This morning I had such a privilege to share a cup of coffee and great conversation with my cousin Pat Chappell in one of the most peaceful, sweetest back porches. i love the times I get to begin my days in one of my favorite places. Back Porches.I am reading a devotion by Christine Caine, emails as well from her site. She is the founder of the A21 Campaign which deals with human trafficking. Below is her daily devotion and this vacation/journey to the Northern part of the US and Canada is just that for us. A time of refreshment, nourishing the soul and a time to look at some doors that may need to close while new ones continue to open. What if we thought outside of the box like Christine shared below?
"What if we actually lived the radical life of faith we hear about every Sunday?
Imagine if we lived according to what we profess to believe.
Imagine the conversations we would finally have, the acts of kindness that we would do, the inconveniences that we would endure, the places we would go, the money that we would give, the serving that we would commit to, the forgiveness we would extend, the words of affirmation we would offer, the prayers we would pray, the offences we would forgo and the people we would reach!
First Corinthians 2:5 says … your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (NKJV).
Imagine. Great things happen when we activate our faith and trust in Him!"
The term “project” may seem strange for a Father’s Day event
but this has been a very unusual year for my family concerning my dad. Most
know he had battled through two major back surgeries and for years struggled
through Parkinson’s and Neuropathy. But for those closest to me know we
have dealt with a much deeper and very painful situation. In
what could destroy and divide some families we have chosen to love and stand together, yet not always easy.
I can not say my childhood was filled full with lot of happy memories, but if
anything, the past 10 years have taught me to focus on so much I have to be
grateful for and to look at it truly through the eyes of Romans 8:28, “in ALL things God works for the good of
those who love him”. Not just the perfect places or happy times, but in ALL things. And in all things I have been blessed beyond measure, given all the tools and guidance to rise above any obstacles. But, only if we choose to.
As I began reflecting on Father’s Day I am so grateful to
share in a community of some really incredible men and fathers. I began asking
some friends, newer and older, if they would consider writing about
their husband, father experiences or something that inspires them concerning
Father’s Day. I put no restrictions or boundaries other than the question, “What
makes up a good father?” That can vary from many different perspectives
and I am sure yours is unique as well. I
am honored by the ones who have written and truly it has been a therapeutic experience
for me. There are so many extraordinary men I am blessed to know and it was
difficult to just ask a few women to write! I hope each one of them doesn't mind that I
took some liberties of “stealing” some pictures and sharing them throughout their
writing. Just my minor perspective looking
in on their hearts and lives.
No matter how minor or little value the world makes of “fatherhood” it is a
very vital part of each life. It can affect in positive or negative lights, but
it leave an imprint on heart either way.
Happy Father’s Day to each who reads!
From the heart of Brandee
Rowle’s…
Mmm- k so honestly when Pam asked me to write a short
paragraph or so for her 1st blog I was both excited and FA-REAKED
out. I mean I love to talk, I love to
blog (insert total stalker here) but to blog about what I talk about? Well this
was like going on stage or camera for me but I said yes. And why did I say yes? Well 2 reasons, its
Pam and well she wanted us to talk about Fathers. AAAAHHHH two of some of my favorite things
AND people. Coincidently my good friend Pam wears both hats, the Pam/mom hat,
and a majority of the time, the Dad hat.
Have you ever read, heard or seen anything that has made you
weep at the sound or visual of it EVERY SINGLE TIME? This could be as simple as
a Hallmark commercial, a Lifetime movie, a worship song, a prayer or as
cherished and lovely as a sleeping child?
Maybe it’s all of those but for me I have a list, a very, verrry,
verrrrrry long list but at the top 10 of this list (did I mention the list was
long?) is Paul Harvey’s 1978 penned speech of “God made a Farmer” oh come on
you know you know it. It made an
overwhelming resurgence last year when it was set to a Dodge commercial for the
2013 Superbowl.
DING DING DING, yep that’s the one. And
I bet you also remember bawling just like me, don’t lie, you know you did!
EVERY SINGLE TIME ON REWIND (oh, that was just me?)!!!! I wouldn’t pretend to steal or copy Mr.
Harvey’s work but I have thought about those deep and profound sentiments and
how we could weave daddy’s and Father’s in to such a beautiful piece of work or
at least use the texture of it to manifest something near to honor a Father.
I’m sure this will be massaged and re-worked over and over because hey that’s
just who I am but I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.
SO GOD MADE MY FATHER
And on this day, God looked down on a future family and said
I need a great man to bring life to these children and lead them and bless them
all the days of their lives.
So God made my
father.
God said I need someone who can get up before dawn, tenderly
stir the children, start the coffee, make breakfast, feed dogs, shovel his way
from the front porch to the car, firmly wake the children, warm up the car,
scrape the frost off the windshield, HOLLER at the children to wake up, take
chicken out of the freezer, count out lunch money from the coffee can, take
kids to school in their pajamas to teach them a lesson of the value of time and
then begin his work day.
So God made my father.
God said I need a man willing to work all day in the hot sun
and warehouse without A/C or the slightest movement of air, who can tolerate a
sweat soaked, dirty t-shirt and jeans, getting his hands greasy and cut, who
can constantly wipe the sweat from his brow and blood on his pants without the
first complaint of being thirsty or sore. He will need to saw, hammer, lift,
repair with exhaustive creativity and zero budget and occasionally skip
lunch. I will need him to punch in at 7
punch out at 5 and be loyal enough to do this same thing for 45 years day in
and day out with the same company. The
big pay-off is the spirit of triumph of a job well done.
So God made my
father.
He said I’m going to need a man who can change the oil in
the driveway, bathe a dog in the tub, build a shed with his bare hands from
scraps in the garage, birth a goat in the backyard and cry, castrate that baby
goat without crying, build a fence, marinade chicken and grill it to
perfection, shoot a deer for food, cut a tree for Christmas, take his kids on a walk to hand pick
asparagus growing along the railroad tracks and make it all memorable, fix a
hose, help a neighbor, put a bandaid on a scraped knee with his calloused hands
and kiss it ever so gently.
So God made my
father.
God said I’m going to need someone strong enough to lift
lumber and scrap metal, a sledge hammer and a tractor tire, yet gentle enough
to watch his older brother die, his father cry and help his mother mourn. He’ll
need strong arms to carry 2 kids from the back of the truck after the drive in
movie to his own bed and be willing to sleep elsewhere. God said he must laugh,
tell jokes, tease and wrestle but hug them and love them even after a hard
spank.
So God made my
father. God said I’m going to have to ask him to let his kids leave,
let them come back and let them leave again with nothing but love and grace,
raise his son to be just like him and his daughters to accept a man who is nothing less than him. He will let
them all leave with nothing but encouragement and trust that they go with the skills they've been taught and better yet, caught.
He’s going to have to cry silently but pray loudly even if his kids
never hear him.
So God made my Father
God said he’s going to have to learn and trust that his daughter
will have love, care and laughter. That she will experience loss and
heartbreak, develop nurturing and selflessness, joy and a spirit of giving,
that she will know the value of hard work, save money, spend that money and
meet a man who can live up to his (and her) expectations. He would be just like
her daddy, a firm handshake and the respect of looking another in the eye when
speaking, honesty and integrity. He will
need a tender hug for sadness, a smile for when she’s happy and an attitude of
flexibility when she’s feeling both in the same hour. He will pray for a
stranger in the parking lot, embrace adventure, cry with a friend weather
experiencing great joy or sorrow and answer every request wiht “anything you
want baby” just like her father…….….
So God made my husband
From the heart of Jill Polk…
When
you asked me to do this, my immediate thought was that I have been blessed with
two very different but Godly men to lead me in my life First, my father. He was
to me and others around him, the personification of a servant for Christ. He
didn't talk the talk as much as he walked the walk. His Godly leadership over
my home growing up absolutely resulted in "raise up a child in the way
they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it." And
for the majority of my life, I have been blessed to be married to a man who
quietly exemplifies a
Godly husband. Never once have I felt he didn't act in my
best interest or the best interest of our family. He has provided for us in so
many ways that I probably don't even realize how spoiled I am. The Lord has
placed people in his life that needed to see Christ in him and while he's not
necessarily vocal, although he has been when it was warranted, giving his
personal testimony to co-workers that needed to hear it, Tim has been an
example of how you conduct yourself in business, in friendship and in
relationships. Proverbs says whoever finds a good wife has found the favor of
the Lord. It has been easy to be a good wife under the headship of this man who
follows His Lord.
From the heart of Caroline
Anderson….
When I first met my husband, he was the type of man that I
knew would be a great father someday. In a lot of ways, he’s a big kid himself.
He loves to have a good time, has a great sense of humor, and has a love for
singing and theater, which has come in handy when pretending with the girls or
putting on a “show” with them. When my girls were just toddlers, he would play
with them in their rooms, allowing them to put boas around his neck and he
would proudly wear the tiara, just to get a good laugh from his girls. He has
always been a very involved dad—volunteering to coach our oldest daughter’s
t-ball team, leading Chapel services at our youngest daughter’s school, and
being a regular volunteer at our girls’ schools. He would go in and have lunch
with Alex and Emma regularly, read a story to the class, go on field trips with
the girls, and help out with special events at their schools.
Walt is always
present when our girls have something special going on. He truly understands
the concept that time goes by so quickly and he strives to enjoy every moment
he can with them.
The greatest thing that Walt continues to do, even today, is
to read to the girls every night before they go to bed. He does a devotion with
the girls, prays with them and for them, and then reads a book to them or a
chapter from a book. Then, he tucks them in and sings a song that goes like
this:
“As you go to sleep tonight, know that there is only one
hope in this life. God is God and He will never change. His love, will remain
the same, through the days of your life. So hold to His love, Hold to His
promise. Hold to His hand, it will carry you through your darkest night. It
will carry you through your darkest night.”
As I often listen in to my husband singing this song to my
girls nightly, I know that he is taking the time to reassure the girls that he
values them, that he loves them, and that he cares for them. Most importantly,
that God cares deeply for them and watches over them. Even if Walt is tired at
the end of the day, he still takes the time to do this nightly routine with the
girls. He is making memories with his girls that they will never forget.
Walt would tell you that he is not the perfect dad. Like
everyone else, he falls short. He may get upset with the girls when they don’t
obey. Or, when they are throwing a temper tantrum, it’s easy to lose your cool.
But whenever Walt makes a mistake, he is quick to ask for their forgiveness. He
can admit when he is wrong and does his best to make things right. I believe
this is a valuable lesson for the girls. It is teaching them that we all make
mistakes, but we need to ask for forgiveness and make things right. He is
wonderful at showing grace to our girls as well. He truly is a wonderful
father, by setting an example of a person who will protect them, love them,
cherish them, and take care of them.
From the heart of Amy
Gaffney…
Magnificent
Father of Twingles
We never planned on having 3 children. Our little family was complete with our precious daughter….or so we thought. At his “advanced paternal age” my husband never even dreamed that he would be the proud daddy of twin boys. He has commented that his high school friends have children graduating from high school and college while his boys haven't even started pre-school.
I truly cannot imagine another man more ready and equipped for the task of fatherhood like Gary is. Our lives have changed so dramatically over the last 3 years.
But God gives us what we need when we need it. He blessed us with the privilege of raising 3 beautiful children. And he blessed our children with an amazing father who loves them unconditionally.
From the heart of Stephanie
McGuire…
When I think of my father I think about strength. My dad is
a man who worked hard to provide for his family. He and my mom endured many
hardships unbeknownst to me and my siblings in an effort to make sure that our
family was taken care of. Although we were not rich, we didn't want for
anything. He and my mom made sure we were raised in a very loving family with a
strong support system, good education, and most important to put God in the
center of our lives. My father was my teacher—without even knowing it. It wasn't what he said, it was what he DID. He taught us discipline and was the
model of honor in our home. He showed us what love looked like as little girls
when he would open the doors for my mom, buy flowers and cards on each
birthday, anniversary, and Valentine ’s Day, to this day he still does this and so does my brother; and I would watch them sit up late at night
playing cards, laughing and talking. He and my mom are inseparable.
My dad taught us girls to never settle for a man that wouldn't respect us or keep his word. He
taught us that if he couldn't buy us what we wanted we didn't need it. Wow what
a revelation! Especially in today’s culture where girls are taught to use what they've got to get what they want. In my home you were expected to be
respectful, work hard, go to church, and as siblings to take care of each
other. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful example of a father in my
life. A dad who loves me, and a Heavenly Father who loves me more! And you know
what’s great? My children have the privilege to grow up with a father just like
mine. A man of honor, wisdom, strength, faith in God, and uncompromising
integrity, and I am confident that when Phoebe chooses her husband she will
want him to be just like her daddy too!
We live in a time when so many things are
controversial. Everyone has an opinion on how people should live, what we
should be doing in the world, how you should believe, and it goes on and on. My
views are probably very irrelevant to where you may stand in your life. I could
spew all day an “opinion”, but my passion as I age is more about the heart of
each person, the motive and the basis or agenda concerning positions
held.
For instance, one place I hold deeply in my
heart is concerning human trafficking and slavery. I don’t know a person in
realm of my friendships and relationships who look over any period in history
and doesn’t hate those places where human life and the value of it have been so
demeaned. For those who dwell on it, or bitter over those times, I hope your
energy and time is now spent in places which continue to fight these issues. We
need passion greater today, than ever before in history.
One organization I support is the A21 Campaign.
According to their website (http://www.thea21campaign.org) “There are more
slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history, with an
estimated 27 million in bondage across the globe. Men, women, and children are
being exploited for manual and sexual labor against their will.” I have a
great deal of respect for them because they don’t just bring awareness to this
international problem, but there is a working plan and process in place.
There is prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership.
You have probably heard many times, Hollywood
elite, authors, business owners, etc, who have the privilege of a soapbox
and influence of those who listen to them. When I hear complaining and so
much negativity about issues and progress of the world, my prayer and
hope is they are investing their own money and time to help be part of
solution, not just talk about the problems. Inciting people to anger but not to
change definitely doesn't benefit our world!
I know you may have a passions for a specific change in our world today
concerning many different issues whether personal or global. How do you use
your voice, time or talents? It may appear to seem small but whether it is your
family, our community (from neighborhood to city), our state, country and world,
if you are passionate and persistent you can make changes. Collectively, we can
make even greater changes.
Many people have
seen this famous picture of a twin hugging her other twin. If you don’t know
the story behind the picture it not only shows the power of a hug, but
literally changed medical process in many hospitals. This is a true picture of Twin girls, Brielle and Kyrie, who were born 12 weeks
prematurely on October 17, 1995. Check out this short video of the story. I forewarn you, get your
tissue ready!
This was powerful
to me, because hugging and touching is not really natural to me. My immediate
family was not that way when I was growing up and I wish I could say it was
easier for me. I truly believe that is one of the many reason Matthew came into
my life the way he did. Matthew is very loving and close and quite the hugger.
Through that relationship it has made me more purposeful in being closer. Now,
some who read this are probably laughing because this is easy for many people!
I can say I am very grateful to those who “push through” with me. Those huggin’
friends who don’t even ask, they just hug me anyway! The power of touch in my
own life has brought me to tears and at times broke something within me which
impacted different parts of my life. It can make a difference. If you are a
hugger, keep on hugging! You don’t know what your touch might be to someone who
just needs it today.
We know, there is
power in the touch. We know it can be life changing.
