Father's Day Is Here: Let's Celebrate Dads

Dad Appreciating New Life

Any man can be a father, but not every father is a dad. Let's celebrate and honor those men who are dads and pray for those who are fathers but not around to be dad.

I am blessed to have a man who is not only a great husband and father, but an awesome dad. Part of the help is having  him knowing Jesus Christ as his savior and seeking to honor Him first. For those who may not have such a loving, caring husband and/or father remember this promise:

1 Peter 3:1-2 "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."

There is so much that can be done through our actions that does more to bring a man to Christ than any amount of preaching could ever do. It's a great promise and it saved and healed our marriage!

There is so much to praise a husband/father for. Is he a hard worker providing for the family? Does he spend time playing and wrestling with the children? Is he showing the children what it means to be a godly man or woman, directing them to Jesus Christ? Does he instill an ethic of work and diligence? These are just a few examples of how my husband interacts as a dad. There are many more qualities I didn't add, but I sure am grateful to be able to celebrate my man for Father's Day.

Testing Out A Raft The Boys and Dad Made
(note: fresh wet wood doesn't float)

Hiking Through The Woods

Building Our Home

 Thank you Lord, for a husband and father that our family can celebrate this Father's Day! May all the fathers out there trust in this promise:

Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World

Berthe Morisot (1841-1895)The Cradle1872Paris, Musée d'Orsay © photo RMN

http://www.musee-orsay.fr

the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world

Blessings on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace,

In the palace, cottage, hovel,

Oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it,

Rainbows ever gently curled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,

Power may with beauty flow,

Mother's first to guide the streamlets,

From them souls unresting grow

Grow on for the good or evil,

Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission

Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open

Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages

Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world

Blessings on the hand of women!

Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,

And the sacred song is mingled

With the worship in the sky-

Mingles where no tempest darkens,

Rainbows evermore are hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace 1865

As Mother's Day approaches, may we all remember these words. They have proven so true throughout history. Thanks to http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/wallace1.html for saving the poem for us and may all of us as mothers remember that our actions today help to instill what our children will be tomorrow. I myself get moved over and over to remember William Wallace's words on our divine mission as women to instill an openness to God for our children. May we not be stumbling blocks and hypocrites in our children's lives and "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." as Proverbs 22:6 says.

A Tribute To David Wilkerson

photo from: http://www.cbn.com

 I just got word of  David Wilkerson's tragic death last night and the critical condition of his wife in TX. Please pray for his wife and family. If you don't know who David Wilkerson is just hear it from Nicky Cruz Nicky Cruz Testimony. The story appears here: David Wilkerson Killed In Car Crash. You can read his  Last Devotional. from April 27th.  And His Full Biography of his life.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. It is just a constant reminder of how short life can be.
May we all be in the position he was here on earth, and have the testimony that he gave the world through Jesus Christ.

A Heartfelt Thanks

 

Thanks so much to all who have prayed, offered sympathy and moral support during this time. We are so blessed by the outpouring of love and can only offer our heartfelt thank you for the kindness of gifts to help us and my mom through this difficult time.  

The funeral for my brother seemed like something out of a movie. It was supposed to be 50 degrees,  but instead it was an unexpected two inches of snow and sleet with 30 degree weather.  I had to borrow a coat and umbrella from a family member and we had about a five minute graveside service. 

It was hard to look through the stuff of my brother's life, he didn't have much and as I helped my mom sort through things, I found a note he wrote, a journal of sorts.  It didn't say too much, it was just him trying to be stronger and not focus on past hurts and his present pain. He was just struggling to survive and found it hard to do that.

My nephew is hurting the most right now, he called my mom and asked "Granma, how much does it cost for a grave?" He said that he wanted to start saving up so he could be buried next to his dad. It made us all very broken to hear it. We are praying for him the most right now. It will be tough, he spent every weekend with his dad. We pray God will hold him close and give comfort.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation." 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

May everyone who has given their prayers, encouragement, financial gifts and time be blessed. We could never express how truly thankful we are.

Paul, Lisa and family

How to Pray - The King's High Way Ministries

I've been blessed in reading The Way of Agape by Nancy Missler it is a convicting yet freeing book. I recommend it highly, it is truly a heart surgery from God. I also ran across these scriptures Nancy had on her website that show prayer by using scripture to pray. Thought I would pass it on.

How to Pray - The King's High Way Ministries