We had an egg hunt with some friends on Saturday morning, an egg hunt at the my parents on Saturday evening and a great Easter Lunch with everyone at Kathy and Larry Fendleys on Sunday. Just a few pics.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Easter 2012
Well we had a great Easter weekend.
We had an egg hunt with some friends on Saturday morning, an egg hunt at the my parents on Saturday evening and a great Easter Lunch with everyone at Kathy and Larry Fendleys on Sunday. Just a few pics.
We had an egg hunt with some friends on Saturday morning, an egg hunt at the my parents on Saturday evening and a great Easter Lunch with everyone at Kathy and Larry Fendleys on Sunday. Just a few pics.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
In Step Part III
I must admit, I've thought a lot today about how to finish this post.
Honestly my first thoughts on finishing the subject, as I thought about it, weren't theologically true. It's amazing how subtle little twists in the Gospel can make it no gospel/good news at all.
My initial thought was this…Lets say Davis is now 16 and comes in complaining of the heat. At this point most of us think he now deserves a good "man up" talk, and probably rightly so. But that is where the analogy with our Heavenly Father majorly breaks down.
Many people believe that for a while we follow Christ and see how he acts and then at some point it is up to US to perform. We think we are out sweating away in the yard while he is sipping on lemonade watching soaps inside on the big screen. And if we dare stick our head in the door to complain about the heat, He once again scoffs at us, rolls His eyes and thinks of all His other wonderful children around the world.
And THAT is where the Gospel is lost. We will NEVER do good works apart from Christ. We can't. Anything good that comes from us IS Christ within us.
(Again, I fully admit this analogy is being taken too far) But the truth is in the Gospel, we will NEVER mow the yard alone. God never takes His hands off of the mower and asks us to step in for a round. God never takes a break and tells us its our turn. Instead God is ALWAYS before us, our job in sanctification (becoming more like Christ) is to follow closer. The Gospel of John calls it "abiding".
Our roll in sanctification is to pay so much attention to the Father that our footsteps start to fall in line with His. Then He is gracious to correct us in our sins and loving to discipline us when we purposefully go our own way.
The gospel is NOT that we are free to "mow the yard our own way," the Gospel is that we are free to follow the One who is the Way.
He is an Excellent Father.
Praying my steps would fall in step with His.
Honestly my first thoughts on finishing the subject, as I thought about it, weren't theologically true. It's amazing how subtle little twists in the Gospel can make it no gospel/good news at all.
My initial thought was this…Lets say Davis is now 16 and comes in complaining of the heat. At this point most of us think he now deserves a good "man up" talk, and probably rightly so. But that is where the analogy with our Heavenly Father majorly breaks down.
Many people believe that for a while we follow Christ and see how he acts and then at some point it is up to US to perform. We think we are out sweating away in the yard while he is sipping on lemonade watching soaps inside on the big screen. And if we dare stick our head in the door to complain about the heat, He once again scoffs at us, rolls His eyes and thinks of all His other wonderful children around the world.
And THAT is where the Gospel is lost. We will NEVER do good works apart from Christ. We can't. Anything good that comes from us IS Christ within us.
(Again, I fully admit this analogy is being taken too far) But the truth is in the Gospel, we will NEVER mow the yard alone. God never takes His hands off of the mower and asks us to step in for a round. God never takes a break and tells us its our turn. Instead God is ALWAYS before us, our job in sanctification (becoming more like Christ) is to follow closer. The Gospel of John calls it "abiding".
Our roll in sanctification is to pay so much attention to the Father that our footsteps start to fall in line with His. Then He is gracious to correct us in our sins and loving to discipline us when we purposefully go our own way.
The gospel is NOT that we are free to "mow the yard our own way," the Gospel is that we are free to follow the One who is the Way.
He is an Excellent Father.
Praying my steps would fall in step with His.
Monday, April 2, 2012
In Step Part II
So it happened again.
I promise I am not making this stuff up.
I went to mow the yard and Davis asked if he could go again. I even tried to convince him he didn't have to, but he said he wanted to mow the yard with me. If I'm honest I think there is a part of him that believes he only gets to use the blower at the end if he mows the yard, but thats besides the point. (But could make another great post later)
So off we go. Every strip. Every turn. Katie even stepped out on the front porch for a while to watch.
And then it happened… about 90% of the way thru the front yard I noticed he was pulling on my shorts. Davis asked if I would turn off the mower, so I obliged. And here was our conversation:
Dad: What's up buddy?
Davis: How much longer will this take?
Dad: Well you can see how many more strips we have to make, just a few more and then the back. Why, are you tired?
Davis: No, but i'm starting to sweat. Can i go in and meet you in the backyard?
Dad: Sure bud. Thanks for helping.
Please forgive me if I am taking the analogy too far, i've been known to do that, but as Davis walked back into the house I couldn't help but once again think about our Heavenly Father. You know what I didn't do?
...
Davis: No, but I'm starting to sweat. Can I go in and meet you in the backyard?
Dad: Sweat!! Well welcome to the real world buddy! It ain't always roses. Sometimes you sweat! Now man up and finish the yard with your dad.
I could have said that but I would be a terrible father. But i think this is how we feel God looks and reacts to us. We think God scowls at us with a grimacing face and thinks, "what kind of child are you?"
But it simply isn't true.
Why didn't I get mad at Davis? Because he is still growing and expecting him to mow the yard with me every time is unrealistic.
He's growing.
Just like we are.
And that is why there is grace.
I'll finish this post tomorrow…
But today I'm resting in knowing His grace is sufficient. His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
"The mark of a true believer is that when you sin, you don't run from God but rather to Him. Knowing that Christ is the only true place of love and forgiveness."
I promise I am not making this stuff up.
I went to mow the yard and Davis asked if he could go again. I even tried to convince him he didn't have to, but he said he wanted to mow the yard with me. If I'm honest I think there is a part of him that believes he only gets to use the blower at the end if he mows the yard, but thats besides the point. (But could make another great post later)
So off we go. Every strip. Every turn. Katie even stepped out on the front porch for a while to watch.
And then it happened… about 90% of the way thru the front yard I noticed he was pulling on my shorts. Davis asked if I would turn off the mower, so I obliged. And here was our conversation:
Dad: What's up buddy?
Davis: How much longer will this take?
Dad: Well you can see how many more strips we have to make, just a few more and then the back. Why, are you tired?
Davis: No, but i'm starting to sweat. Can i go in and meet you in the backyard?
Dad: Sure bud. Thanks for helping.
Please forgive me if I am taking the analogy too far, i've been known to do that, but as Davis walked back into the house I couldn't help but once again think about our Heavenly Father. You know what I didn't do?
...
Davis: No, but I'm starting to sweat. Can I go in and meet you in the backyard?
Dad: Sweat!! Well welcome to the real world buddy! It ain't always roses. Sometimes you sweat! Now man up and finish the yard with your dad.
I could have said that but I would be a terrible father. But i think this is how we feel God looks and reacts to us. We think God scowls at us with a grimacing face and thinks, "what kind of child are you?"
But it simply isn't true.
Why didn't I get mad at Davis? Because he is still growing and expecting him to mow the yard with me every time is unrealistic.
He's growing.
Just like we are.
And that is why there is grace.
I'll finish this post tomorrow…
But today I'm resting in knowing His grace is sufficient. His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
"The mark of a true believer is that when you sin, you don't run from God but rather to Him. Knowing that Christ is the only true place of love and forgiveness."
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