Sweet little Ava Lauren turned 2 this Saturday. She is my little princess. I get so much joy just looking at her. She is so fun too. She loves to sing songs and is quite advanced in verbal skills for a 2 year old. Here she is singing happy birthday while eating her chocolate birthday cake.
Prayer of Jesus: “Dad”
We are nearly half way through with the Prayer of Jesus study. Dr. Hemphill outlines the Model Prayer into 4 parts: The Address, The Committment, The Petition, The Benediction. Last week we focused on the Address. He emphasized that the “Father” part of the prayer and made the statement it is similar to our modern expression of “Dad” to our earthly father. In fact, Hemphill often referred to God as “Dad” through out the video.
Needless to say, a majority of the group participants struggled with this phrasing. For most in the group, I would categorize it as at best uncomfortable and at worst disrespectful and wrong. I definitely understood their point, and I don’t think I would be comfortable using that term in prayer. “Father” is much more natural for me. Once a word or phrase establishes a contextual meaning in our minds, it is hard to change that meaning. In this sense, tradition matters.
I definitely don’t think Dr. Hemphill was trying to be disrespectful or “cute” in using this term. He was just trying to convey the intimacy we are to have in our prayer life. The fact is that Jesus use of “Father” was a radical concept in His day. The Jews considered this phase disrespectful as well. We certainly must not be caught throwing stones here.
But as I said, I do understood the concern. The best advice here it to follow Jesus’ response to John who questioned what they should do about the man who was driving out demons in the name of Jesus but was not part of Jesus’ disciples. “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
Enjoying It While It Lasts
Today, two great reminders of this special season of life. First, Ava, who has recently developed into an excellent kisser, wanted to kiss all of the parts of my head. My eyes, my ears, my nose, my chin. I gladly let her. Her wet lips on my cheek and the pop of her smooch are still fresh in my mind.
I then drop Jacob off at preschool. I stand by the window watching him put up his lunch box and jacket. He turns and looks at me. Gives me a big thumbs up and blows me a kiss.
It won’t last. The days will change and so will my children. Those new days will be special in their own right. But this morning will be tough to beat.
Feels like Spring
This afternoon has been sunny with temperatures in the low 50s. It feels like Spring. Heck, after these snowy days, it feels like Summer.
Prayer of Jesus Study: Pt.1
We had our first small group session on Dr. Hemphill Prayer of Jesus study. I enjoyed the video and the discussion. We had 10 in attendance (4 others could not make it), and they were quick to share their thoughts.
The key point that Dr. Hemphill made, and probably the key point of the entire study, is that prayer with our Father is in itself our reward and motivation for prayer rather than “getting” thinks through prayer.
His other key point is that the Model Prayer is not just a prayer to say but a model or framework for our prayer life and relationship with God. We can pray without ceasing if have the mindset of an unceasing relationship with God through out the day.
He made an interesting observation that after Jesus gives the Model Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, He gives 6 “Do Not Worry” commands. Dr. Hemphill concludes that this worry free life is only possible or even partially attained once we implement the prayer lifestyle. Thus, we will likely worry about the very things Jesus told us not to if we don’t first establish the relationship with God through prayer.
I am working through the workbook which I have surprisingly enjoyed. I typically don’t like workbooks like this, but so far it has been a blessing.
Where Have I Been
This is the first thing I have written on my blog in 2010. The reasons for this absence are 1.) my work at DGI has been extremely busy. It is our great fortune to be part of not 1 but 2 government contracts for enhancing our nation’s electric grid. Being government projects, they require hourly accounting for billing. Thus, I am trying to put as many hours as possible toward these projects.
2.) my family/home life has stepped up. With Shannon working and the kids at daycare/preschool, my mornings are busy getting kids dressed and ready and sometimes driving them to school. Once Shannon and the kids get home, we do dinner, baths and bed and then our my bedtime. Free time gets gobbled up quickly. This has been especially true in our first few months of this new lifestyle.
But probably the biggest reason I have not written is 3.) I have not had much I wanted to write about. Lots of cool things have happened, and I am loving our new life in Nashville. But I did not feel like writing about the “ordinary” aspects of life. Nothing wrong with ordinary, but it felt a bit trite and commonplace describing the inns and outs of my life. I needed something else to motivate me.
I think I have found my tonic for post-lessness. On Sunday nights at our church, I am facilitating a small group study on the prayer of Jesus. It is based on the book The Prayer of Jesus by Dr. Ken Hemphill. Prayer has been a major driver of my spiritual growth these last 12 years or so since my rededication so I am excited to be in this study. We have 14 of us in the class. We met last Sunday and will meet another 5 Sunday nights.
I will be writing some about prayer, the book and the group study here on my blog. Maybe be short posts or long, but thoughts on prayer. I expect it will help me in the discussion aspect of the study to think through some thoughts here. I am sure I will then mix in more the ordinary topics of life which I have eschewed, but now that I have something else to motivate me. Not that I can post every day, but more often than every 6 weeks which is the current pace.
Now I have said. Now I have to do it. Pray for me.
Christmas 2009
Here are a whole bunch of pictures from this year’s Christmas. Start with a little Christmas gathering with our friends Bill Emeott, Jeff and Abbey Land. Then Christmas morning at our home after Santa visited and then with my parents. Enjoy and have a great new year.
2009: The Year of Gifts
Sorry if this seems a little incoherent, but I am a bit confused. Not sure where am I. I was in Springfield, TN living in a my home. No, no, I think I was in Orange Beach, AL renting an apartment. No, that can’t be right. Maybe I am in Franklin, TN staying in someone else’s home rent-free. Huh?
Wild year. One that is hard to encapsulate in a post. Shannon and I were talking on the drive to my parents for Christmas of what we did together in each of our 8 past Christmases. I could not remember last year, but Shannon remembered that our friends the Joneses watched Jacob, my parents watched Ava and Shannon and I took a “stay-cation” taking day trips to different parts of Tennessee. “That was last year. Just 12 months ago?” I replied. It seemed so, so long ago.
So much has happened in 12 months that it is hard to believe it all occured in the same year. Not just living in 3 different places, but our mindsets. In Springfield, knowing only that we didn’t know what our future direction should be. Going to Orange Beach in hopes of finding that answer, but unsure of when and how that answer would present itself. In Franklin, with a clear vision for our future but new challenges in our new lifestyle.
So many people tell you that time flies and that your life, especially with your children, passes too fast. Maybe I will hold that view at some point in my future, but I am 34 now, with a 7 1/2 year marriage, a 5 year old and a nearly 2 year old. My verdict: time is just creeping on and it is great that way. Jacob at 5 years of age, ready to start kindergarten in less than a year; yea, that sounds right. Hasn’t flow by to me. Nearly 8 years with Shannon; I seems longer because I can’t imagine life without my wonderful soulmate.
One thing I am probably going to regret later is using this quote from an 80s movie. At the end of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris says: “Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Everyone seems to agree with the sentiment of how fast life moves, but many don’t apply the solution Ferris suggests. You have to make a concentrated effort to look around to keep your perspective. By looking around, I mean really thinking about what is happening in your life. Going back and trying to recount how you got there, like Shannon and I did trying to remember our past Christmases. But not just now and then, but fairly regularly. Sometimes looking at the big picture but other times looking at the immediate past. It is something I try to do, and I testify that it generally works.
I confess that some periods of your life are a bit more “ordinary” than others which makes it harder to recall, but that also means there are periods of your life which are quite extraordinary. 2009 has been that year. The greatest gifts I received this year, in order:
1. Jacob’s salvation.
2. Seeing the healing of grief in Shannon’s life
3. Receiving direction from God on moving to First Baptist Nashville and our new family direction.
4. Having a wild and unpredictable year which made my 12 months of living seem like 2-3 years of life.
My worst fear apart from the death or harm for my family is having a life without abundance. Without fullness or depth or excitement or challenges or opportunities or goals. A mundane existence where the days blended together and your life feels like it is flying by you without you making an impact on it or it making an impact on you. 2009 was anything but my worst fear.
Predictions for 2010? Yea, right. Could I have predicted 2009? I won’t even try and make a fool of myself by doing that. But that is the fun of it. I don’t know what is in store and I can’t wait to find out.
In Nashville (Franklin, actually)
Been a bit of a whirlwind this month. My posted the news on Facebook several weeks ago so I assume everyone knows we have moved to Nashville as Shannon is the new children’s minister at First Baptist Nashville. We are currently staying at the church’s mission home in Franklin looking for permanent residence.
Ironically, now that we have moved from Orange Beach I should take some time to explain why we moved there in the first place. Given we are there only slightly less than 6 months and ultimately made a new move from Springfield of 30 miles south, it may seem like a mistake to move there. On the contrary, it was one of the best things we have done as a family, and our place in Nashville and Shannon’s new job would not have been possible without doing so.
I will write more about that later. Today, I have a little boy upstairs who wants to play. Heading to my parents for Thanksgiving dinner later today, and Jacob will spend a few nights with his grandparents.
My Life as a Play: Jacob’s Worship Song
Setting: Daddy is putting Jacob to bed. Jacob has longed like to make up songs, especially worship songs. They are always original, including never repeating the same line twice or in the same key. In fact, there is typically no discernible key or harmony or pitch. Just a worshipful heart. He gives Daddy an impromptu performance.
Jacob:
I love you God.
You made the whole world.
You took away the yucky from my heart.
You died for me on the cross.
You gave me a great family.
You made all the birds and animals.
You made the sweet sweet reindeer that carry Santa.
I love you.
