Lesson #1: Above all else

If you need to be brought up to speed with what is going on, see last week's introduction entitled, One is closing while another is opening - you'll be informed.

One of my classes this past semester was a preaching class. One can't be enrolled in a preaching class without delivering a message or two during the course of the semester. To maintain structure and a sense of order my professor assigned us to deliver a message from the book of Ephesians. He set aside the last three weeks of school so that we would all have an opportunity to be graded and critiqued by a seasoned veteran and our classmates. He divided us into three groups and sent us on our way. The best part about all of this, for three weeks I sat and listened to God speak through my classmates as they delivered their messages from the book of Ephesians.

If you know anything about the book of Ephesians then you know that it can be broken into two sections. The first section (chapters 1-3) deal with doctrinal issues while the second section (chapters 4-6) deal with practical issues. It is in the middle of the second section that we find some familiar passages centered on the relationships between a husband and wife and parent and a child. I sat in class on my last day listening to a message on the marital union (Ephesians 5:22-33) and parenting (Ephesians 6:1-4).

I thought it fitting that these messages were delivered the last day. They served as a reminder to me, communicating the necessity of my role as a husband and father. They reinforced the idea that whatever my job and responsibilities may be they do not compare to my duties as a husband and a father. I love my wife and daughters with every inch of my body. Just look at them to the right, aren't they adorable? I am so blessed to be married to Heather and to be a father to Maya and Finley.

Above all else, I am called to be Godly husband and father. Above all else, I want to be known and remembered for the husband I was to Heather and the father I was to Maya and Finley. Above all else, I want everyone to know that my wife and daughters mean more to me then any job I may have, any title I may bear, or any other privilege or honor I may be given.

Introduction
Lesson #1: Above all else
Lesson #2: The church as the body and family
Lesson #3: People or programs
Lesson #4: To consume or to be consumed
Lesson #5: For mine or yours
Lesson #6: Peter Pan & leadership
Lesson #7: Rainbow vs. pot of gold

One is closing while another is opening....

Well, a chapter has closed. Heather, Maya, Finley and I have completed the latest chapter of our lives now that I have completed Seminary. Wednesday December 12, 2007 I gave my last presentation in class and walked out of the Seminary building as a student into the fresh air as an alumni of Multnomah Biblical Seminary.

Two and half years ago, Heather and I moved here to Portland not knowing what was to come. What we encountered was two and half years of ups and down, during which we grew more then we could have ever imagined. With that in mind, I will try to articulate and share with you some of the many lessons that have I (and we) have learned. Consider this an introduction to a series entitled, “What I Learned in Seminary”. What will follow over the next few weeks are brief summaries of the many lessons that were learned. It must be noted, the lessons learned were not necessarily new. Some of what was learned was built upon an already existent foundation while the others have established new foundations for me to build upon in the future. Here is what to expect:

Lesson #1: Above all else
Lesson #2: The church as the body and family
Lesson #3: People or programs
Lesson #4: To consume or to be consumed
Lesson #5: For mine or yours
Lesson #6: Peter Pan & leadership
Lesson #7: Rainbow vs. pot of gold

Daddy Sang Bass....

December 10, 2007. Today is my father's birthday. He would have been 58 had he not passed away in September of 2006. One thing that I loved about my dad was his voice. He was not the greatest singer in the world, but he sure was passionate about it. He had a deep voice and sang bass in the choir at church. You could not miss him because he often sat in the back row in the direct center. He was a head above the men he sat around. He loved music and was moved by it often. My love for music comes from him (and my mom, after all she is the music teacher).
Our house was full of music. There were numerous times that I would walk into the house to loud music blaring from the speakers as my dad was going about his business. Most of the time my dad was listening to the Boston Pops. During Christmas time he would listen to the latest holiday CD, mostly with a symphonic sound. One of my dad's favorite past times was to sit on the living room sofa as my mom played piano and practiced with her best friend, Maryellen as they prepared to sing and play for church. All of this to say, my dad loved music.
I recently listened to a Johnny Cash song on a CD I got for my birthday. On it one of the songs is entitled "Daddy Sang Bass." It explains the picture very well that I have in my head, as I know that one day I will sing with him again in heaven. The song is about a family who loved to sing. Their family circle becomes broken and yet there remains a hope that one day they will sing together again. " One of these days and it won't be long. I'll rejoin them in a song. I'm gonna join the family circle at the Throne." I know the day will eventually come when I see my daddy singing and enjoying life, full of praise and honor for our heavenly father. When that day comes it will be a joy to step beside him and join him in song.

Here are the words for your convenience:

I remember when I was a lad,
times were hard and things were bad.
But there's a silver lining behind every cloud.
Just poor people, that's all we were.
Trying to make a living out of black land dirt.
We'd get together in a family circle singing loud.
Daddy sang bass,
Mama sang tenor.
Me and little brother would join right in there.
Singing seems to help a troubled soul.
One of these days and it won't be long.
I'll rejoin them in a song.
I'm gonna join the family circle at the Throne.
No, the circle won't be broken.
By and by, Lord, by and by.
You could hear us singing for a country mile.

Now little brother has done gone on.
But, I'll rejoin him in a song.
We'll be together again up yonder in a little while.
Daddy sang bass,
Mama sang tenor.
Me and little brother would join right in there.
Cause singing seems to help a troubled soul.
One of these days and it won't be long,
I'll rejoin them in a song.
I'm gonna join the family circle at the Throne.
Oh, no the circle won't be broken.
By and by, Lord, by and by.

Our Christmas Story ...

Back in the day, Heather and I started dating during the Christmas season. During that year she decided to bless me with some anonymous gifts. During the "12 days of Christmas" she left me presents and gifts in all sorts of ways. During those days I had no idea who was leaving me the gifts. Part of me thought it might be a family member being nice to me and the other part of me was hoping that it was a girl, especially a girl by the name of Heather. To make a long story short it was her. That very same year I dragged Heather along with me to do some last minute Christmas shopping. We spent the whole day together playing "20 questions," which turned into more like "100 questions". At the beginning of the day we gave each other the liberty to ask any question under the pretense that it would be answered truthfully. We got to know each other rather well that day. One year for a present Heather gave me a box full of "12 days of Christmas" ornaments. We place them out every year on a separate tree as a reminder of those days - the days of our courtship & dating.

I married into a very tight "knit" family to say the least. Heather's family has a way with knitting. Her grandmother was the queen at knitting. She created over 150 (at least that is what I think, it could be more) of the stockings to your left for her family and friends. I consider it an honor to have my name on one of them. When she passed away the family had everyone show up to the reception with their stocking in hand. Everyone laid them out on the bed so that pictures could be taken in order to capture all of them at once. If you notice the stockings to the right you will see that one is longer then the other's - it's mine!

I have vivid memories of bundling up with sweatshirts, hats, and coats in order to get a Christmas tree. My dad, mom, sister, and I would hop in the car and drive up to Apple Hill. We would spend the day there at the many shops, villages, and tree farms hunting for the PERFECT Christmas tree (and I mean perfect). It was enjoyable because we were together as a family. We always ate wonderful food while we there. We could always count on having some sort of apple dessert with apple cider while we were in Apple Hill. Some of my family (well most of it) has turned unnatural (or shall I say fake). They no longer make the trek up the mountain to get a fresh tree, they simply pull it out of the closet and unpack it. I am sure one of these days it will be that way in my home, but until then I will make family memories with my wife and daughters by dragging them out into the bitter cold and mud in order to find the PERFECT Christmas tree.

This year marks the first year of the Advent calendar with Maya. Every morning for the past couple of days Maya and I have been doing the Advent calendar. I love it! Every morning as we begin she points at the first day and says, "He is the Alpha and Omega!" The time we have together every morning is priceless. As she sits there on my knee, I can't help but realize that the other knee, which is empty will eventually be filled by her little sister.

I hope and pray that you have a joyous Christmas season as you celebrate our Savior's birth. May His story be your story. Merry Christmas!

The Beauty of Pain....

I had one of those moments this past week, a moment in which, your life flashes before your eyes as you stand up and ready yourselves preparing for the worst. The circumstances will remain anonymous but the lessons learned will not. As I was waiting to hear the news, preparing for the worst my thoughts and emotions through prayer, embraced the beauty of pain. Quite a paradox is it not. How can something so horrid and painful be beautiful? How can life's tragedies become circumstances that are meaningful, bringing about growth and maturation in one's life?

When we face pain and/or a crisis in our life, we have choice. Either we can avoid the danger that will inevitably come our way or we can embrace it as an opportunity. The beauty of pain occurs when we see it as an opportunity for growth and maturation in Christ. The beauty of pain occurs when our character becomes more and more Christ like.

In 2nd Peter 1, Peter talks about "virtues" or characteristics of a Christian. Although these virtues are presented in a linear fashion we are not to assume that we to build one upon the other. Rather we are to embrace them all as we seek to develop a character that is modeled after Christ himself. Peter having already established the faith and the virtue and necessity of knowledge (v.3) so that we may discern right from wrong ads the virtue of self-control (v. 5). After self-control, he adds perseverance (v.6), which is what gives the Christian the will and power to remain and endure life despite its tough times. Peter adds to perseverance the virtue of godliness (v. 6), which is the direct result for a Christian when they patiently endure and preserve through trials. Upon godliness, Peter adds brotherly kindness (v. 7) or a fondness of those in the body of Christ and fellow partakers of the ‘divine nature’. Finally, Peter wraps all the virtues together with mention of the ultimate virtue, love (v.7). Notice that in the midst of our character development we are to choose to view pain as an opportunity to grow so that we may persevere through tough times as we mature in Godliness.

Viewing a crisis, as an opportunity is easier said then done. It takes a divine power and presence in ones life to embrace pain as we let go of all power and control becoming fully dependent upon God as He lives in and through us.