"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."-Genesis 1:26
Rise up Men! Take your role that God has given you! I've been to all men gatherings, which sometimes we need to as men to get refocussed on what God has us to do.
""Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."-Matthew 5:48
Tomorrow (Sunday, June 17th of 2007) is Father's Day! I already sent my Father's Day card to my dad already, so I did my part! This year, I've grown more of an appreciation of my dad compared to previous years. As I've grown in my personal walk with God, I've learned to deal with some past issues/challenges and move on with my life! I try to not dwindle in the past and focus on better things that lies ahead.
Yeah, my "earthly" dad isn't perfect-in fact, I don't think there is no one perfect overall! I feel we put so many expectations on our "earthly dads". At work the other day, I asked what you gave your dad for "Father's Day?" This individual responded, "Nothing!..He doesn't deserve a gift...". I thought to myself that this wasn't the best question to ask. Fathers have so much pressure (e.g. finances) that we don't understand until we are put in their shoes-same as mothers too! I sometimes reflect on how my dad could've done better and would start having resentment or anger. I've learned that I can't change the past and must learn to accept them. I keep remembering Jesus' words, "Forgive them for they do not know what they do". I pray for my dad as I've learn to understand what my father have been (e.g. WWII experiences) through when he was growing-up. I might not understand everything about my dad, but God knows! I just thank God for what my dad has been "able to do" and not focus on what he "wasn't able to do" or "wish he was able to do" (e.g. go watch me play-need to stop comparing ourselves with others). I'm just grateful that he was able (never divorced) to be there growing-up. I've had and have friends who grew-up not knowing (e.g. adoption) their father. I feel things happen for a reason and it just made me the person I am- depend on my Heavenly Father!
As I wrote my Mother's Day reflections a month ago on "Best moment's with my mom". I'll do the same, so here are my best moments (look at the positive instead of the negative) with my dad:
I remember my dad would take us (my siblings and I) golfing-driving range in Maplewood, Minnesota. To this day, I still love to do this! We would also practice mini-golfing in our make-shift mini-golf course in our living room (e.g. inspired by the golf game in "The Price is Right"). We would use plastic-grocery (Rainbow's) bags to catch the golf ball and wrap it underneath a small hole we made with the floor heater ducts.
Another memorable activity was going to different houses my dad rented to folks and clean it up. Back then, I really dislike this because I wanted to go out and have some fun with my peers! My dad owned 8 different properties and this took a lot of time and hardwork. I look back at this and I appreciated the time I had with my dad-rest of the family at times!
Lastly, I would always remember my dad telling me "don't look at the negative of people, but the positive of people. This will help you get along with everybody" (paraphrase). I tried to do this all my-life. I look back and wished I did this more with more of my peers back growing-up; however, this helped me get a long with many folks to this day. My dad would "lecture" me countless times, but this quote above is probably the most remembered of all of them. Other little things was that my dad would always wrap his fruits in napkins after cleaning them and would put it in a lunch bag before going to work. He would have this routine (e.g. going to the bathroom to brush his teeth too-"Son, did you brush your teeth") down every night! He taught me well-thanks Dad for giving me my dad!
"Years later an elderly pastor recalls a decision he had to make"
Men's Bible Study?
I've been to all men's bible study, men's retreat, men's conferences, etc... It's very much needed to take care of some "specific-issues" that men deal with that needs that intimate setting.
Men's Bible Study - The Power of God's Word, from allaboutgod.com "We know unequivocally that men, women and children all deal with different issues. A child doesn't worry about paying the bills, a man doesn't worry about getting pregnant, and a woman doesn't worry about making the high school football team. Since we know each group has specialized thinking, concerns, and emotions, we need to take this understanding and apply it when studying the Bible. Men's Bible studies deal specifically with sexual purity and other issues that affect men." New Men's Devotional Bible, from Zondervan
Excerpted with permission of Lay Witness magazine. "This is why Tradition tells us to go beyond our earthly experiences and memories of fatherhood when we pray "Our Father." For, though He is a provider, begetter, and protector, God is more unlike than like any human father, patriarch, or paternal figure. The Catholic Catechism puts it this way: "God our Father transcends the categories of the created world. To impose our own ideas in this area 'upon him' would be to fabricate idols to adore or pull down. To pray to the Father is to enter into his mystery as he is and as the Son has revealed him to us."
" Many people are struck with the many clear references in the New Testament to the Father as "God", and Jesus as "Lord". A cursory examination of the New Testament will show that, in general, when the Bible uses the word "God", it almost always refers to the Father. Does this mean that Jesus is not God? No it does not mean that. Let's examine Title, Position, Name, and Essence to explain this."
How Should We Honor Our Father?
A Sermon Delivered At
West Fulton United Methodist Church
and
North Blenheim United Methodist Church
17 June 2001
Frank L. Hoffman, Guest Preacher
" So, how should we honor our father?
The best and most effective way is to do the will of our father, but unfortunately, not all earthly fathers have set the proper example or provided effective direction for their children to follow.
Can we still honor our father in such cases?
We sure can! And we can do it by following a higher example; the example of our Father in heaven."
Annual Men's Retreat
My local church encourages the men to attend the annual Men's Retrea, which other men from a network of churches come to at Inspiratonal Peak-Clitherall, Minnesota
STATE
Men's Ministry of my home church in St. Paul-Woodland Hills Church
Our Goal
The mission of the men's ministry at Woodland Hills Church is to make believing Christian men more equipped for the work of their individual ministries as:
A Disciple of Jesus Christ
A Godly Husband
A Nurturing Father
A Member of Woodland Hills Church
A Christian Employee
A Compassionate Neighbor
"Muse on this! You're seven or eight years old. It's the middle of a school day, and your father springs you from school to see a baseball game.
Ninety or so minutes later, my father and I, hotdogs and crackerjacks in hand, were in our seats along the third-base line at old Ebbits Field in Brooklyn where Jackie Robinson, just feet away, was warming up to play one of his first games as a Brooklyn Dodger. Does this smell like Heaven?....
These are not only experiences that can be classified as Living; they are a foretaste, I think, of Heaven. You can have your mansions and streets of gold. I'll take the kind of gladness that comes from going to the ball game with your father (especially if school is in session) and from being with a grandchild who loves you—and all the other stuff I mentioned. If Heaven's like that, sign me up.
"
The Little Things
5 simple ways to let your kids know you love 'em.
by John Trent, Ph.D.
"We busy dads are always looking for new ways to grow closer to our kids. Sometimes we think we need tons of time to make this connection—like regular "date nights" with each child or weekend camping trips with just Dad and the kids. Dates and camping trips are great, but it's actually the little things—done over time and with a loving heart—that do the trick for kids. Try some of these and watch the connections happen."
"Father's Day is a primarily secular holiday inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and parenting by males, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide, and typically involves gift-giving to fathers and family-oriented activities."
*attended a first of kind all-men's conference at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota (I think 1999?). Wow, it was an awesome up-lifting experience! I just never been in a place where so many men were praising and worshipping God through singing!
Sex
Comedian Mark Gungor - Men & Sex (LaughYourWay.com)
"Comedian Mark Gungor talks about men and their sex drive. Funny Stuff! www.laughyourway.com"
"If people are prepared; equipped; and strengthened by the SECRETS OF SUCCESS learned by people who have come before, they can conquer everything that comes their way - making their dreams come true!!....."
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