Are You a Good, Good Father?

Are You a Good, Good Father?
Happy Father’s Day to all dads today, whether you are a natural father, adoptive father or a father role model and mentor. You deserve a tribute if you have been and are a good, good father! Father’s Day brings me precious memories and so much gratitude for my own sweet daddy, my wonderful father-in-law and my precious husband who are celebrating this Father’s Day together in heaven. And especially for two amazing dads -- my two precious sons: Ryan Wuerch & Larry Wallace – men who are amazing fathers and who lead their families by God’s example to them. God bless you, Fathers!

I love the popular song “Good, Good Father”. Here’s why I think it’s so popular and resonates with so many of us. Maybe we had a very good representation of our Heavenly Father by the father we had on this earth. Or, maybe we had no representation of our Heavenly Father by any of the men in our lives. Whatever the case may be, we desire a good, good Father and we have one in our Heavenly Father.

I’m sure the inspiration for this song was because of so many in this generation who are fatherless and this song provides answers that only a good Father can provide. We are all finding our true identity in the love of our Heavenly Papa. We’re finding out that He's loving and caring and so close that we can be embraced by Him -- any time, anywhere.

As the song goes, we’re finding out He’s perfect in all of His ways…to us. He loved us before we loved Him. He has always been this way. This Father sent Jesus because He wants all of us to know that He loves us all exactly like He loves His Son. Jesus’ desire was that every person on the planet knows love by the love He shared among His followers. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” John 13:35. We are wising up to those “Love one another” words.

We’re finding out who we are in the Father’s embrace. This is what this song is about. And when we finally see Him as He really is, we find out that we’re not “dirty little sinners” to Him. We’re His new creation and old things have passed away. We are His beloved sons and daughters and the apple of His eye. We are learning to dance with Him and let Him lead. We are jumping up into His arms of peace, security, and safety. We are becoming obedient, faith-filled children and we’re making Him smile – an ear to ear smile as we bring Him pleasure when we love like He loves and gives like He gives.

Fathers – isn’t that what you desire of your children?

Here’s Chris Tomlin singing that wonderful song “Good, Good Father”! I pray that you settle the matter once and for all – let our Father embrace you, restore you and call you His beloved child. You’ll find out how GOOD, our good, good Father is to you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfJrxvVnmkE

Like Father.....Like Sons & Daughters

That 3-1/2 to 4 hours between Frisco, TX and Tulsa, OK gives me plenty of time to think about subject matter for my FB posts. This trip back to Tulsa didn't disappoint. As I gazed at the beautiful blue skies with puffy white clouds, the trees, and pastures abundant with cattle -- I thought "Father God -- You are such an awesome Creator!" And, I thought about His magnificent genius in creating you and me -- IN HIS IMAGE (Genesis 1:26)! Now that's something to think about! I don't think that scripture means "look like Him" as much as "act like Him". We should bear the family resemblance.

In Genesis we read that God spoke things into being. He said, "Let there be light" and there was light. He said let there be skies and earth and stars and moon and there were skies and earth and stars and moon. By what He said, things were created.

So, doesn't it make sense that if we’re made in his image and He created with words, we are creators with our words also? Proverbs 18:21 says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue." The example I thought of was a young woman we knew, who was so near and dear to us. She grew up with people telling her she was stupid, that she'd never amount to anything, that she was lazy, and a hopeless case. That resonated within her for years and years. Those people were creators. They created a world of pain, hurt, disappointment, inferiority and rejection in this young woman, but all was not lost. One day, she came into our lives. Immediately we began to create beauty and life as God would. We started speaking into her "You are beautiful, you are worthwhile, you are smart, you are funny, you are valuable, you are precious, you are packed with potential and accomplishment. The more we spoke into her, the more she started believing and becoming all that....and more.

Everyday we have the opportunity to not only CREATE beauty in others by the way we speak to them, but we have the opportunity to CREATE environments conducive to turning darkness to light, animosity to tenderness and kindness, hatred to love and sadness to joy! So, CREATORS!!! Let's CREATE!!! Let's get our "creative" juices flowing and start creating beauty and life with OUR words AND actions! Wouldn't it be great if we could look at OUR creations, and, like God, say, "It is very good!" (Genesis 1:31)

We Love So Much, We Give

Day 16 in this Month of Love -- We Love So Much, We Give

What would a Month of Love, with all the beautiful red hearts, chocolates, balloons, greeting cards and all kinds of things that say "I love you" be, without expressing our gratitude to the GREATEST Lover and Giver of them all -- our Father God -- for His GREATEST Gift -- His Son? "For GOD so loved the world (that's YOU and ME) that He gave His ONLY Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have EVERLASTING life." John 3:16. How's that for a LOVER who gave His best gift to you and me?

When I think about so great a love, I can't help but think, "How can we even with the slightest degree love like that? This scripture tells us how: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.” - 1 John 4:7. If we are in the family of God, we know Him, and knowing Him and spending time with Him, we start to take on His character. We start to look and act like Him. I believe that compassion for others is a real good place to start. It is a gentle stream of tenderness and concern for other people's needs. That love compelled Jesus to feed the hungry, comfort the sorrowing, heal the sick, teach the multitude, and raise the dead. I've experenced that flow of love toward someone, and I'll bet you have, too. You couldn't explain it, but your impulse was to do something special for that person. In fact, you just couldn't help yourself. You just HAD to give.

The first step to loving like God loves is to actually TAKE the first step. We start loving by faith and then we follow that flow. It's really becomes God's compassion flowing toward the one in need. The tug of love within us means that He is filling us with Godly compassion and He has chosen us to help that one. Then we simply ask God to flow His tender compassion through us in some way today. Maybe, as we pray, we should ask Him to lay someone on our heart. What if God wants us to be the answer to someone's prayer today? When God leads us to help someone, He will equip us to do it.

After church last Sunday, a friend told me she was led to start volunteering at Clarehouse. It's a loving home environment that provides end-of-life care. She told me that when she reaches out and touches those who are there, she knows they feel her love flowing from her to them. And, in turn, she leaves feeling so loved and blessed. Just think of it....the heart of compassion, the warmth of a touch. This hurting world is hungry for the touch of someone who cares -- who really cares! Through God's LOVE, you and I can be that someone. We are chips off the ole' block -- and our BLOCK gave to us BIG TIME. Let's reach out and touch someone and GIVE what He's given us....TODAY!

Where Can I Go From Your Presence?

Day 113 of Photo Inspirations -- Where Can I Go From Your Presence?
Psalm 139:7-10  "Where can I go from your Spirit?   Where can I flee from your presence?   If I go up to the heavens, you are there;  if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn,  if I settle on the far side of the sea,  even there your hand will guide me,  your right hand will hold me fast."

Today, we're heading North passing through the Bay of Biscayne that lies along the western coast of France.  We'll enter the Celtic Sea toward the south coast of Ireland.  We'll be docking in Cork, Ireland tomorrow morning.

I think about the constants in my life today -- Me (I can't get away from me -- I'm always with me) and Father God.  I think about how blessed I am to never know what it is to be alone or lonely.  I acknowledge the real fact that I will never be without Him and His presence.  My Lord and my God.  I see Him in the oceans and I saw Him in the sunrise as a took to the treadmill and watched the sun rise early this morning.  I hear Him in the laughter of people around me.  I feel and sense Him when I open my eyes and heart to Him as I meditate on Him when I start to write my morning FB post.    "When you seek me, you will find me."  Jeremiah 29:13

Are you lonely today?  He's standing at the door and knocking -- desiring to come in a fellowship with you today.   He desires to be the CONSTANT in your life.  Notice there is no door knob on the outside of that door.  He will not barge into your heart. He is simply waiting for the invitation to come in.  Go ahead -- open up your heart and invite Him in.  He'll always accept the invitation. "Behold I stand at the door and knock."  Revelations 3:20