Golden Olympic Family Moments

My family is watching the Olympic events over the next couple of weeks. Our children are experiencing their first Olympic games. Our four-year-old son is fascinated by every competition. He’ll watch swimming, soccer, and archery with the same level of interest (although he does have a higher level of interest in women’s beach volleyball, but that’s a topic for another blog!!). Our almost-three-year-old daughter enjoys diving and gymnastics. While we are watching the events, we also are trying to teach our children some important spiritual lessons and life lessons. No, we’re not that family. We don’t watch an event and then gather the children around the dinner table while I pull out the Bible and give a theological treatise on spiritual gifting by the Spirit. Most of our family meetings consist of one child standing on her head while the other child is circling the table, pretending to be a deer. But, when we do have a nanosecond of instruction time, we have tried to teach our children some life lessons. Here are some of the lessons we are teaching through the Olympic games.

            We are all different, but specially created by God. Our children rarely mention the race or color of the athletes, but they are exposed to peoples of different colors and cultures. How wonderful. What an opportunity to tell them that God makes all of us different, and that He loves all of us. How important to let our children know that one day “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” will worship before the throne of Christ (Revelation 14:6). That will make any Olympic Opening Cermony pale in comparison.

            We all have different talents. I am not an athlete. I could not accomplish the feats the Olympic athletes make look so easy. Yet, even among the athletes, there are different levels of talent and skill. Some athletes need speed; some need endurance; some need strength; some need flexibility. A gymnastics team has a different skill set than a water polo team. Some people excel in one area, while you may excel in another area. Our children are learning that God makes each person with a special ability or talent.  One day, I pray that our children join a church body in which they are given a spiritual gift by the Holy Spirit that they can use to edify their church body. We can teach them now that each gift is important, and that no gift is better than another gift.

            Even the top athletes make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. And no athlete is without an off day. We watch as the volleyball player serves to the wrong opposing team member, or as the diver enters the water past vertical, or as the gymnast fails to stick his landing, or as the relay runner drops the baton. My son is quick to ask, “Why did that player do that?” What a great opportunity to tell him that even the best athlete in the world can and does make mistakes. What a great opportunity to also show him that he will not always succeed in every ambition. What a great opportunity to walk alongside him and tell him that we all miss the mark in our obedience to God. But, what a great opportunity to teach him that, even when you make a mistake or things don’t go your way, that you don’t give up. Perseverance is an important character trait that our children need to learn.

            There is only one winner. There is nothing wrong with one person or one team claiming the gold medal. Those athletes have dedicated years of their lives to rigorous training and single-minded pursuit of that one goal. The touching stories of athletes and their families who have made tremendous sacrifices so that the athlete can pursue her Olympic dream are compelling. How rewarding to see their dreams achieved. But, there are dozens of other athletes who don’t win the gold (and most don’t even get a medal). How we handle winning and losing, however, is the greatest reflection of our personal character. I want to teach my kids that, whether they win or lose, how they compete, and how they accept the outcome, is how they will be remembered.

            Pursuing a dream takes work. Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run is such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes in to strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). Whether my children want to play soccer, sell the most Girl Scout cookies, or become a film maker, they will need to commit to the goal and train for that objective. Good things do not come without hard work and dedication. We can teach them through our athletes how to work hard to achieve a goal. I also pray that one day they will become followers of Christ and pursue Him with the same dogged determination with which they will follow their personal dreams.

            Christians are citizens of another kingdom. My son asks me, “Do we want the United States to win this time?” My response is always, “That would be good if they won, but I am excited and happy for whoever wins, because they worked hard to win the medal.” I love my country. I am patriotic. And, in truth, I am rooting for the United States athletes almost every time. But, I also want my children to know that an American victory is not my ultimate hope. You see, while I am a citizen of the United States, I am also a citizen of the kingdom of God (that same kingdom made up of people from every nation, tribe, peoples, and language). I have dual citizenship. One day, my prayer is that my children will share the same dual citizenship. I am trying to teach them now that while the things of this earth are important, our hope is found in the things not of this world. One day, the kingdom of God will replace the kingdoms, republics, democracies, autocracies, and states of this present world. My citizenship in the United States is merely a preparation for my citizenship in the Kingdom of God. I must remember that. And I try to teach my children that as well.

            So, I continue to watch the games with my son and daughter. At times, we root for the underdog. At times, we cheer as the athlete breaks a world-record time. We watch as the gold medalist beams with joy as her country’s flag is raised and she hears her national anthem. And we take some precious moments to learn some valuable lessons.

            I can’t wait for my children to see the Winter Olympics in 2014.

The Battle Cry of Faith

            I named this blog in honor of the great Christian hymn, Faith of Our Fathers, written by Frederick W. Faber (1814-1863). The lyrics are:

            Faith of our fathers! Living still

            In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword,

            O how our hearts beat high with joy

            Whene’re we hear that glorious word!

            Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

            We will be true to thee til death!

            Faith of our fathers! We will strive

            To win all nations unto thee

            And thro’ the truth that comes from God

            Mankind shall then be truly free:

            Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

            We will be true to thee til death!

            Faith of our fathers! We will love

            Both friend and foe in all our strife,

            And preach thee, too, as love knows how,

            By kindly words and virtuous life:
            Faith of our fathers, holy faith!

            We will be true to thee til death!

I am a Christian. I am a father. But, even when I was not a father, I was still a model to boys within my church family. Now that I am a father, I feel an even greater responsibility to be a father who is faithful to the Lord. There is a great legacy of great men of faith who have spoken into my life. I may never have met Paul, Peter, Athanasius, Augustine, Luther, Wesley, Edwards, Whitefield, Spurgeon, or Graham, but they and others have had an influence on my walk with God. As the hymn says, the faith of these Fathers is living still, in me and in other Christians worldwide. And the Christian men of today will become the Fathers of tomorrow if Jesus does not come soon.

The hymn also serves as a trumpet call reminding me that as a man of God, I have a responsibility to defend the faith. I think that defense of the faith can be done very publically, but I also defend the faith in my every day life. As I respect my wife and express my love for her, I am defending the faith. As I tell my son and daughter that our family always does what is right, even when it is costly, I am defending the faith. As I pray for my family and my church family, I am defending the faith. As I tell the cashier that she gave me too much change, I am defending the faith.

But, I am also called to be a soldier for the faith. Paul admonishes us to “Be stong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11). I am not by natural inclination a soldier. Many people would probably say of me, “He’s a lover, not a fighter.” I am not a natural athlete. And I certainly would not be considered for a job as a bodyguard. But, when I am told that I am to be a soldier of the faith, a chord is struck in my soul that I cannot deny. My soul is awakened by the call to stand up and be counted as one of God’s mighty men. My heart beats stronger as I consider those who have sacrificed for the faith, and I would be honored to be counted among them.

We live in a day where standing up for truth and righteousness is urgently needed. We could all make a list of all the things that are wrong with our world today. Some of these things have been wrong since the early days of Cain and Abel, some are new evils that must be carefully addressed. Standing by your spouse is urgently needed today. Raising your children to know that they are not entitled to everything gratis, but need to work diligently is urgently needed today. Living a life of strong moral character is urgently needed today. Defending Jesus is urgently needed today. As the Christian men of today do these things, “mankind shall then be truly free.”

So, men of God, do you hear the call? Are you ready to be strong in the Lord? As a Christian man, whether you are 19 years old or 91, you are a father in the faith. Are you an example of faith to those watching you?

Lessons I've Learned from My Son

Becoming a father to two wonderful children (ages 4 and 2) has been a source of great joy and great education for me. Here are some of the things I have learned from my son (I’ll share lessons I’ve learned from my daughter in a later post.)

            First, my son has taught me to live in the moment. I am naturally analytical. I like order. I do like change and new things, but I like them to be on my terms. My son is completely opposite of me. He lives in the moment. Yes, this means that he is impatient (so am I) and we will work on his patience over the next years. However, there is something endearing about his desire to be in the moment. Why wait to ride your bike, when you can ride it now? Who needs to wait for hockey practice, when you can strap on your rollerblades and play hockey now? I have learned that he is often right. He seizes the day. I am learning also to seize the day. I am unlikely to stop planning or setting life goals any time soon, but I am seeking to seize opportunities to enjoy life when they arise.

            Second, my son has taught me to value companionship. He always needs to be near people. His need can be frustrating at times (“please, son, let me just go to the restroom alone for one minute!!”) but there is nothing sweeter than when he wakes up in the morning and plants himself next to me on the couch, asking me to place my arm around his shoulder. While I do like people (really, I do), I could spend days alone and be content. Honestly, I could probably spend a few weeks alone and not grow lonely. A funny thing has happened, however, to this self-proclaimed introvert. When I am away from my family, even if only for a few hours, I long to see them again. I truly enjoy time spent with family in a way that I did not enjoy it before. My son has taught me that the basic human need for relationship (especially a relationship with God) is so important to me.

            Third, my son has taught me to stand up for what is right. My son is not given to defending himself. He is a follower rather than a leader. In his diffidence, I have seen him many times submit to a bully or a child with a more aggressive personality. He has come to tell me that the boys on the playground won’t let him go down the slide, or that his friend decides what they will play and the rules governing the play. My heart breaks for him. I want him to stand up for himself. Then I realize that there are still many times in my life when I cower to bullies I meet rather than standing up for what is decent, right, and true. I have made some decisions in recent years that were not well-received by many people, but I know they were the right decisions because they were made to uphold what was decent. If I had not watched my son submit to his bullies, I might not have had the fortitude to stand up for what is right.

            Fourth, my son has taught me that I must persevere when times are tough. My son reacts to setbacks in one of two ways: either he will give up in tears, or he will keep pressing on. You would expect that from a four-year-old. I have watched him throw a tantrum when he cannot hit a baseball I have pitched to him. I have watched him burst into tears when his hockey equipment does not fit properly. And I have watched him punch and kick when he cannot accomplish a physical task. But, I have also seen him kick a soccer ball over and over until he scores a goal. I have seen him overome a past fear and tackle his fear with strong-willed determination. I find that I can react to setbacks just like a four-year-old: I can give up, or I can press on. There are many days when I want to leave my calling as a pastor, or move somewhere I am unknown. When these days come, I often think of that little boy who perseveres. He keeps at it and does not give up. The fact is, even though I see times when he temporarily gives up, my son never abandons his objective. He eventually hits the baseball I pitch to him, and he gets his hockey equipment to fit. During those times, he often says, “You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit.” I don’t know where he learned that saying, but I like it. God has not promised us a trouble-free life. In this world there will be trials, but we are called to look to the One who has overcome the world.

            Fifth, my son has taught me to enjoy things outside of my comfort zone. I’m a bookworm. I’m not an athlete or an outdoorsman. My son, on the other hand, is a natural athlete. He is fascinated by wildlife. He is interested in hunting. He can distinguish a mule deer from a white-tail deer, and can tell you the differences between a buck, doe, and fawn (alright, it’s not rocket science, but it still impresses me). He loves cowboys and is always wearing cowboy boots. And I am learning to love those things with him. They may not be the things I would find interesting, but his interest has spurred my interests.

            Finally, my son has taught me so much about love. It is true that you cannot understand the love of a parent for a child until you are a parent. I am exacerbated by my son’s attitude at times. He is a very strong-willed child (I believe they would have called him a “spirited child” in the olden days). I want him to have empathy when he hurts his sister. I want him to do things on my timetable and schedule. But, I love that tyke unconditionally. He brings joy into my life. I imagine my love for him is very like the love God has for me. He must get exacerbated with my willfulness (O.K. let’s call it stubbornness). I am sure He wants me to have empathy for others. And I am sure that He wants me to walk in the good works that he has prepared for me in advance to walk in. Yet, I know that God loves me unconditionally. I would not know how much God loves me, if it were not for my son.

            What lessons have you learned from your son or your sons?

Welcome

Welcome to this new blog. I want this to be a site where I can share ways that God is growing me. It will be a site where I talk about my Christian faith, family, friends, and life in general. Where do all of these interests intersect and meet? Join me on this journey to find the answer. I have to admit that publically expressing my successes and failures is not easy for me. I am an extreme introvert (who just happens to be called to be a pastor of a local church). Privacy is valuable to me. My prayer, however, is that as I share how God is working in my life, that you are encouraged by my Rock and Redeemer. So, take the plunge and join in this adventure with me. Laugh with me or laugh at me.

So here's a little bit about me. I live in Carson City, Nevada with my wife, two children (a four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter), a dog, a cat and a hamster. I have been called as a pastor and have served in that calling since 2000. The past two years, I have served as a pastor of a Carson City congregation. I love to read and I take myself too seriously.

Enjoy.