The perfect Dad

Genesis 22:6-8

New International Version (NIV)

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Strange reading I know, but follow me for a moment…

Jacob was a Cheater.

Peter had a Temper.David had an Affair.Noah got Drunk.Jonah ran from God.Paul was a Murderer.Gideon was Insecure.Miriam was a Gossiper.Martha was a Worrier.Thomas was a Doubter.Sarah was Impatient.Elijah was Moody.Moses Stuttered.Zacchaeus was Short.Lazarus was Dead....
and Abraham was Old. (and possibly a little senile)

Family vacation 2014 with our nieces Courtney and Whitney

Sounds like the worst BBQ ever! Definitely one of the worst Father Fail moments in history! But we all fail… we are human.

I have realized I, too, am human; I am not perfect. I also do not believe I belong among any of these names mentioned above. I often say one thing and later find I do the opposite and I fail. I am human, frail and flawed.  I fail and sometimes I fail thoroughly.

As I think of Abraham and failures, I can't help but think of family trips I went on as a child. We all would pile into our old station wagon (the predecessor to the family SUV) and pack it to the roof line with sleeping bags and suitcases with a young person stuffed here and there. I recall I was a difficult child, though my mother would argue that point, and often talked until I drove my dad mad. On one such trip my attitude and mouth were enhanced by a straw hat that seemed to help my ego swell. After a great number of tries to curb my negative enthusiasm, divert me from picking at my brothers and correcting my father, we pulled to the side of the road and my dad proceeded to remove my hat and my bad attitude with it. He stomped the hat in the middle of the road somewhere in Canada and kicked it to the curb... I still have visions of some moose carrying it around on an antler. Father fail. At least I think my dad thought so. My dad isn't perfect and he often reminded me that parenting didn't come with a handbook, we all learn as we go. And I look too at what I learned as a child and note that I  work on my personal reflection clear into my adulthood, knowing that I am prone to be a pain in the neck at times and working to not elicit the same visceral reaction from others. I'm still working on it, ask my children and my wife.

You see, you don't have to be perfect to be a parent. God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Issac knowing that we could carry out such a sacrifice but for different reasons than the sacrifice God would make for us. We would do it because we were asked, God would do it to save our souls... There is a real difference. So for us, we aren't expected to be perfect, we really are called to be the best we can be each moment, and when we can't be our best... ask forgiveness and move on. Life happens and being a parent isn't perfect, but it is a magical part of the journey.

I wonder some days, if my children could have chosen a better father. But they didn't choose... God did, and for that I am blessed. I am blessed with a wonderful wife and five wonderful people that call me dad. I have had the privilege of growing and learning from all of them and continue my journey each day. I am lucky and blessed and on this father’s day I want to thank my dad... a man who, too, is not perfect, but was and is perfect for me. I love you dad!

We aren't gifted to some placement in life, we are called to it and as we move to a place of qualification, we are tested, molded and trued. With God, each of us becomes what we are called to, not what we are qualified for. God doesn't call the qualified. God qualifies the Called!

God bless all'y'all.

Catching my breath

Time takes toll on each of us, and we all need time. Time with God, time with our family, time... And yet with time we gain renewed strength, vision and perspective. Why do we take so much time from our lives taking time? Christ took time in the desert.
How is it we sacrifice that which we are so limited to? So much of our time is spent, lost, running out or wasted; how can we capture more? How do we keep the time we have? We don't... We make the most of what we have and pray we make memories from those we have.
May your moments be blessed. All of them.

Cold...

The temperature is seven degrees and the snow is pristine white and sparkling. There is joy in anything as long as we take the time to be present and recognize it. I heard birds singing just outside my window and my thoughts were carried on the melodies. Some short and calling, others long and sweet. random thoughts for a Friday.

perfect joy

This week I have been looking at the idea of perfect joy. St. Francis expressed that when we have been deprived of everything in life, pure joy comes in realizing what we are provided and the value it has every day. Now, this is a great simplification, but it does get to the core of something pure... without any influence of another emotion... at its core. Pure joy. What barriers do we build around our hearts that prevent us from holding the world in pure joy every day? Is it defense mechanisms that begin to determine who we are? Have we become so protective that we don't relish the joy of daily living?
Having three small boys, I can attest that there is joy even in the simple and mundane. How many times have they laughed at something I thought was just stupid? I can't count. The point is, the children in our lives experience joy as almost a daily and moment by moment event in their lives. Where did we forget that?
I pray you find perfect joy in your day and in the days to come.
Peace all,
Pat

out of fear

To all who are returning to work today feeling the weight of last week's tragedies... A prayer.

Great Creator, I want to thank you for this day, but I am mourning and afraid. The loss of so many small souls is breaking my heart and at such a wonder filled time of the year, I cannot imagine why they had to die. I too am filled with remorse for the boy who hurt so badly inside he had to take these lives, and I am so angry with a world where this can happen. I ask why, and cannot hear the answer, so I pray for patients and understanding. 
While I wait for an answer, I pray that today, as I look at the faces of those before me, may I see the whole person there? The love, the kindness, the pain and hurt, the soul that shines with the divine essence that each of us share. I pray that I may be present with each person, if but for a moment, so that I may relieve their pain, grow their courage and self-esteem and help them see that they are beautiful, wonderful and loved.
Oh Great One, who knows all, keep me aware of your presence. Hold my hand and lift me so that I may have the love and courage to be a light to others today and always. Grant me peace that I may carry an open heart with others and not build walls of fear. And give me the grace not to pass judgment on those whom I fear, that I may turn their hearts and keep them from harm too. Give me strength to imagine a better world and the courage to help build it.
Please make it so.

July 5, 2012 First week at the new position in Salt Lake City, Utah. Everything I thought about over the past number of years is at the doorstep as I walk into a new chapter in life. I began this week as the associate pastor for Christ UMC and have been getting my feet wet. First communion on Sunday, meeting after meeting this week. New faces and learning the community. It is so much, and yet, we have never been welcomed anywhere like we have been here! It has a small town feel with many of the amenities of a larger community. I can't yet say what this adventure holds, but we feel so blessed to be here. Pat

Rain

damp cool rain drizzles to the earth clouds hang low in the sky ghostly whisps cooly brushing the air droplettes like magnifiers of God's creation Life springs forth the bud on the tree the flower unfolds grass caressing my feet as the dew chills toes light pushes through the clouds and for a moment the birds sing the ground lights up as tinsel on a tree and then in a rumble, it is grey again

transformation

I remember the day they were born. The rush about me. The crushing anticipation and concern. The elation. The connection. We again are waiting for that connection, this time for another... I pray for your fist breath and for that Divine presence to fill your lungs... and for life.

Then sometimes you just can't be prepared!

There is no need to tell a stay at home parent how busy their day is going to be. From the time we get up in the morning to the time the kids go to bed, we are on alert ready for anything. Did I say anything? Last weekend we went to the mountains to enjoy a little family time. The kids had a great time playing until Joe pushed Zach off a large rock and gave him a black eye. Oh well, boys will be boys, and after a few tense moments and a little blood, we all went back to a great weekend. It wasn’t until we were getting ready to leave that Zach decided to get even. The boys headed to the camp site outhouse for a quick potty break before we all went home. When they returned to the car, something wasn’t quite right. It smelled as if one of them had not made it to the bathroom in time. So we asked, “Did someone step in doggy poo?” No-one answered so we probed a little further. Still no answer, so we followed with an all out search for the odor. As we searched we noticed Randy did not have his hat and asked where the hat was, “in the toilet” came the answer. It seems that Zach removed Joe’s hat and threw it to the bottom of the outhouse. That is when my oldest son Isaiah piped up and said, “So I tried to help them get the hat out, Daddy.” Isaiah had lowered first Joe then Zach into the toilet to see if they could reach the hat, since the bottom of the poo pile was too far away; they only made it in to their armpits and were helped back out by Michael. Needless to say the next thirty minutes were comprised of hauling the boys to the creek and washing each from head to toe and then doing our best to sanitize the car. Did I say we had to be prepared for anything? I am reminded daily that the parent’s handbook doesn’t cover everything and some days you just have to improvise. Thank goodness for baby wipes and cold creeks in the mountains. Here is hoping you are having a better week!

Shiner

I can't remember the first time I had a black eye. I do remember the last... My daughters were about three and I went in every night to kiss them before I went to bed. As I bent over Amanda, she suddenly rose straight up and caught me on the corner of my eye! It swelled up pretty good and stayed varying colors for the next two weeks and was not pretty. I shouldn't complain, they got their mom too! All this came back to me this weekend as my youngest tumbled off a large rock and struck the side of his eye as he came down, leaving a swolen little guy with a tough attitude. I think that is sometimes how we feel in life, like something just knocked us and left us bruised and swolen. But it is just temporary. We push on through and come out the other side reminiscing about the experience. We are resilient. I guess we were made that way so we could grow from those bumps in the road and be stronger in the long run.