Category Archives: Giving Thanks

Advent, Being a Dad, Christmas, Collecting Experiences, Giving Thanks, Parenting, Resources

16 Christmas Tips for Dads

This Christmas will be my first as a dad. The last 7 months have been a mixture of great memories, tough lessons, and many, many changes. As I look to the future, I want to the best dad I can be. Right after Hewson was born, a friend gave me one piece of advice about being a parent. He said,

“Parenting is a Verb.”

He’s right. If I want to be the best dad I can be I have to be INTENTIONAL about it. Parenting doesn’t happen through osmosis.

As a dad, one of the things I want to do is create lasting spiritual memories for my family. The best time of the year to create these memories might just be the Christmas season. Over at The Resurgence Blog, Mark Driscoll offered dads a 16 point Christmas blueprint for making lasting memories this season. These challenges will help dads step outside of the poor expectations that this culture has for us. If you want to grow your family closer to your Heavenly Father and to one another, try a few of these tips.

My son will be a little over 7 months old this Christmas. I am challenging myself to modify a few of these suggestions this year for my little family. I have the holiday music on the iPod and I have a few thoughts about Christmas eve and morning but I’m going to hold off on the cider for my little one this year. What about you? What are you doing this year to create spiritual memories for your family?

16 Daddy Christmas Tips by Mark Driscoll

Dad needs…
1) a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?
2) to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family.
3) to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready for December?
4) to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?
5) to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this holiday season?
6) to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?
7) to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless?
8) to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?
9) to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?
10) to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?
11) to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?
12) to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?
13) to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?
14) to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?
15) to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?
16) to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

Link

Collecting Experiences, Discipleship, Experience, Giving Thanks

Teaching Preschoolers

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Today was an interesting day for me.

For the first time EVER I taught the Bible classes for our preschool.

I have been privileged to teach and speak in front of hundreds of people. I’ve spoken in chapels and for youth events. I love to preach when given the opportunity and relish the chance to share with others what God has put on my heart. None of this mattered today.

I have never felt so inadequate or intimidated in all my life!

I tried to play it cool all morning but I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed. When that first class of fifteen or so 4yr olds came into the classroom my palms began to sweat. I knew i was in over my head.

There they were looking at me- staring deep into my soul- waiting for me to teach. Could they smell fear? Could they suspect that I was afraid?

Then we sang “Jesus Loves Me”. Then we sang “This Little Light of Mine”. Then we marched in “The Lord’s Army”. “Ok, this is good.” I thought.

We talked about Jesus (a good place to start) and about the Bible. We sang some more. We talked about “Good Decisions” vs ‘Bad Decisions” and we finished with a prayer.

Next thing I knew I had been through 5 or 6 classes and my day was over.

Teaching today I couldn’t help but think about teaching my own son. As I think about spiritual development and what it means to teach the next generation about faith in Jesus I always come back to Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

I had to redefine my expectations as a Bible teacher today. I was out of my element. I’m not sure how to teach little ones like I teach teens. I don’t know how to target their developmental needs.

But I was successful today in teaching.

I spent time with these children impressing a love for God and an understanding of Jesus on their hearts. I prayed over them and sang songs with them. Together we talked about loving God with their whole beings. We did this while some of them sat on the floor. While some were laying down. While others were walking along the side of the classroom. Kidding… sort of.

Today was a good day.

Giving Thanks, Parenthood, Spilling Personal Secrets, Stories, Worship

Life

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It has now been revealed that I am going to be a dad. Start your prayers NOW.

It has been difficult keeping this under wraps and we had to out ourselves to a few people along the way but it is out now for all to know and we couldn’t be more excited.

My wife and I have been married for 7 years and our foray into starting a family actually began 2 years ago. We had just about given up hope on conceiving on our own. In fact we had even scheduled an appointment with a fertility specialist!

It is amazing how God works. Just when you think that it is all up to yourself God comes along and bonks you on the forehead V8 style. He is firmly in charge.

Ok, so I wanted to share this story about our (my) first Dr. visit.

I was playing it all cool the first time I met the OB doctor. She walks us through the ultrasound procedure and I nod accordingly. Under the surface though I’m jumping out of my skin. I want to see this ultrasound so that the little blue cross on the pregnancy test will become really real!!!

She moves the sensor (sensor is the right word, right?) around and I catch a glimpse of the heartbeat. I literally yelled out, “Is that it there!?!?!?” Now, for those of you who know me, you know that I have been medically diagnosed with a “voice that carries” so imagine just how loud my excited question was.

I could no longer play it cool. My cover was blown. This suddenly became real and I love it!

Conferences, Discipleship, Experience, Faith in Action, Giving Thanks, Hope, Leadership, Life, Ministry, Music, Worship

Catalyst Day 2

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Another Catalyst is in the books.

Today was great. The highlight?

Dave Ramsey’s talk on practical leadership for your organization? Maybe.

Matt Chadler’s challenge to live and teach in such a way as to leave a lasting legacy? Could be.

Certainly the highlight must have been Tim Sanders plea to bring our Christian values of love, sacrifice, and service into the workplaces of America? Missed it by that much.

None of these come close. The absolute highlight of my day was when the Daraja Children’s Choir of Africa skipped on stage (literally skipped) and broke my heart singing God of Wonders. Then three of the children took to the mic and whipped out some incredible scripture references. To say I cried would be an understatement.

God put Africa on my heart a few years ago now. My heart breaks for the people of that continent. I have had a desire to go and do something there but that desire battles with perceived reality and usually ends up in the “good intentions” pile. Today was different.

Today I heard God say to me, “You are going to Africa.” This wasn’t communicated to me in a “someday” voice but in a “Get Ready!!!” voice. How will I get there? When am I going? I don’t know but if that really was God’s voice then I can’t wait to find out the answers to the When, Where, and How.

Giving Thanks, Golf, Youth Ministry

Hitting the Links

Had the chance to play some golf today with one of my teens and with another minister and one of his teens. It was such a great day. At one point the wind picked up to hurricane gail force winds and the temperature dropped at least 15 degrees. It was quite a challenge hitting into that wind!

The teen I was with hit his first two birdies ever. He did such a great job! I, on the other hand, ended better than usual having only lost 4 balls all day. Maybe I’m getting better. Maybe.

There is nothing better than just hanging out, hitting the ball around, and enjoying some great conversation. Good day all around.

Ethos, Experience, Giving Thanks, My Life

28 Years Ago Today… Pt. 2

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Twenty-eight years ago today you adopted me.

What can I say?

Thank you. You opened your home for me, cared for me, disciplined me, and provided for my every want and need.

Thank you for helping me understand the importance of my adoption and for not letting me be defined by it. It was never used as an excuse or crutch. It was a reality but I was your son. No questions asked.

Thank you for your examples and your love. Thank you for the dinners and for watching after your grand-dog when we are away.

Thank you more than words can say.

2008, Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Faith in Action, Giving Thanks, Leadership, Life, Ministry, My Life, My Wife Rules, Theology

Proverbs 6:1-5

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This is the year that we get out of debt.

Over 7 years of marriage we’ve managed to keep our heads above water but we have accumulated a little bit of debt. We used our credit cards to travel to see family, we moved, we bought a few pieces of furniture, and we bought a few stupid items.

After taking a step back and looking at our finances we concluded that something had to change or we would run the risk of getting into terrible financial trouble. It doesn’t matter that our level of debt was just under the national average. We were failing in our call to be good stewards of our money and so we decided to do something about it.

Today my wife told me that our credit cards have been completely paid off!!!

In just three months, we paid off a (ahem) crapload of money on those plastic traps. We went and did our taxes, found out that we didn’t owe anything, and then used the money we had set aside for taxes to completely pay those puppies off. We are done!!! No more plastic!

The next step is to pay down our car notes. That’s right, we have two of them and owe money on both. It’s ok though. We shouldn’t have bought my car when we did. I had a truck that was paid off but I was tired of driving that big boy around and I wanted a smaller car. Lesson learned. The plan is to have both of our cars paid off by the time 2009 rolls around.

Big PROPS to my wife because she does our finances.

Thanks babe for doing the hard work and for giving me a generous allowance each week. 🙂 I love you babe!

Ethos, Experience, Giving Thanks, Heroes, My Life, Stories

28 Years Ago Today…pt. 1

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Twenty-eight years ago today, You gave birth to me and then you gave me up for adoption.

What can I say?

First, thank you. Your decision brought untold happiness and joy into my life. I am who I am today because you made that life-changing decision. I grew up in a loving family and experienced a large extended family through my school and church. I sat at the feet of godly men and women who challenged me and molded me in to the adult that I am today. Although I was influenced by all these things there are traits and characteristics that I share with no one other than you. I thank you for those things too.

Second, I have never, never felt any ill will towards you and your decision. What good would come from being angry with you? I don’t know if you’ve ever worried about that but know that those fears are unnecessary and misspent.

Third, know that I have and will always love you.

I’ll never know the reasons behind why you gave me up and you owe me no explanations. The reasons you did what you felt you needed to do are yours and yours alone. Just know that I love you and thank you and often pray for you. I think about you every now and then and wonder if you ever think of me. I hope you do.

May you be blessed knowing that you have blessed me.

tune in on the 7th for part 2