Not a very creative title, I know. But late on a Father's Day night, I'm keeping things simple.
I want you to know how my dad spent his Father's Day. By knowing that, you'll understand a lot about the unbelievable servant's heart he has. My whole life I have watched my dad do for others quietly, selflessly, tirelessly. He models so well the servant's heart of Christ. Even now, at 79 years old, he has not stopped giving of himself.
Today is Father's Day. On a day when every Hallmark card and every advertisement you see screams for dads to take it easy, put their feet up, have a cold one, live it up, do nothing, do something for themselves, whatever it takes to make them happy, let me tell you what MY dad did.
My parents recently gave me a riding lawn mower. I haven't had a chance to mow yet, but now that I'm not working on Sundays, I'm ready to start. I don't remember ever using a riding mower before, so I wasn't even sure how to start it.
Today after church, my dad (and mom, but I should've told you how wonderful she is on Mother's Day) came to my house, dressed and ready for yard work. Dad patiently showed me how to start and use the lawn mower, and while I made my feeble first attempt to mow my somewhat holey, rocky, mole-infested yard, he worked, while all the while keeping a careful eye on me. He weed-eated (weed-ate? who the heck knows). He picked up sticks. He trimmed my trees. He spent half the afternoon serving ME, on HIS day.
Yes, later this evening we all got together for a nice meal and some good family fun, but what I'll remember about this day and so many countless others is how well my dad loves people by serving them.
Daddy, thank you for loving me so well.
Mark 10:45
Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
No Regrets, Part Deux
I mean really, do you have time to maintain all these regrets? Aren't we living in a lost and dying world surrounded by people who need to know about Jesus?
Stop wasting time. Go love. Go tell the world about Jesus.
Stop wasting time. Go love. Go tell the world about Jesus.
No Regrets
If I had to name one single word that defines how I have looked at my life, historically speaking as well as from one minute to the next, it would be regret. Seriously. Regret. At times I have allowed regret to consume me, to paralyze me, to shame me, and ultimately, to neutralize me to be used to the fullest in God's kingdom.
I've regretted everything from parenting mistakes to buying the wrong shirt at Kohls. Every. Single. Day. I have regretted SOMETHING.
Today, my pastor, David Landrith, shared a statistic with us that made me realize that I am not alone. First he said that the number one felt and expressed emotion is love. Well, that's good. Love is certainly the most fundamental for Christ-followers. God's been working with me on that one too. But the number two? Regret. You guys have regrets too? Seriously? All this time I thought I was alone!
A regret-filled life is a life that is focused the wrong direction - the past. Plus, it's ridiculously self-absorbed. I'm not saying there are no lessons to be learned from past mistakes. Heck no. But if I am so consumed by past regrets that I'm missing where God is leading me TODAY, regret is standing between me and moving forward with God's plan for my life. Frankly, it's sin. And I'm sick to death of it. Despite my desire to be different, I really haven't taken many steps to put it in my rearview mirror.
I have made a decision. I am resolving to be different. I am going to stop living a regret-filled life.
Goodness knows I can't be different on my own. I've tried doing everything on my own, which is a theme for a whole 'nother day.
God does the work in us; He provides the power for us to walk it out. He provides the grace to let our past go. It's a total work of the God yes, but remember we choose to position ourselves for change. We choose to surrender. We say yes to God. I'm saying yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord...yep, the music in my head is shouting that song!
Well, I know I'm walking with baby steps, but kids, I'm moving forward. You coming?
I've regretted everything from parenting mistakes to buying the wrong shirt at Kohls. Every. Single. Day. I have regretted SOMETHING.
Today, my pastor, David Landrith, shared a statistic with us that made me realize that I am not alone. First he said that the number one felt and expressed emotion is love. Well, that's good. Love is certainly the most fundamental for Christ-followers. God's been working with me on that one too. But the number two? Regret. You guys have regrets too? Seriously? All this time I thought I was alone!
A regret-filled life is a life that is focused the wrong direction - the past. Plus, it's ridiculously self-absorbed. I'm not saying there are no lessons to be learned from past mistakes. Heck no. But if I am so consumed by past regrets that I'm missing where God is leading me TODAY, regret is standing between me and moving forward with God's plan for my life. Frankly, it's sin. And I'm sick to death of it. Despite my desire to be different, I really haven't taken many steps to put it in my rearview mirror.
I have made a decision. I am resolving to be different. I am going to stop living a regret-filled life.
Goodness knows I can't be different on my own. I've tried doing everything on my own, which is a theme for a whole 'nother day.
God does the work in us; He provides the power for us to walk it out. He provides the grace to let our past go. It's a total work of the God yes, but remember we choose to position ourselves for change. We choose to surrender. We say yes to God. I'm saying yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord...yep, the music in my head is shouting that song!
Well, I know I'm walking with baby steps, but kids, I'm moving forward. You coming?
I don't have time to maintain these regrets...when I think about the way...He loves us...Oh how He loves us so.
John Mark McMillan
"How He Loves"
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