It occurs to me that I may have written on this topic before now. If so then enjoy this blast from the past-consider it a remake. If not then I hope you enjoy it anyway.
I was thinking about how people pay compliments to pastors and we often deflect the comment rather than receiving the positive intent of it. I think it's in the name of Holy humility. The idea is Scriptural to "not think more highly of yourselves than you ought to". In a Presbyterian Confession known as the Westminster Confession of Faith the first question is: "What is the chief aim of humanity?" The answer: "To glorify God and enjoy God forever."
Therefore any compliment paid to a pastor is often deferred to God's glory above self glory. Not a bad thing in general to give God praise-God's pretty amazing and the love we receive from God is praiseworthy. But I think it can sometimes be false humility-which I know I'm guilty of for sure. In fact we relish the compliments and even jockey for position to receive them. (that's why us pastor's stand by the door at the end of worship right?)
Is it sinful to accept a compliment on a sermon or desire affirmation? After all we've spent a lot of hours to prepare a sermon-and occasionally it turns out to be a creative and faithful interpretation of Scripture. I guess though it comes down to whether our chief aim is to glorify self then we're off track. If we preach or minister for the recognition rather than the reconciliation of humankind with God then we fall short of the ideal. Thankfully God's grace is there to pick us up then too.
So if someone pays a compliment why don't we practice saying-"Thank you." Because the person who God created us to be is glorious in many ways-and as part of God's creation being praised is ultimately glorifying God right? As long as I don't get a tattoo of my own face on my arm with the logo "I'm number one" I'm probably safe. Pastors are reliant on God and others for ministry that is reflective of the community of faith rather than only the personality of the pastor. It's OK though to take some credit when we've worked hard and been faithful.
In closing I'd just like to give God all the glory honor and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without whom I could not have written any blogs or anything worth a darn.
Peace,
Dwight
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Off the hook
What a fun night. I had a great set at the Holiday Inn in Springfield OH. I know what you're thinking....wow man....Dwight has ARRIVED. It was one of the contests where you go up and get evaluated on the night and I didn't get first or second-I don't know if I got third. But I KILLED. The crowd was lovin' my stuff and I was performing it better than I have maybe EVER. So good times. One of the pros mentioned that going towards the front of the lineup can make your act less hot than it would have been if it were at the end...the two comics who won? The last two to perform. I was fourth....not saying they weren't better comics-but I had an amazing set.
Being successful during a performance is perhaps one of the finest feelings on the planet. I am grateful to God for working through me.
I was standing there afterward with the two comics who won-both working comics by the way-and noticed something that I know will help me along the way. I felt like I belonged-that I was not having to think of myself as play acting as though I was a comic. Tonight....I was a comic....I am a comic. This realization will make me better from here on out. The crowd can crush you as well as lift you high on their shoulders...but tonight was mine and God's and it was and is amazing.
Where do we experience the most excitement in our faith lives? Is it in a charismatic worship service with Holy Ghost preaching and dancing? Is it in a well prepared intellectual sermon that touches us in our heart but in a subtle and quite way? Or is it when we can go into a place where perhaps the last thing on people's mind is God and church...and we can bring it into their awareness and point to it as something full of life and maybe not so out of touch after all. That doesn't have to be in a comedy performance-but it's like a definition of the call into ministry posted on the PC(USA) website (or it used to be)-a calling is where your deepest passion and the deepest need of the world meet. For me-that's comedy in addition to being a Minister of the Word and Sacrament.
As God continues to work through me to help people not fear laughter, (as it pertains to the Holy and the Sacred), I believe it can help reach people who have written off or never considered Church. It could help folks think about God and the Kingdom of God perhaps more seriously from having laughed about it.
I have no delusions that I'm the next Billy Graham Cosby...I just know that God can use this as a way of helping get the church off the hook for all of the violence and damage we've done in the name of God. It's a VERY small part of that type of healing-but it's a start. It's a part of the whole picture-a pixel of prayer amongst the many people working to lift up Jesus and praise the Kingdom of God. I am glad to be a part of it.
I look forward to when I next hear the words from a person in the crowd afterward about my act "THAT was OFF THE HOOK" and remember to thank God for helping me perform and facilitate some joy.
Please forgive the self aggrandizement here-I just love it when I am able to do well and bring some joy to other people doing what I love-and I wanted to share it with the handful of folks who stop by here now and again.
grace and peace of Christ to you all,
Dwight
Being successful during a performance is perhaps one of the finest feelings on the planet. I am grateful to God for working through me.
I was standing there afterward with the two comics who won-both working comics by the way-and noticed something that I know will help me along the way. I felt like I belonged-that I was not having to think of myself as play acting as though I was a comic. Tonight....I was a comic....I am a comic. This realization will make me better from here on out. The crowd can crush you as well as lift you high on their shoulders...but tonight was mine and God's and it was and is amazing.
Where do we experience the most excitement in our faith lives? Is it in a charismatic worship service with Holy Ghost preaching and dancing? Is it in a well prepared intellectual sermon that touches us in our heart but in a subtle and quite way? Or is it when we can go into a place where perhaps the last thing on people's mind is God and church...and we can bring it into their awareness and point to it as something full of life and maybe not so out of touch after all. That doesn't have to be in a comedy performance-but it's like a definition of the call into ministry posted on the PC(USA) website (or it used to be)-a calling is where your deepest passion and the deepest need of the world meet. For me-that's comedy in addition to being a Minister of the Word and Sacrament.
As God continues to work through me to help people not fear laughter, (as it pertains to the Holy and the Sacred), I believe it can help reach people who have written off or never considered Church. It could help folks think about God and the Kingdom of God perhaps more seriously from having laughed about it.
I have no delusions that I'm the next Billy Graham Cosby...I just know that God can use this as a way of helping get the church off the hook for all of the violence and damage we've done in the name of God. It's a VERY small part of that type of healing-but it's a start. It's a part of the whole picture-a pixel of prayer amongst the many people working to lift up Jesus and praise the Kingdom of God. I am glad to be a part of it.
I look forward to when I next hear the words from a person in the crowd afterward about my act "THAT was OFF THE HOOK" and remember to thank God for helping me perform and facilitate some joy.
Please forgive the self aggrandizement here-I just love it when I am able to do well and bring some joy to other people doing what I love-and I wanted to share it with the handful of folks who stop by here now and again.
grace and peace of Christ to you all,
Dwight
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Of House Elves and Mercy
I was thinking today as I often do about forgiveness. Often I visit the ghost of forgiveness past. What I mean is I think about something I did long ago that I regret and let it hang around in my memory and re-visit it every now and again maybe as a means of penance, or repentance-who knows.
The tendency of humanity can sometimes be to carry around some sin with us as though it can still be held as evidence that we're no good-or that we are out of line with God's will, or maybe as a means of glorifying some perceived necessity for suffering as a servant of God. i.e. an unhealthy valuing of self-flagellation in the name of qualifying for God's grace. We may even carry around the sin that we feel has been committed against us as well. As though our memory of a wrong committed against us punishes the person who did the offending.
A good example of the former practice is Dobby the House Elf in the Harry Potter books. If he makes some slight mistake he runs to a cupboard to pull out a pan and bashes himself in the head with it-or bangs his head on the floor and says "Oh Harry Potter I've fallen short please forgive Dobby as I'm so unworthy." If you've read the books house elves often punish themselves in disproportionate measure with their "offense"-and often whatever they've done hasn't been offensive to anyone but them.
An example of holding onto an offense we feel was committed against us can take the form of a grudge against a former partner or lover who we feel parted ways in an unjust or unkind way. To carry around that anger is just as destructive as banging our heads with pans. To carry around in our memories the record of past wrongs we've committed is destructive as well. So rather than wearing football helmets and continuing the practice of grudges and spiritual self mutilation it is helpful for us to seek a more excellent way-that of love-the love of God specifically.
To know Jesus Christ is to know mercy, and to know mercy is to be freed from this practice of self punishment and the ghosts and goblins of our past life. There is room for accountability-but not room for trying to carry the burden of our sins that have been forgiven by Jesus Christ-and that have been carried away from us as far as the east is from the west. There is room for hurt from legitimately wrong behaviors we have experienced in others, but not for nourishing the wound rather than receiving the balm of grace that heals our hearts and minds.
So I pray that I along with you can practice the art of mercy with ourselves as an extension of the grace that Jesus has given us freely. It will help cut down on the head injury treatments if nothing else.
Grace to you and peace of our Lord Jesus,
Dwight
The tendency of humanity can sometimes be to carry around some sin with us as though it can still be held as evidence that we're no good-or that we are out of line with God's will, or maybe as a means of glorifying some perceived necessity for suffering as a servant of God. i.e. an unhealthy valuing of self-flagellation in the name of qualifying for God's grace. We may even carry around the sin that we feel has been committed against us as well. As though our memory of a wrong committed against us punishes the person who did the offending.
A good example of the former practice is Dobby the House Elf in the Harry Potter books. If he makes some slight mistake he runs to a cupboard to pull out a pan and bashes himself in the head with it-or bangs his head on the floor and says "Oh Harry Potter I've fallen short please forgive Dobby as I'm so unworthy." If you've read the books house elves often punish themselves in disproportionate measure with their "offense"-and often whatever they've done hasn't been offensive to anyone but them.
An example of holding onto an offense we feel was committed against us can take the form of a grudge against a former partner or lover who we feel parted ways in an unjust or unkind way. To carry around that anger is just as destructive as banging our heads with pans. To carry around in our memories the record of past wrongs we've committed is destructive as well. So rather than wearing football helmets and continuing the practice of grudges and spiritual self mutilation it is helpful for us to seek a more excellent way-that of love-the love of God specifically.
To know Jesus Christ is to know mercy, and to know mercy is to be freed from this practice of self punishment and the ghosts and goblins of our past life. There is room for accountability-but not room for trying to carry the burden of our sins that have been forgiven by Jesus Christ-and that have been carried away from us as far as the east is from the west. There is room for hurt from legitimately wrong behaviors we have experienced in others, but not for nourishing the wound rather than receiving the balm of grace that heals our hearts and minds.
So I pray that I along with you can practice the art of mercy with ourselves as an extension of the grace that Jesus has given us freely. It will help cut down on the head injury treatments if nothing else.
Grace to you and peace of our Lord Jesus,
Dwight
Friday, July 17, 2009
Seeing is believing
Hello,
I'm giving you some video today rather than all written word. If you've visited here before then you know that I talk about being a Presbyterian minister who is also a stand-up comic. I'm on the verge of being a working comic-that is a comic who has regular gigs for pay.
In order to reach that point-one must have promotion materials-here are some of mine. Some clips on YouTube. Link to the clips if you're so inclined and share them with your pastors, churches, whomever you know who wants to have a Presbyterian Minister come to make them laugh.
Enjoy the clips and leave some comments and ratings while you're at it.
Thanks for reading AND thanks for WATCHING! http://www.youtube.com/preachercomicdwight
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
I'm giving you some video today rather than all written word. If you've visited here before then you know that I talk about being a Presbyterian minister who is also a stand-up comic. I'm on the verge of being a working comic-that is a comic who has regular gigs for pay.
In order to reach that point-one must have promotion materials-here are some of mine. Some clips on YouTube. Link to the clips if you're so inclined and share them with your pastors, churches, whomever you know who wants to have a Presbyterian Minister come to make them laugh.
Enjoy the clips and leave some comments and ratings while you're at it.
Thanks for reading AND thanks for WATCHING! http://www.youtube.com/preachercomicdwight
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
Monday, July 13, 2009
Shaken AND Stirred
Martinis in Bond movies of course the basis for the post title. It also describes the last couple of days of my two week hiatus from work, blogging, and anything else that required much conscious thought on my part. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were filled with two loved ones vomit multiple times over several days. It was rattling-and disappointing to end a vacation on that note. However I am grateful that today is a new day-and that I have been refreshed and renewed by God. Shaken by circumstances, stirred to respond to them in as positive a light as I am able with God's help.
I have been shaken too because of the month of June and all that it entailed as well. Now I find myself stirred by the Holy Spirit. I have been stirred to regularly and consistently show the love of Christ to myself. Pastors on the whole are often least capable of treating themselves with the care that they readily provide to others. There are numerous reasons for this-mine are best left to discussions with my confidants and in prayer. Let's just say that no one is able to give of themselves to others if they have not established and nurtured a self to give. This isn't a revelation to many-but it is something that I am still learning.
The concept of "pulling one's own weight" and "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" was something I learned early on and have to let go of now because it isn't working for me. If we work to establish self worth-then we are working against the Grace of God. We have value because of God's love for us-then we work out of gratitude for that love rather than to gain it. I've reversed that order and lived too long in that place.
Like comics-pastors sometimes are needy folks-thinking that in caring for others fulfillment and worth will come as a result. Comics think that if they get a crowd to laugh and/or like them-that some form of fulfillment and worth will result. Here's the trick though on both counts: If a person goes on stage, or goes into ministry or any helping profession from a place of needing validation of worth-then the task of ministry/stand-up/whatever else becomes impossible. Worth is given freely by God-so successful ministry and comedy come from a place of knowing you have talent/worth before you go on stage-or provide ministry for and with people.
A comic who's been at it a while will tell you in more informed and eloquent terms than I am able to here that you have to be convinced and confident that you are the funniest person coming or going BEFORE you take the stage. You don't do this out of arrogance-you do it because if you don't then you can't be funny-if you don't believe it-then the crowd won't either.
The same is true of ministry-if we don't believe that we are a valuable enough person to treat our bodies and souls with love and care then it isn't possible to provide consistent and authentic care for others. If we don't believe that we have worth because of being a child of God-not because of what we have achieved or because we have proven ourselves worthy then we are without a solid foundation from which to approach loving others.
All of us struggle to find validation in some way-something in which to ground our worth, our acceptance of self, and our need to be loved, to be heard, to be touched.
For me as a Christian and as a pastor I draw that from being grounded in Jesus Christ and his enduring unconditional love for me and his enduring and unconditional love for all of humanity. As often as I am able and as often as you are able we are helped by reminding ourselves of this truth-GOD LOVES US AND CLAIMS US AS WORTHY AND ACCEPTABLE BY GRACE FREELY GIVEN-NOT BECAUSE OF OUR HAVING EARNED IT. That is the gospel-the good news.
I pray that God gives us all the wisdom to see this Grace as ever present and as a calling to love ourselves. Knowing the words are true is the beginning-putting into practice the art of self care is the work that we can do out of gratitude for the love of God for us. So please along with me-let's be gentle and loving with who we are knowing that God is still leading us from where we are as people to where we can be.
Finally and ultimately then we will be empowered to love others by serving them martinis and watching Bond movies I guess is my point-no wait that's not it-serving ourselves martinis? I have to go and think of a better segue or tie in for my next blog-and allow myself to have written one that is less than perfect-there's that love of self again.
Be good to your waiters and waitresses as they've been good to you.
D
I have been shaken too because of the month of June and all that it entailed as well. Now I find myself stirred by the Holy Spirit. I have been stirred to regularly and consistently show the love of Christ to myself. Pastors on the whole are often least capable of treating themselves with the care that they readily provide to others. There are numerous reasons for this-mine are best left to discussions with my confidants and in prayer. Let's just say that no one is able to give of themselves to others if they have not established and nurtured a self to give. This isn't a revelation to many-but it is something that I am still learning.
The concept of "pulling one's own weight" and "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" was something I learned early on and have to let go of now because it isn't working for me. If we work to establish self worth-then we are working against the Grace of God. We have value because of God's love for us-then we work out of gratitude for that love rather than to gain it. I've reversed that order and lived too long in that place.
Like comics-pastors sometimes are needy folks-thinking that in caring for others fulfillment and worth will come as a result. Comics think that if they get a crowd to laugh and/or like them-that some form of fulfillment and worth will result. Here's the trick though on both counts: If a person goes on stage, or goes into ministry or any helping profession from a place of needing validation of worth-then the task of ministry/stand-up/whatever else becomes impossible. Worth is given freely by God-so successful ministry and comedy come from a place of knowing you have talent/worth before you go on stage-or provide ministry for and with people.
A comic who's been at it a while will tell you in more informed and eloquent terms than I am able to here that you have to be convinced and confident that you are the funniest person coming or going BEFORE you take the stage. You don't do this out of arrogance-you do it because if you don't then you can't be funny-if you don't believe it-then the crowd won't either.
The same is true of ministry-if we don't believe that we are a valuable enough person to treat our bodies and souls with love and care then it isn't possible to provide consistent and authentic care for others. If we don't believe that we have worth because of being a child of God-not because of what we have achieved or because we have proven ourselves worthy then we are without a solid foundation from which to approach loving others.
All of us struggle to find validation in some way-something in which to ground our worth, our acceptance of self, and our need to be loved, to be heard, to be touched.
For me as a Christian and as a pastor I draw that from being grounded in Jesus Christ and his enduring unconditional love for me and his enduring and unconditional love for all of humanity. As often as I am able and as often as you are able we are helped by reminding ourselves of this truth-GOD LOVES US AND CLAIMS US AS WORTHY AND ACCEPTABLE BY GRACE FREELY GIVEN-NOT BECAUSE OF OUR HAVING EARNED IT. That is the gospel-the good news.
I pray that God gives us all the wisdom to see this Grace as ever present and as a calling to love ourselves. Knowing the words are true is the beginning-putting into practice the art of self care is the work that we can do out of gratitude for the love of God for us. So please along with me-let's be gentle and loving with who we are knowing that God is still leading us from where we are as people to where we can be.
Finally and ultimately then we will be empowered to love others by serving them martinis and watching Bond movies I guess is my point-no wait that's not it-serving ourselves martinis? I have to go and think of a better segue or tie in for my next blog-and allow myself to have written one that is less than perfect-there's that love of self again.
Be good to your waiters and waitresses as they've been good to you.
D
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Three Musketeers-four if you count D'Artagnan
I thought I'd take a minute of time to comment on something with a less critical eye and name something for which I am truly grateful-friendships. Male friendships in particular. More specifically I want to tell you about three friends who recently showed me love and support in a very real way.
These three friends made the drive to rural West Virginia to attend my dad's visitation. It was roughly six hours for two of them (Marshall Lively and David Frazier. It was a two hour drive for the third Joel Trinidad a.k.a. J.D.). While they are not my only close friends-their gesture of love during this time of need was to me an amazing gift of love and care. I've been friends with Dave and Marshall for right at 30 years and Joel for 18 years. Joel was the one who labeled us as the Musketeers.
The masterpiece by Dumas described three men who served as guards among the royalty of France (Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) as well as a fourth swordsman (D'Artagnan). They were swashbucklers and womanizers and carousers. My three friends and I have lived lives that when we were younger were glimpses of such adventures (in our own minds at least). The closeness of the four of us though is analogous to the group in the classic tale.
Guy friendships are often thwarted by egos, insecurity, and homophobia. The classic machismo of yesteryear shows itself still-but a subtle shift has taken place and now allows men to show affection and be open about feelings with one another. This of course isn't true across the entire gender-but the evolution thankfully has affected some.
Me being closer to forty than thirty certainly has something to do with a willingness to say "I love you" to male friends without having to add the word "man" at the end. I think we often feel like we have to qualify the statement and to make it more acceptable-like the Bud Light Commercials from a few years ago "I love you man"-or the excellent movie by the same title that was in theaters several months ago I Love You Man.
These guys are people I feel at home sharing that I love them though and for that I thank God. It is a blessing to have that sort of connection with people. These guys are not related by blood but are related by love, time, and humor among other things.
They became the presence of the Living Christ for me-not to say that they can't be jerks (like all of us can)-but their actions spoke the message God wants to remind us of continually "You are NOT alone. I am with you." They surrounded me with their love-and continue to do so. God can and does feed our spirits and helps heal them through the people we love and live with-and that is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. The Holy Spirit lives in relationships-working to redeem the imperfections and giving us strength when we feel as though we are broken and beaten. The Holy Spirit helps us too when we feel as though we're so frustrated that we want to break and beat the person with whom we're in relationship. No matter the case-God is at work in and around and through all of our relationships.
I got a good look at God's love last week in my long time friends coming to stand with me as I wept. For that I will be forever thankful.
So to David, Marshall, and Joel and all my friends who read this-I love you.......................................
man.
=-)
Dwight
These three friends made the drive to rural West Virginia to attend my dad's visitation. It was roughly six hours for two of them (Marshall Lively and David Frazier. It was a two hour drive for the third Joel Trinidad a.k.a. J.D.). While they are not my only close friends-their gesture of love during this time of need was to me an amazing gift of love and care. I've been friends with Dave and Marshall for right at 30 years and Joel for 18 years. Joel was the one who labeled us as the Musketeers.
The masterpiece by Dumas described three men who served as guards among the royalty of France (Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) as well as a fourth swordsman (D'Artagnan). They were swashbucklers and womanizers and carousers. My three friends and I have lived lives that when we were younger were glimpses of such adventures (in our own minds at least). The closeness of the four of us though is analogous to the group in the classic tale.
Guy friendships are often thwarted by egos, insecurity, and homophobia. The classic machismo of yesteryear shows itself still-but a subtle shift has taken place and now allows men to show affection and be open about feelings with one another. This of course isn't true across the entire gender-but the evolution thankfully has affected some.
Me being closer to forty than thirty certainly has something to do with a willingness to say "I love you" to male friends without having to add the word "man" at the end. I think we often feel like we have to qualify the statement and to make it more acceptable-like the Bud Light Commercials from a few years ago "I love you man"-or the excellent movie by the same title that was in theaters several months ago I Love You Man.
These guys are people I feel at home sharing that I love them though and for that I thank God. It is a blessing to have that sort of connection with people. These guys are not related by blood but are related by love, time, and humor among other things.
They became the presence of the Living Christ for me-not to say that they can't be jerks (like all of us can)-but their actions spoke the message God wants to remind us of continually "You are NOT alone. I am with you." They surrounded me with their love-and continue to do so. God can and does feed our spirits and helps heal them through the people we love and live with-and that is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. The Holy Spirit lives in relationships-working to redeem the imperfections and giving us strength when we feel as though we are broken and beaten. The Holy Spirit helps us too when we feel as though we're so frustrated that we want to break and beat the person with whom we're in relationship. No matter the case-God is at work in and around and through all of our relationships.
I got a good look at God's love last week in my long time friends coming to stand with me as I wept. For that I will be forever thankful.
So to David, Marshall, and Joel and all my friends who read this-I love you.......................................
man.
=-)
Dwight
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Fathers's Day.
This past week I had the sad occasion of my Dad's funeral. The visitation/wake was Wednesday night and the funeral was Thursday afternoon.
Dad was a twenty year veteran-the first four years of his military career were with the United States Air Force. The next 16 were with the United States Navy. He was an "Airdale"-a plane mechanic on an aircraft carrier-the U.S.S. Bonham Richard I believe.
I had some special friends who traveled over six hours to be with me at his wake. Marshall Lively, Joel Trinidad, and David Frazier along with Dave's father John Frazier. It felt good to have my friends of 30 years (18 in Joel's case) by my side as I along with my family grieved dad's death.
It was a good service with an old time revival preacher-Diamond Willis. His name was Diamond honest to God. He was Pentecostal and the worship was lively.
I'll miss dad and wish I could phone him today to wish him Happy Father's Day-but he knows my love along with my sisters' love because of his enduring presence of spirit in union with God's Holy Spirit.
I pray that if you're a dad, of if your dad is still living that you get to tell him how much you love him-or that your kids tell you how much they love you.
My dad taught me to laugh at the absurdity of life. We were frequently watching farce comedies like the Three Stooges, or things like Don Knotts on the Andy Griffith show or in the movie with "Mr. Chicken" in the title. The ghosts and Mr. Chicken maybe.
One of dad's favorite sayings still makes me laugh to this day. "Her teeth we like the stars...they came out at night." I love it.
Dad was far from perfect-as am I. We had our arguments and major disagreements. Time had separated us from one another as well as my parents' divorce. But dad was always good to reach out to me even if I wasn't reaching out to him-he visited me during seminary, he called me frequently, and especially over the last ten or so years would say "You'll never know how much I love you. I'm so proud of you son."
Those words hold life. The live in my heart and mind. I hope you have someone in your life who tells you how much you are loved. God says these words to you even if you have no one physically present to say to you such words of affirmation and encouragement. God says "I love you and I'm proud of you."
Dad's words remind me of God's words to Jesus-"You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." That saying holds true of daughters as well-no gender specific love from God. All of us are God's children and as Scripture calls us in Colossians I believe we are "Joint heirs with Christ". This means we inherit the riches of Grace in our lives and the relationships that are shaped by Grace as well. So we can thank our heavenly Father today for loving us so much and for being proud of who we are-and also who we can become because of the transformative power of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
So Happy Father's day to all of us-the children of the Creator God also called our Father in Heaven, hallowed be God's name, God's kingdom come, God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, God give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors for truly yours is the power and the glory and the power forever. Amen.
Dad was a twenty year veteran-the first four years of his military career were with the United States Air Force. The next 16 were with the United States Navy. He was an "Airdale"-a plane mechanic on an aircraft carrier-the U.S.S. Bonham Richard I believe.
I had some special friends who traveled over six hours to be with me at his wake. Marshall Lively, Joel Trinidad, and David Frazier along with Dave's father John Frazier. It felt good to have my friends of 30 years (18 in Joel's case) by my side as I along with my family grieved dad's death.
It was a good service with an old time revival preacher-Diamond Willis. His name was Diamond honest to God. He was Pentecostal and the worship was lively.
I'll miss dad and wish I could phone him today to wish him Happy Father's Day-but he knows my love along with my sisters' love because of his enduring presence of spirit in union with God's Holy Spirit.
I pray that if you're a dad, of if your dad is still living that you get to tell him how much you love him-or that your kids tell you how much they love you.
My dad taught me to laugh at the absurdity of life. We were frequently watching farce comedies like the Three Stooges, or things like Don Knotts on the Andy Griffith show or in the movie with "Mr. Chicken" in the title. The ghosts and Mr. Chicken maybe.
One of dad's favorite sayings still makes me laugh to this day. "Her teeth we like the stars...they came out at night." I love it.
Dad was far from perfect-as am I. We had our arguments and major disagreements. Time had separated us from one another as well as my parents' divorce. But dad was always good to reach out to me even if I wasn't reaching out to him-he visited me during seminary, he called me frequently, and especially over the last ten or so years would say "You'll never know how much I love you. I'm so proud of you son."
Those words hold life. The live in my heart and mind. I hope you have someone in your life who tells you how much you are loved. God says these words to you even if you have no one physically present to say to you such words of affirmation and encouragement. God says "I love you and I'm proud of you."
Dad's words remind me of God's words to Jesus-"You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." That saying holds true of daughters as well-no gender specific love from God. All of us are God's children and as Scripture calls us in Colossians I believe we are "Joint heirs with Christ". This means we inherit the riches of Grace in our lives and the relationships that are shaped by Grace as well. So we can thank our heavenly Father today for loving us so much and for being proud of who we are-and also who we can become because of the transformative power of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
So Happy Father's day to all of us-the children of the Creator God also called our Father in Heaven, hallowed be God's name, God's kingdom come, God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, God give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors for truly yours is the power and the glory and the power forever. Amen.
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