I can't take it anymore. I'm done."

I thought I was patient.

Apparently my fruit is rotting.

Who's your Nathan?

Our community group is currently reading Everbody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them. While I don't particularly care for the book, there have been a few chapters worth reading, especially the one we discussed last night -- The Gift Nobody Wants: Confrontation.

The chapter focuses on the story of David and Bathsheba. David seduces Bathsheba, wife of Uriah. David learns she's pregnant and summons Uriah from war with the hope Uriah will sleep with his wife and think the baby is his. Uriah returns, but doesn't sleep with her. David orders Uriah's death and marries now widowed Bathsheba. God sends Nathan, a prophet, to confront David and hold him accountable. David ultimately confesses his sin.

Now before David even slept with Bathsheba, he was questioned by his servant who appears to have had the foresight to know David was headed in the wrong direction. "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" In other words, "This is somebody's wife. Somebody's daughter. Be careful."

"If David were in a spiritually sensitive place with God, [those] statements would have stopped him in his tracks."

I'm a BIG advocate of having a Nathan in our lives. "Without a Nathan...we have a way of drifting off course." But what I've learned from this chapter is, no matter how many Nathan's we have in our life, it's not going to make a world of difference if we're not "at a spiritually sensitive place with God."

Who's your Nathan?

"Nothing can be more cruel than the leniency which abandons others to their sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the sever reprimand which calls another Christian in one's community back from the path of sin." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Breakfast Exchange

A brief breakfast exchange this morning:

Me (pointing to my Bible): "Maddie, what is this?"

Maddie: "Jesus!"

According to John Piper,

99% of the actions you perform that influence your children are unpremeditated actions (i.e. facial expressions, posture, tone of voice, response to the dog, etc.). Your children will most likely imitate what they see makes you happiest. Your only hope -- if you want to influence your children for God -- is to be a certain kind of God-besotted person, so that when you react spontaneously what they see is God. And if children imitate what really makes you the happiest, then the priority parenting must be to find your deepest satisfaction in God, so that your joy in him spills over in what you say and do.

Click here to read the rest of Parenting for the Glory of God.

Dada!

I was listening to Mark Driscoll's Pray like Jesus: the Lord's Prayer on my way to work yesterday. I'm sure you're familiar with the prayer - "Our Father in heaven..." Mark pointed out that "Jesus addressed God simply as 'Father', and taught his followers to do the same." He went on to say that "understanding that God is Dad is primary to prayer" and "if we understand God is Dad, then we will naturally speak to him anytime about anything because we know we are loved, cared for and safe with him."

When I got home, I took Maddie upstairs with me as I normally do. As soon as we walked into the bedroom, she pointed to a picture of Emily and me as if she DESPERATELY needed it. I grabbed the picture and brought it closer. She pointed to me and said "dada". It was the first time I've heard her say it without being prompted to do so!

Whether or not this was a coincidence, I was reminded that my relationship with Maddie has been ordained by God and it's my responsibility as a father - and a husband - to reflect the image of God.

To add a little humor, I asked Maddie to give me a kiss (in the picture) and she did. I then asked her to give me a kiss (in real life) and she ferociously shook her head NO!

Leading by example...

I'm sure you've heard the cliche "do as I say and not as I do." Well, I never quite understood how important it was to lead by example until I saw my not-even-thirteen-month-old-daughter sitting in her highchair folding her hands to pray with us before dinner. That's right. After we said our dinner prayer, Emily and I looked up and saw Maddie sitting in her highchair folding her hands as if she was praying with us. I couldn't believe it. She's not even thirteen months old. And to drive the point home further was an email with a link to this video (I'm Watching You Dad) in my inbox this morning...



"Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate." -Anonymous