Tough and Battle Tested

Father’s Day is approaching and many of us Dads can fondly remember the gifts we have been given on our special day. The ties that were neatly folded into a shoe box, wrapped with the Sunday paper comics that were either displaying our favorite sports team, fishing gear, or the ultimate “#1 Dad!” I still have a few hanging in my closet most notably of Bob and Larry (Veggie Tales). You may remember reading homemade cards from your giggling 6-year-old, or opening presents with the typical themes of fishing, golf, sports, or food. When our children, of all ages take time to appreciate us, those are moments to smile and reflect upon the joy of being a father.

But on the other 364 days of the year Fatherhood is a tough job and not for the feint of heart. You have to have nerves of steel to change those explosive diapers. I am not talking about a cute little baby doo-doo. No these are the ones that combine a jar of Skippy, Butterfingers, a stick of dynamite with the toxic smell of skunk, rotten eggs and nuclear radiation. You are battle tested when your toddler, third grader or 16-year-old says “NO!” defiantly. On numerous days you have thrown a ball, played board games, read Dr. Seuss stories (and got tongue-tied), sang with the Wiggles, inflated bicycle tires and balls, be the Jungle Jim, or wonder what happens next with I-Carly and numerous daily activities all after putting in a full day. Your workday may include a dangerous commute of live-action frogger, dealing with not-so-Disney customers and co-workers, a micro-wave lunch, and a survival trip back home. As you pull into your driveway, exhausted and drained, is when your Fatherhood role kicks-in and your children need your best. Fathers are tough, resilient, resourceful and giving.

Father’s have a vital, irreplaceable role in a child’s life. A loving Father provides emotional and physical security, a model of healthy and balanced masculinity, physical play, risk-taking, adventure, and fun. One primary role of a Christian father is to point their children to the Heavenly Father, to be a Godly example of grace, mercy, integrity and love in the likeness of Christ. No other can fulfill your God-given role as a father and the priceless gift you give each day of yourself to your children. To my father friends both novice and experienced – keep up the good fight, for you are fighting for your children.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9

Thanks Dad – you are one tough, battle-tested veteran who is a model of Fatherhood.

Like Watching Grass Grow

You’ve heard the phrase it’s about as exciting like watching grass grow? After living in Oregon I have a different take on this idiom. It’s about as much work like watching grass grow? In Damascus I look forward to Spring hoping for a little more sunshine and 70 plus degree temps, but as soon as I look out my living room window at the grass jungle (I think I hear Tarzan’s yell coming from the neighbors), my excitement turns to dread with all the work ahead. For those of you who are right now watering your lawn with the $11.95 garden hose from Home Depot, laying down a thick coat of 20-20-20 fertilizer, or have given up on nature’s carpet and called in the professionals to stretch out an all weather, hassle-free Astro Turf, you have no idea that grass could grow like this. It’s like a fungus growing in your teenage son’s gymbag over the summer, a Chia Pet on Miracle Grow, or Mr. Clean on Rogaine steroids who turns into Cousin Itt (Addam’s Family character for you young whipper snappers). It’s not boring to watch grass grow in Oregon, it is work!

But I am not intimidated as I fire up my 53,000hp John Deere riding mower with dual blades, lights, Monster Truck tires, and Coke holder (yes, it holds sweetened ice-tea, Mountain Dew and lemonade as well…I know it’s awesome. Charlene says it will hold bottles of water too, but whatever). So, I wait for the clouds to part, when the dove doesn’t come back, and after the rainbow fades I race into the grass jungle, full throttle, blades a slashing. After a couple of hours I stand victorious over nature taking my final sip of my iced beverage as I gently ease my workhorse back into his shed.

No sooner than I take off my grass encrusted clothes, I spot a few areas I may have missed, but I pay it no attention, however, the next morning with the sun beaming the jungle has come to life once again. Seriously, mowing my lawn twice a week, if you can find two dry days to do it, is necessary to just keep your home from disappearing into the Bermuda Triangle of Oregon grass and dandelions. Watching my grass grow is a work that never ends. A friend who grew up in Damascus said to me with a little evil twinkle in his eye, “If you want to really, REALLY get back at someone…go sprinkle fertilizer on his lawn in the middle of the night”. He seemingly took glee in the horror of his neighbor waking up, looking outside and with fists raised, yelling “NOOOOO!”.

I think of my own spiritual formation and growth. It is a work that never ends. Sometimes, just when I think I can kick back, sip on my lemonade and say job well done, the grass and the dandelions grow. The grass of distractions, apathy, pride, self-centeredness with dandelions of anger, jealousy and sin sprouting up is enough to make me want to give up, buy some Astro Turf, a few lawn gnomes and call it good. The good news is that God says I don’t have to tackle this job on my own. God has given me his super powered John Deere, his Holy Spirit with more than enough power to plow through any job. Fortunately for me, I don’t have to wait for a sunny day to tackle the overgrown lawn of spiritual neglect, I can mow each and every day - rain, sleet, snow or shine. In my prayers, devotions, conversations with others and obedience throughout the day, I can tackle the lawn of self with God’s help. But please no pranks of throwing fertilizer on my lawn, okay?

Jesus taught this principle through the illustration of grape vines in John 15:1-4:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

Whole Brain Worship

Creativity: The ability to use the imagination to develop new and original ideas or things, especially in an artistic context. – Encarta Dictionary.

How would you rate yourself on a creativity scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest? As a 10 you might be a Picasso, Mozart or Martha Stewart or possibly as a 1 where your creativity is limited to using cursive “A1, B3, or C2s” to prioritize your tasks in your daily planner. Some of us tend to be more “right brain” – thinking from more of a holistic and intuitive viewpoint and leading to be more creative, while others of us (me included) tend to be more “left brain” – logical, sequential, and analytical which can limit out-of-the-box creativity. If you are interested in taking a short “right brain/left brain quiz” go to: Right Brain/Left Brain Quiz

How does creativity and worship work together? I think we might say like hand in glove. Creativity can elevate expressions of worship whether in music, art, dance, drama or written word. Those who play instruments, sing or produce artistic expressions of worship are likely Left Brain. So Left Brain, creative people might be gifted with creativity in worship, but what about us logical, analytical Right Brainers? Are we limited to creating a worship “to-do” list for the Lord, or a sequential method of worship? Maybe, but as God has formed, molded and gifted us in our personality, skills, right or left brain, and level of creativity we should seek to glorify and exalt His Holy Name.

I think we have many Biblical examples of individuals who worshipped God through creativity and obedience. Some were highly creative left brain folks like David, the writer of Job, and the impulsive Peter, while others like the Nehemiah, Luke and the Apostle Paul must have been right brain guys. Each of us, regardless of our creativity level or way of thinking can worship God with all of who we are and rejoice in it. God rejoices in our offering of worship and obedience, and He created us to fully reach toward the Heavens to honor, exalt and glorify Him as we are. When we come together as right and left brain folks we can worship with both sides and be whole brain worshippers. In Christ’s love we can offer ourselves as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. – Ephesians 5:1-2