He's My Son and Conversations with Andrew

I was watching the Predators game with Joshua and Andrew tonight. I told them it was nine years ago tonight that I had taken their mommy out for the first time. I told them we went to eat and then to a Predators game. I told them we talked and I knew I loved her and asked her to marry me a few months later.

Joshua replied, "Yeah, but the Predators are losing."

Conversations with Andrew

A few nights ago we had company and the boys were doing everything they could to avoid sleeping. I heard Andrew crying and yelled to the top of the stairs, "What's wrong?"

Andrew - "Joshua won't let me talk."

Me - "You're  not supposed to be talking."

Andrew, in his Will Ferrel rage voice - "BUT I HAVE A PRAYER REQUEST!!!"

And one more quick one ...

Rebecca - "Andrew, what do you want for Christmas?"

Andrew - Someday I want a kid."

Conversations With Joshua

Joshua was lying in bed having some growing pains in his legs last night. I went in to lay with him for a few minutes and asked...

"Joshua, do you know how much I love you?"

Joshua -"How much?"

Me - "So much."

He asked, "Daddy, do you know how much I love you?"

Me - "How much?"

Joshua - "41."

Don't Be Afraid

I got to preach again this past Sunday. The passage was Luke 18:9-14 (The Prayer of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector). It's about hiding in Christ instead of our own righteousness.

It's called, 'Don't Be Afraid, I ...'

Pax is Six (months)

Pax is six months old today. The months have flown. He's scooting around the room and tried to eat solid food last night. He is aptly named. He is tender and peaceful and almost always content. He doesn't like shots or afternoon naps. Other than that, things are rolling along smoothly. I'm thankful to be his daddy. Happy 1/2 Birthday, Paxapotamus.

Joshua at six months

Andrew at six months

I Am New by Jason Gray

This video was shot (in part) at Church of the Redeemer (where I have worked for the last three months) and was directed by my friend Grant Howard.


"I Am New" music video for Jason Gray from Grant Howard on Vimeo.

Providence

I get to preach again this weekend, so I've been working quite a bit on my sermon. Yesterday, I spent about three hours working through the notes and trying to carve out the message. About thirty minutes before I was planning on heading home the worship pastor came into my office and asked me to print something off to see if the printer was working. She was having trouble getting the printer to work.

I was picking books up off the floor because I had just broken my six feet tall book case in half while trying to move it with the books still inside. Jenna and I were both a little flustered.

I printed the sermon notes and got back to the books.

Last night I asked Rebecca if I could talk to her about my sermon. I pulled out my computer and found out I hadn't saved the notes I had worked on for three hours properly. I lost all of it. I started to say some things. Rebecca started to pray. She prayed, "Father, let them reappear." As she said it, I remembered Jenna coming into my office. The notes were printed off and on my desk.

I'm thankful for God's providence. I'm thankful he knew I'd need those notes and put a copy on my desk. I'm thankful he uses moments of frustration to show me how large and intricate his care is for his children.

C.S. Lewis on True Friendship

“Friends are side by side absorbed in some common interest. That is why those pathetic people who simply want friends can never make them. The very condition for having friendship is that you want something else besides the friend. If someone says, “Do you see the same truth as me,” and the honest answer is, “I don’t care about that. I just want you to be my friend,” no friendship can arise. There can be nothing for the friendship to be about. Those who are going nowhere can have no fellow travelers.” - C.S. Lewis

The Reckoning (How Long) by Andrew Peterson

Affliction - Spurgeon

Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord's faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father's countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him," is heaven-born faith. The Lord afflicts His servants to glorify Himself, for He is greatly glorified in the graces of His people, which are His own handiwork. When "tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope," the Lord is honoured by these growing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the winepress; nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of the lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified? There are many other comfortable answers to the question with which we opened our brief meditation, let us muse upon it all day long. - Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening