Faher's Day

Happy Father's Day everyone! Here's a message from Dad:

Father's Day Message

Sincere apologies to Charlotte who I shamelessly poached the link off!

You know how you get silly debates over praise song lyrics and political correctness every so often? There's one song called "Father God, I Wonder"... it's a beautiful short song of praise. There's one line that goes "now I am your son, I am adopted in your family", a lot of churches exchange "child" for "son". Being a son, it means more to me to know I am my dad's son, than his child. Don't get me wrong, all children are loved equally... but in the west we have a social stigma... sons carry their fathers hopes and dreams, even their very name into the future. So often, father's want mould their son in their own image.

I think as people and ultimately as Christian's that this is what God wants for us. He made us in his own image at the dawn of time, and he wants to restore that broken image in us through his firstborn Son Jesus.

Take a little time to think about the words in that short video, and consider what they mean personally for you.

Some people have a very negative experience of their human father, some have no experience at all. Those of us who have had good fathers should thank God for that. If you are one of the people who has not, I hope that video reassures you that there is hope and love there for you.... no matter the pain, no matter the loss.

Today is quite hard for me, it's another day in the year when I see other's celebrate for themselves, the things I long to be, yet I can only appreciate them from a distance. It's hard not to lay your dreams on the altar when people keep picking them up and waving them in your face. It seems barely a day goes by when so and so is getting married, or x&y are having a baby. Don't get me wrong... to focus on these things would make them all the more difficult to manifest or realise. If I did that, then my hopes, my dreams would be idols... and I wouldn't deserve them. Things just seem always out of reach, and I find it a hard part of my personal cross to carry.

One nice thing that happened though... got a card from my Godson Benji! Have a very happy Father's Day folks... no matter what your circumstances I pray you find joy and meaning in it.

Happy Father's Day.

N

Cowardice

I'm going to be a bit self critical here. There is a part of me that I've been mulling over the past couple of days, that I resent.

You see, when I was 22 months old, I went exploring round my Gran's bungalow and somehow managed to sneak out of sight while my Mum was distracted. I then had the REALLY clever idea of deciding to tip a teapot on top of me.

Stupid!

As a result of my escapade, I sport a small scar on my left forearm and a relatively large one on my chest.

What I find hard, is the fact that there are people out there who have no choice but to publicly sport their injuries/imperfections, and they do it bravely, nobly... and I have the utmost respect for them... and yet here am I... able to disguise the big one with a t shirt (nobody really notices the one on my arm), and because I have the option to do that, I live in total fear of what people might say if they actually saw the scar? I never take my top off in public.

Why am I like this I wonder? I never had this problem as a child, not till I was a bout 16... that's when all my hang ups emerged.

So, to all those who are brave beyond words I can express, I salute you... and can only hope that one day I can share your valour.

I am pretty weak aren't I? But this is a place to be frank and honest, and to challenge myself and others for the future. I hope I can be willing to change.

Heck even my God wears his scars openly... what kind of chicken-wuss am I?