18/21 | Life In The Way

Here is a link to the messages from chaNges on March 1, 2015, March 8, 2015, and March 15, 2015 if you want to play along.

chaNges | weeks 1, 2 & 3 

Also, please use the comments to post your own experience with the 21 Day Change-Awareness Exercise (21DCAE).  Please know that I will do my best to pray over post and prayer request as we do this together.  Good luck.

Life gets in the way of a lot of things: dishes, thank-you cards and apparently blogging.  But, we can never let life get in the way of being a dad--or being a parent.  In the last week I have caught vomit in my hands and cleaned it off the floor, my wife and I have punted without daycare during spring break for our two students, and work has been busier than it should.  Life got in the way of this blogging, vulnerability thing, but it didn't get in the way of doing life with my family.

In the last week, I have experienced an many distractions from the 21 Days to a Better Dad than I should have, but business and distraction have taught me valuable lessons.

"Count it all joy, by brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  James 1:2-4

When I am tired, when I am distracted, when I am struggling personally; these are the times that scream for a peacemaker (is that ironic or rain on a wedding day?).  In this last week, I have experienced all of the above and, by the grace of God, my boys, my marriage, my family have all been a blessing and blessed.  Taking time away from work to be with sick children was time that I wouldn't have had without trial.  A nap with a sick little boy is cuddle time that I wouldn't have had without trial.

What I learned in my tough last week is that when the trials come, and they will, press pause and live in the trial--each moment is a greater opportunity to peacemake and love.

Lord, thank you for the blessings of the last week.  Thank You for drawing my family closer together.  Please, Lord, help us to focus our eyes more on you.  Amen.