Your First Birthday: A Recollection

*Disclaimer: None of these images are of the actual event being described.*

Dear Carmen,

It was your first birthday yesterday. Here is an image recollection of how the evening went. Some of the faces, locations, and truths have been changed because, well, in the heat of the moment, no one thought to take pictures. I give you: Your Birthday Celebration!

Once your Mom's show choir got done singing their Christmas program for a nursing home:

Your mother decided to turn down a "road" behind the home that kind of looked like this:

Soon, the car and the truck were stuck in mud:

I looked something like this:

Mommy looked something like this:

 

I really tried to be like this though: 

 Soon, Papa, Uncle D, and Pastor Mike arrived to help get us unstuck: 

After much hard work (and Uncle D getting his truck stuck and unstuck as well), I looked like this: 

In the end, I gave your mom a kiss because I love her in spite of, and sometimes because of, her desire to cause me adventure: 

Happy birthday, kid. What will we do next year?

Dad

Rolling Down the Street

Dear Carmen,

Firstly, yes, we did take you out in public in pajamas and a winter coat. You just have to do these things sometimes.

Secondly, yes, your mother is in a wheel chair. As noted by the smile on her face, it was nothing serious. The pain was serious to her though. She wanted, however, to go out to the mall to soak up some holiday cheer. So, we got a wheel chair from guest services, and we wheeled you around the joint.

You were so excited riding on that chair. You wore your smile like a badge shouting, "I'm king of the world!" This was one of those little adventures we have come to love in our family. By the time you are reading this, hopefully, you will have experienced many others to add to this one. 

Just a boy and his mom riding around the mall in a wheel chair. To us, though, it was spontaneous enjoyment of our family. 

Your Dad

Lesson the First

Dear Carmen,

You are at a point where you are starting to figure out how things around you work. The image to the left shows a position you find yourself in at least 5 times a day now. Usually, you let me know you are stuck with a low, moaning-type cry. This time, however, I caught you with a smile. You were happily playing with your phone while half under the flooring of the pack-n-play. 

Lesson learned: Just because things aren't the way you planned them doesn't mean you can't have a little fun.

Thanks for the little tip!

Your Dad

Holy correlation, Batman!

Dear Carmen,

I cannot wait for you to be able to understand just how cool comic book fiction can be. It can be crap too, but there are many awesome lessons to be learned from the deeds of both hero and villain alike. Such is the way with the Bible as well. Rest assured, there are both within the Good Book. We will discuss their deeds in time. 

For now, I will finish watching Thor, and consider how acting out of pure emotion can lead to downfall. Remember this: before taking any action, always try to step back and give yourself time to see the situation from a place of quiet contemplation, instead of emotion. This will be extremely difficult, and you not always succeed. I have faith in your ability to be less impulsive than your father however. 

Dad

Morning Grind

When I wake in early morning,

Babbling, giggling I do hear.

 Like a feather I come creeping

Just to catch you playing there.

 Suddenly, you take a notice

Of my presence at your door.

Then, a smile comes bursting from you

Just as every time before.

I lift you swiftly, fly you higher,

Up above with arms outstretched.

Leaning in, you bring me closer.

With a baby hug I'm blessed!

Next, the kisses. Oh, the kisses!

Drooly,  slobbery, what a mess.

Trade them for a fortune never

Now, it's time to get you dressed.

Laughing, kicking, screeching, singing,

We made the mundane atmosphere

Spring alive with early mornings,

Each and every day this year.

You Can't Compare

No Comparison

Dear Dad,

Are you a better Christian than other people?

Your Son

Dear Son,

The most dangerous idea we can develop as Christians is that we are being "better" Christians than other people. Too often, we pick our choice of activity or behavior based on what we consider to be good as compared to the same as our family, friends, and fellow church-goers. We usually rationalize them with sentences that start with "At least I don't... ."

I'll give you a concrete example of what I mean:

While checking out the Facebook page of a person that attends our church, I noticed posts that were not what I would consider to be very "Christianly." Because this person is a well respected individual in the church, something interesting happened in my brain. I didn't think "Wow, that isn't very Christian." No, I thought "Well if he can do that, then I can do such and such." Bad, bad, bad.

Comparing your righteousness to another person's is like two cars in a junkyard debating which one is in a worse state of disrepair. Humans are broken and are not worthy to be compared to. Jesus is the perfect standard that you should aspire to emulate. But, here is the rub: you will never be perfect.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try though. There is an old saying: If you reach for the stars, you will touch the moon every time. Reach for Jesus, reach with all your might. Reach high and don't bother bending over to pick up the "righteousness" of your fellow humans.

Your Father

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It Doesn't Matter by Shane Russo

Born this way or not?
That is a great debate.
A topic which has fostered
So much abhorrence and hate.
To "love each other" was the mandate,
Not "go, therefore, and judge his sin."
But we've somehow convinced ourselves
That it deserves comparison.
There is not one on earth who's clean,
Disgusting we are all within.
So who am I to tell another
That it is he whom has sinned?
So whether it is your sin is gay
Or that my sin is pride,
We all fall short of the glory of God
When looked upon inside.
But that is where the good news starts
No matter your sin or mine
We are both children of the Lord
And loved by the Great Divine.

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Relationship Status - Part 3

Oh Carmen,

The next one really boggles my mind: In an open relationship.

In an open relationship: An open relationship is one where both partners agree to be mutually disrespectful to the other's feelings. Okay, technically that isn't the definition, it is basically a sex thing, but the dynamics of romantic relationships make it so this type almost always ends with someone getting hurt, and it is easy to see why.

We were made to love one another, but not to have "relations" with every other human on the planet. The books Luke and Matthew refer to Jesus' command to treat others the way you would want to be treated, and no person I know wants to be treated like they are not good enough. That is what open relationships signify, that the main person in your life isn't enough to fulfill your needs. If this is the case, then maybe you just need to be in a different relationship, not and open one.

Open relationships hurt people. Do not hurt people....period. You will find that one special woman, but until you do, treat the interim women with respect and compassion. If you are being disrespected, remove yourself from the relationship. Not only will you feel better but you will also prevent yourself from becoming disrespectful in return.

Your Father

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Relationship Status - Part 2

Dear Carmen,

I promised you more advice on relationships, and trust me I've had a few. I'm going to skip around for the time being and cover It's Complicated. Because....well.....it's complicated. So much so that I think there will be a few more letters than the three that I promised.

It's Complicated: Relationships are sometimes hard work but they are never complicated unless you let them be. If you find yourself in a complicated relationship, ask yourself why. Complications within a relationship are usually a good sign that something isn't right, the relationship needs to be examined for its fruitfulness.

Your relationship with God is the same way, you will always be the reason for any complications. His love is deep and it is powerful, but it is straight forward. My relationship with God has gone through periods and various levels of complication, all of which were of my making. Any time the relationship got weird, it was because I pulled away, allowed anger to interfere, or just decided not to embrace His love.

If you find your relationship with Him is getting complicated, ask yourself what am I doing to make it so. Am I not listening? Am I pulling away from Him? Am I trying to things on my own? When you examine the relationship with a critical eye, you will surely see that the problem lays with your actions and heart and not with Him.

Your Father

Relationship Status - Part 1

Dear Carmen,

Relationships are interesting creatures. Entering them is easy but maintaining them and keeping them healthy is not. That requires intentional work. Hard work and lots of it. I'm breaking this letter into parts to make it easier for you to read. Im going to be using the picture to the left as a guide. The advice I am giving you applies to interpersonal relationships with people as much as it does to the most important relationship you'll have, your relationship with God.

Single: There are two things to note about the times in your life when you are single. First, being without a girlfriend does not mean you are without worth. Too many people think that they need to be with someone to be normal. This isn't true. Being alone is not the same as being lonely. Second, you are never truly single because God is always with you. If you think that this isn't a real relationship, then I have failed you.

In a relationship: As previously mentioned, you are always going to be in a relationship with God. This relationship will grow and change as you change but it will be there regardless. Humans were created for relationships. If you choose to cast off all relationships, then you are casting off that which makes you human.

Engaged: To be engaged to a woman is a big deal. It signifies a commitment to one other person. Engagement is not marriage however and should not be treated as such. It is only an outward signal of commitment to the world and your fiancé. Marriage is the covenant between man and wife, not engagement. Do not dwell long in engagement. Instead, see it as a step toward bigger and better things.

As for being engaged with God, the word comes from a word meaning to pledge and that is what I want you to do for Jesus. Engage your heart and mind to Him and never look back. He protects your back as he guides your pathway forward.

More to come,

Your Father

 

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Deer Of Mortality

Dear Dad,

What is the big idea? I was sleeping peacefully and you woke me up by slowing the car down really fast! Plus, I think you gave Mommy a heart attack, if her breathing was a hint.

Your Son

Dear Son,

Simply put, we almost died. I came less than a foot from smashing into a deer at 70 miles per hour. There was a car to my left so a swerve in that direction would have meant hitting it. Swerving to the right would have meant hitting the deer as it crossed the highway from left to right, which is uncommon. They usually come from the trees on the right. All I could do was hit the breaks but not slam on them or else I probably would have lost control.

There is no way I should NOT have hit that deer. There are so many ways that situation could have gone differently, so many variables that altered would have meant a serious crash. I should have hit that deer. We should be dead...but we are not.

There is only one reason I can think as to why that is so: God is not finished with us yet. He still has work for all of us to do in this world. We have been given another chance to see that work through and I mean to see it done. I mean for you to see it done as well.

With Love

Your Father.

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Great-Grandma Carmel

Angela's Grandma: Carmel Galioto

Dear Daddy,

That lady in the picture is always asking to hold me. She bounces me up and down. Who is she? Why was she acting weird yesterday? Why did Mommy start crying?

Carmen

Dear Son,

That lovely lady is your Great-Grandmother, Carmel. You are named after her. She does love to hold you! Carmel is her name but to tell you who she IS would take many letters.

She is an amazing woman with an even more amazing history. I have known no person to express love and kindness the way she does. The smile in the picture is the most genuine expression I have known her to wear. I've said that she could have taught Mother Theresa lessons in niceness.

That makes what has been happening with her lately all the more upsetting. You see son, your Great-Grandma is in her 90s and when people get that old sometimes they start to forget things. We could see it coming in little spurts; a name forgotten here and a memory lost there.

But this past week has been different and the last two days worse than usual. At dinner last night, she announced that she thought it was time she went home because Jayne and Tony - you know them as Nina and Papa - might wonder where she was. She made this announcement TO Nina and Papa. When we tried to explain that she was already home and that she was eating dinner with Jayne and Tony, she insisted that she used to live there but she doesn't anymore. She said she couldn't stay there, she needed to go home right then.

Mommy started crying because it is hard for her to watch her Grandma forget who we all are. The worst part for Mommy is that she doesn't really know who I am or who you are anymore. She loves to hold you on her knee but it is because you are a cute baby and not because you are her great-grandchild. She had no idea who you were or that I was even your Daddy.

Mommy and I have made a decision: we are going to hug, kiss, and hold Great-Grandma every chance we have because we will not have that many more chances to do those things. Even though she does remember us, you and I are going to continue to let her bounce you on her knee all she wants. It breaks my heart but it brings her joy and that is really what matters, that she gets little nuggets of happiness by being around you.

I could really go on forever when it comes to this subject but know these truths: You will grow up knowing that Carmel Galioto was an amazing woman, that she was nicest human you will have ever personally known,  and that she may have forgotten our names and who we were but never the loves she showed us daily.

Your Father

Smiling

Dear Daddy,

I love you so much! You make me smile like this ALL DAY LONG!!!

Your Son


Dear Son,

When you smile like this, when it touches your eyes, I can feel it deep down in my soul. It makes me feel so goo to know that you have authentic joy.
 
The Bible say, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." - Proverbs 17:22 (ESV). Your smile has been that medicine that has allowed my crushed spirit to be healed. Your joyful heart pours out from this beautiful face. I love you more than life.

Your Father 

I Thought You Were Catholic.

 Dear Daddy,

Everybody is really excited that you are going to be in school to be a pastor. But I heard your friend say something about you being a Catholic. What does that mean? Does it mean you can't be a pastor?

Your Son

 Dear Son,

Yes, I am considered a Catholic but that just means I am a part of the bigger Christian picture. Catholics are just one of many denominations, or groups, of people that believe Jesus was the son of God and God all at once, otherwise known as Christians.

Each denomination has slightly different traditions and interpretations of what the Bible means or how Jesus is to be honored and worshiped. For example, Roman Catholics do not allow their priests (pastors) to be married. See? Even among the Catholic tradition there is division. These divisions typically come from man-made issues rather than any real issues of faith.

I can be a pastor but I cannot be a Roman Catholic priest and I am okay with that. I enjoy many of the Catholic traditions and rituals but those are not what make me a Christian. Belief in Jesus as the son of God and that His death and subsequent resurrection paid price of death for my sins is what makes me a Christian. Regardless of individual denominational structure, all it takes to be a Christian is to believe that you have been saved by grace through faith. Anyone who tells you otherwise is missing the point of the mission of Christ and why He died on a cross.





Your Father

Impact of Suffering

Dear Daddy,

When I look at you it makes me smile. You always smile back. You must be a very happy Daddy. I cry sometimes. I bet you never cried in your life, huh Daddy?

Your Son





Dear Son,


You might see me as a fountain of smiles right now but that is only because everything you do is cute! I've cried my fair share of tears though. Remember those essays I wrote to those people the other day? One of them was about this very thing. The people wanted me to tell them all about how an experience of suffering and loss effected my life. I think I'll share the story with you too:

The event of greatest suffering and loss, which led to adversity, that I have experienced in
my life actually occurred when I was ten-years old. At that age, my father died. The effects of this event would reverberate through the next twenty years of my life, to one extent or another.

Up until my father died I was an honor roll student with exemplary behavior. His death

brought with it a lot of anger and hatred toward my family and even God. I could not understand why he was taken from me and I would not be consoled. I was a child but looking back I can see that my behavior was self-destructive and selfish. My grades began to slip and I eventually failed the eighth grade. I went from listening to country music as a child to death metal as a young teen. I was in a very dark place and I believe I had convinced myself that it was what I deserved.

An unfortunate side effect of this behavior was the impact that it had on my two younger

sisters. They followed my lead and eventually became examples of the worst I had shown them. They both have grown into adults with their own lives but I can still see the impact of watching their big brother behave poorly.

My mother gave up on me early on and I honestly cannot say that I blame her for this initial
reaction. I truly made it difficult to love me. Jesus, though, makes it a habit out of loving the
unlovable and He would not let me wander in the darkness forever. All I needed to do was ask
him to light my path.

Looking back, I can see that God put people in my life to make sure I never went beyond

hope. They helped me deal with the anger I had stored up about my father’s death. I found that
the love of others is more powerful than hate and anger. My step-father, sisters, and wife have all shown me the power of this love.

Ultimately, what I have learned from the death of my father is that we were not built to

deal with pain and suffering alone. We need other people and Jesus Christ to help bear the
weight of the burden of grief. Never again will I allow myself to be crush by the weight of despair. I am not alone and I don’t need to act like I am.

So there you have it, my childhood recollection of that horrible time. Some of it may be altered from other's perceptions due to my viewing it through a child's eyes. This is how I remember it though and that makes it reality for me.

Your Father   

Father Son Relationship

Dear Daddy,

I've heard you and Mommy talking about some very serious stuff the last couple of weeks. You are writing letters to other people now?? What do THEY want to know?

 

Your Son

 

Dear Son,

 

It is true that there are some serious situations taking place in our lives right now. I am writing letters to only you. To others, I am writing essays! They asked me how my relationship with Jesus started and how it is going now. Here is what I had to say:

 

My relationship with Jesus Christ began at the age of eighteen when, as I worked as a dishwasher for a pizza place, I closed my eyes and asked Jesus into my heart over a sink full of grease. I was part of a group of men, most in their forties and fifties, who were preparing to deliver witnesses of how God had been working a particular fruit of the spirit into their lives. I was challenged by the group to discern if I truly had a place among them due to the fact that I had never received Jesus before. I spent many a night laboring over those dirty dishes wondering where I stood and what asking Jesus into my life might mean. After a couple months of praying with that group, I realized that I needed Jesus. I need Him to free me from the burden of sin and shadow of self-doubt that I had been living under. Thus began an interesting walk with the Lord.

 

As a new Christian I was on fire, telling everyone who would listen about the wonders Jesus was working within me. I attended church every Sunday and grew to have an amazing family there. I asked the pastor question after question in search for truth and clarification of things that I found confusing. Eventually, I moved away from that area and lost touch with most of the people that helped me to form the foundations of my Christianity.

    Things changed when I took a speech class in college. I  enjoy a good debate and often found myself taking a stance opposite the popular view in my speeches. I decided to see if I could do a convincing speech on what I perceived to be historical inaccuracies in the Bible. This was one of the most foolish undertaking I have ever been a part of and one I regret to this day. In the end, I quit that class and found myself back pedaling from Jesus. I was more confused than ever. But Jesus is ever-faithful to his followers.

 

The current nature of our relationship is one of revelations and acceptance. The path my life is suppose to go on is being revealed to me through the people in it as well as situations that I find outside of my control, which  are many. Jesus has been patient with me and my questioning nature. However, He has taken a more aggressive tone as of late and it is because of this that I know I am being called into ministry. For one reason or another that door has been closed to me since I was eighteen and considered it then. Now however, the foundation has been laid and the door open. It is time I fully listened to Jesus and walk with him through it and into my future.

 

Now you know how I got my start.

Your Father

 

 

 

 

I Thought I Was Ready - part 2

Dear Daddy,

You said this before:

They say you can't change others and that is true. However, sometimes an interaction or a situation comes along and changes the heart of a person. In turn, this changes the way they view everyone else.

What does that have to do with me?

Your Son

Dear Son,

It means I had a hard heart before you came along. Your mother could not change that, no one could. She was a great buffer for the outside world though.

When I say I had a hard heart, I mean this: people and everything humans did annoyed me beyond belief and I always took the critical view. I never bothered to look past stupid actions to the people behind them. Instead, I was judgmental and harsh on these people. I am using past tense here but this is a current problem and is a work in progress.

Your arrival seems to have drop-kicked my heart though. It is chipping away and this hard exterior. I suddenly view these people through your eyes. Right now, I find myself looking at everyone differently. That is not to say that stupidity is any more okay, not at all. However, I seems to be wanting to give these people a little more benefit of the doubt. I find myself asking why and I think I figured it out.

You see son, you seem to be a terrific judge of character. You smile at just about everyone no matter what they have done in the past. You don't know what they have done or said and it makes no difference to you anyway. This allows you to approach almost every human being with authentic joy and amazement.

I think my change in heart is a subconscious desire to want to be more like that, like you. To find joy in simple things and love in unlikely people. Your heart has not be hardened against the ways of the world and I love that about you. It occurs to me that one of the quickest ways for your view to change is for me to show you a different way. When it comes to this, I do not want to show you a different way. Your way is just fine, better than fine. It is the way a heart should be: open, authentic and accepting.

I've had many years of cynicism indoctrination. My views will not change overnight but I do take a second look at situations and people before comment these days. That doesn't always change the outcome of my word choices though I want it to. I want you to grow up in a home where love is not only given to you but shown how to give to others as well.

One of the many gifts God has instilled in you is the ability to affect the heart of men. I will see that gift cultivated for use in His kingdom. It starts with me. I will be your first test subject.

With love,

Your Father

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I Thought I Was Ready - Part 1

The only constant is change.

Dear Daddy,

You mentioned in a previous letter that you waited a long time for me. Does that mean you were ready for me to come along?

Your Son

Dear Son,

We did have to wait a long time for you, seven years to be exact. However, no amount of waiting and preparation can make a person ready for the birth of a child. We might have thought we were but we were not. That is not to say that we were not anticipating your arrival, far from it. We waited like excited children nearing Christmas morning. The present was well worth it too. But how did we prepare?

We obtained every item we could think of ahead of time. We painted your room and we put up that cute monkey border. Bottles, clothes, bedding, dressers and travel gear were all purchased or received as gifts. We were ready. Then, you were born and everything changed.

When I say everything, I mean everything but mostly I am talking about attitudes and relationships. Let's be real, the way we interact with others IS everything.

They say you can't change others and that is true. However, sometimes an interaction or a situation comes along and changes the heart of a person. In turn, this changes the way they view everyone else.

I'll keep this letter short and expound on what I mean in my next letter. You have changed me for the better, little man. You are kind of like John the Baptist in that I believe you have come to prepare me for something new. I'll explain later.

Your Father

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Do You Pray, Daddy?

Hand in hand.

Dear Daddy,

Do you pray? You bow your head sometimes when other people do but you don't look like a lot of them when they pray. You never say the words out loud either. Don't you want God to hear you?

Your Son

Dear Son,

Yes, I do pray. I may not look like some of the others but I do pray. In our world today, every person feels the right to express him or herself as an individual in all that they do, including when worshiping and praying. But - just as in many things - people want to be noticed when they do these things. I do not.

The book of Matthew states that we should pray in secret and not outwardly for others to see in chapter six. Corinthians 1 asks how outsiders can say Amen to our prayers if we say them with our spirits. Son, I pray with my heart, my mind, and soul...not my mouth. I give praise and thanks with that.

I am not saying that every person that prays publicly is a hypocrite. There are plenty of places in the Bible where it talks about praying openly. I have life experience though. My experiences have allowed me to draw one sad conclusion: the louder a Christian prays publicly, the more you should watch your back around them.

Ultimately, I want you to pray, be it loud or in secret. I truly want you to talk to your Father in heaven. He has a lot to say. Just remember that if your mouth is moving, your heart generally is not.

Prayerfully yours,

Your Father

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In No Time

Get used to these bars kid!

Dear Daddy,

I love my new bed! This crib thing has way more room than the swing. I can roll around all over the place. Why didn't you think of this sooner?

Your Son

Dear Son,

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 makes it clear that God has a time for all things. I can't begin to comprehend this timing but not trusting in it has caused you, Mommy and me lots of unnecessary grief.

For instance, I'll bet you didn't know that Mommy and I waited over seven years of our marriage for you. We got so angry at the world and even God because we were like impatient little children, we wanted what we wanted when we wanted it.

But God picked the exact right time to bring you along. If I had known how amazing you'd be, I would gladly have waited in silence. You were definitely worth waiting a lifetime for.

The same timing was at work with your crib sleep. You see, we DID TRY to put you there weeks ago. But just like your Mommy and I weren't ready for you to come any sooner, you were not ready for that big bed. It wasn't time yet.

We get so wrapped up in trying to make things happen instead of looking and listening to the signs of readiness that we end up banging our heads in frustration. If we could just learn to wait for God to make us ready, then we would find that our efforts to introduce change and growth go much easier.

I hope this a lesson that the three of us can take with us as we move forward. Life is not a competition. There is no race to win as we are all heading to one of two places. We can learn from those that have come before us and even attempt to emulate the good parts. However in the end, if it is not your time for something to happen, then it will not. Plain and simple.

Enjoy your new bed.

Your Father

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I'm Gettin' Nuthin'

You big meanie!!!

Dear Son,

Did it bother you that your Mommy and I gave you no candy or presents on your first Easter? Are you afraid that all of us will have missed out on those memories forever?

Concerned,

Your Father

Dear Daddy,

I am only sixteen weeks old and don't even know who I am yet, let alone what a chocolate bunny is. I'd rather just play with my feet and suck on my hand than a ratty old stuffed animal anyway. Besides, my needs are simple and few: feed me, rest me, change me, play with me, hold me, and love me. Got it? Good.

As for the memories, do you remember YOUR first Easter...or second...or third? Thought not. I bet you will remember my first Easter though, even without the candy and presents. It is the one where you hid out all day playing playstation in order to avoid the chaos that is Holiday Family Dinner, right? I bet you will remember how Mommy held me all day and that I crashed hardcore when we got home too.

I wish I could have gotten some of the cool things my cousins did. Oh wait, no I don't. I'd rather just suck on my fist some more.

Don't worry about it, Daddy. The best memory you'll have about my first Easter is this: Laura Barton rocking me to sleep while Mommy smiled at watching you sing with the church choir. The song was Written In Red, wasn't it? Then, all of those people surrounding me after the service to hold me and hug me. They thought I was just the cutest thing. You and Mommy were so proud. Remember that? Yeah, that is the stuff worth remembering anyway. Not some silly little basket full of plastic grass.

Fist-suckingly Yours,

Your Son

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Easter Egg Jesus

Yep...Easter Egg Jesus.

Dear Daddy,
Resurrection. Springtime. Eggs. Chocolate. Bunnies. I can see the beauty in combining all of these things. Why do people feel the need to argue about the "true meaning of Easter?"
Your Son


Dear Son,
As with many creations, including man, the confusion and discord comes from trying to understand simplicity and complexity at the same time. Easter is both of these things in extremity. It is simple because Easter represents new life. People complicate the issue by attaching various religious beliefs to the concept.

Jews represent this in Passover. During the ten plagues, Jews painted lambs blood on their doorways allowing the angel of death to pass over their homes. This act gave the first born male Jews a new chance at life, in other words a new life. Christians had the blood of The Lamb, or Jesus Christ, shed for us. The blood-letting and subsequent resurrection gives all those who believe that He is the son of God this new life.

Where do eggs, chocolate, and bunnies come from and how do they fit into the new life theme? Bunnies and eggs represent the best of spring and exemplify life bursting forth in a young (new) and vivacious (lively) way. Chocolate? Well, who doesn't enjoy a treat to make things feel new? Simple, right?

The worst of Easter's complexity falls in people deciding that they have to be right...all...the...time. The problem with being right is that people often overlook the big picture in lieu of small, unimportant details. Yes, the final covenant was forged with the shedding of the blood of The Lamb. However, when the Jews were passed over, they were given new life as well. Since both represent the core of what new life is about, does it really matter who has the right of it?

Jew or Gentile, all of humanity belongs to God. Man must look to Him for truth and understanding. As for chocolate. Well, consider it an enigma that transcends human understanding.

Your Father

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But They Hurt You...

Dear Daddy,

I really liked napping in church this morning. The new pastor has a very tranquil voice. You and Mommy had strange looks on your face when I woke up though. People were all around and talking to you. Everyone seemed so excited to see me. Everyone had smile on their faces...everyone except you two. You and Daddy weren't frowning but you seemed different. Your bodies were all stiff and you were holding me extra close when people got near. What was wrong? All of those people seemed to love having us around. Why don't we go more? Why did you and Mommy look so uncomfortable? Grandma told me you both used to work with those people. Does that have something to do with it?

Your son,

Carmen

 

Dear Carmen,

You are right, all of the people you saw today do love you. Most of them love your mother and I also. Yes, we did work at that church a few years ago. You mom was the choir director and I was the youth director. They even called me Youth Pastor. Then, a few people really hurt us. That was the reason for the feelings you observed today. That emotion is called tension and it happens when people enter an environment where where the possibility of danger is present.

Your mother and I have been wrestling with a dilemma. That church holds the greatest concentration of people that love the three of us. At the same time, it houses a den of vipers that slither around waiting to strike when the opportunity presents. We really want you to know your Father above and can think of no better place than this church though. We want your exposure to God to be surrounded in love and good examples. This church provides that. Yet, it also exposes you to human failures and shortcomings, the very behavior that is implanted in all men from birth due to original sin. What do we do then?

We have thought about it long and hard. We have discussed it at length and come to the following conclusion:

• We are going to involve our family in the church once more.
• Life is both the good and the bad. If we were to allow you to figure out your faith by being around only "good" Christians, then we would be doing you a terrible disservice. One of the foundations of our faith is forgiveness and you can never know what it is to be forgiven until you have been forced to forgive. You will get that opportunity when around people who are out for themselves.
• We were forgiven. We owe it to you, ourselves, and most importantly to Jesus to pay that forgiveness forward. It starts with this church.
• We have been loved so much by members of that congregation and we owe it to them to return that love. There is no better way to honor that love than by allowing them to do what they do best, showing you with affection.

In Romans 12, we are ordered not to hold grudges. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says The Lord." We were made to love and forgiveness is necessary for love to exist. We love you and we need to love that church as well.

With love always,

Daddy

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Blessings For Hire

The most peaceful time!

Dear Daddy,

Am I blessed? I want to be! Someone told be that God will bless me if I do what he says. That is like when you give me presents for being good, right? I think I should do what God says then. If blessings are like presents, I think I should. I like presents and I think I would like blessings too.

Love Always,

Your Son

Dear Son,

Yes, you are blessed with every breath you take, with every ray of son you take in, and every second the clock ticks by. But son, do you think that only "good" children receive blessings? Would you not agree that life itself is a blessing and that even the least of humanity receives it?

Indeed, when man turns away from wicked ways and toward his Father, the blessing seem to flow more abundantly. But this is just a mirage. Even the best children are not immune to the sufferings associated with growing.

It is wonderful that you want to do well by your Father but do not mistake blessings, or presents as you call them, for rewards of service. Blessings are not for sale nor can one earn more blessings by doing good. Blessing are offered equally to all. The problem is not the blessings prevalent, or lack thereof, in ones life. It is ones ability to recognize a blessing when it is present. Sometimes they are disguised cleverly but they are always there. One must simply open his eyes and heart to discover them.

Eternal Love,

Your Father

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Plan and Purpose

Welcome,

 

To the left you see my son and me. Who are we and why would we blog? I want to share a new perspective with you…

 

I feel blessed to have been given this amazing son and I hope to share some of our journey together. I am Shane; I am a stay at home dad and he is a go where I go son.

 

Together, we are on this journey through life where we will both be learning....a lot. Everyone thinks that my job is to teach him but I hope to learn just as much, if not more, from this little guy.

 

At sixteen, I began a lifelong pursuit to know more about God, my Father and yours. So really we began this journey together 19 years ago. Yes, I was rebellious! I did not always agree with what He had to tell me. However, I've recently learned that He never steers me wrong and I do not want Carmen to make the mistakes that I have made.

 

 

 

Three months ago, when Carmen was born I realized that life begins with God's will! The true vision I see for this blog is simple: Together, Carmen and I will live and learn according to God’s will. If you choose to come along on this ride, I can’t promise where it will take you. I can only assure you that together we will experience the love and purpose of life that can only come from experiencing God awesome power!

 

So, this is me, a regular guy, a loving dad, and God’s servant. Carmen and I hope that you will join us each week for a cup of coffee, bottle of milk, and some life lessons from our one true Father.

I am Shane and these are my Letters From A Father learning lessons from our Holy Father.

 

 

 

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