Pastor Dad

I hate rumors. Being a positive person by default, I am usually pretty quick to dismiss what I think to be a rumor until I find out for myself. I hate rumors on me individually. Again, I am the person that if I hear of one that is especially rude, or detrimental to my family or church, I will show up in person to whomever was spreading it and ask that it stop (usually nicely). But I also value those that would come to me and ask if what they heard was true. For example, more than one time I have been ask if I, as the pastor of the church, ask people for a copy of their W2’s before they join my church so I can tell them how much they should tithe. Seriously! This happened more than one time. I have laughed and said that’s ridiculous. I have never done this! Ever! I don’t have time to this. As much as I hate rumors in general, on me specifically, I really hate them on my family and friends. That’s why I have chosen to write today. I love the political process in our country. But...

             I wrote the following almost 10 years ago to the day, which was a few years before I even knew what a blog was. As I read it this afternoon, I thought it important to share. I pray it speaks to you: P.S. This picture was from 2008 when I wrote this, they're gonna be excited that I found it! I feel old! No, I don’t mean that “hurt all over old”. No, not the “another gray hair” old. Today I had lunch with, Jordan, my 13-year-old son. He and his sister were out of school and she went with friends so I called him to see if he could find time in his schedule to fit me in a lunch. He did, whether out of desire or mercy but when your kid is a teenager you don’t really care. While we were at lunch I saw a childhood friend and she was talking about how much Jordan looked like me and how tall he was, the only thing missing was pinching his cheeks talking about how he has grown. Then I had a conversation with Kelcey, my 17-year-old ab...

I was in my 20’s when I had to have ACL reconstruction surgery on my left knee. I remember the doctor appointment after the MRI where Dr Thomas put a picture on the bed next to me and pointed and said, “That is where your ACL is supposed to be”. His words, “it has ruptured and we need to build you a new one”. I was expecting that but the next part of the conversation I wasn’t exactly prepared for. In my mind, we schedule surgery, get this knee fixed, go through rehab, and one day begin playing sports again. But he said I needed to go to rehab before the surgery. What? Before? Why? He explained that I was about to have a scheduled trauma to my left leg and it would cause muscle loss, pain, etc… He then went on to say that I needed to build up the muscles in my leg to help the recovery and some other things we can talk about later. Whatever, right? It seemed kind of counterproductive and wasteful to me. But then I began to think about that this week when my son-in-law and daughter ...

To you: single mom or dad struggling to make it through one more day. Ready for a day off or even just a break but the kids stay hungry (both physically and for more of your time). Bills have to be paid and kids have to be raised. You didn’t ask to do this alone but it happened and it sucks. To you; look up! To you: young married couple just starting out. You just finished the Christmas marathon with 17 families, got lots of gifts but what you guys really want is two days of nothing where you can stay in bed or on the couch but the pressure to live up to EVERYBODY else’s expectations seem to win every single day. To you; look up! To you: high school student hearing from every adult around you that you should have the rest of your life planned out when you’re just trying to figure out whether you’re going to pass chemistry next semester. To you; look up! To you: widow and widower feeling the loneliness even during the holidays when there seems to be a constant flow of peopl...

Have you ever felt truly inspired? A moment, an event, a powerful speaker bringing a moving speech, scripture, nature, people, places, things… I’m talking about something that happens in your life that makes you want to be a better, or at least a different, person. I’ve read a lot of books and heard a lot of moving sermons/speeches in my life and some of them caused me to want to change. I got married and wanted to be the best husband that ever lived. I watched the birth of my daughter and my son and both times I felt motivated to be a great example for them. My grandson came along and everything changed as I want to be a positive part of his life. I believe everyone has these same feelings whether we act on them or not. We all feel moved and motivated to change at certain times by specific outside forces. What about when those events and things are absent? What about the times when God is silent, the universe isn’t singing your song, the pain seems to stack up like a swat team on...

Below is the transcript of the words I spoke before the first annual Policeman's Ball. What an incredible night and the potential that this event has is amazing. Keep up the great work ladies... It is truly an honor to be here this evening. As a matter of fact, I feel honored anytime I have the opportunity to be a part of anything in law enforcement. This is a very special night. It’s special for so many reasons. It’s special because this is you. This wasn’t put on by the community. This wasn’t put on by a church. This was put on by the people that know you most… the people that love you most. This may be the first time that I know that something like this has happened. And to those, we say, “thank you”. There are advantages and disadvantages to having access to your professional lives. I can never, ever watch another law enforcement television show or movie without rolling my eyes and throwing my hands up on a regular basis. I tend to stare a little too long in public at ...

My faults are many. My failures are great. But with each fault and with each failure, I choose to rise. I choose to rise above mistakes and ridicule. I choose to rise above criticism. I choose to rise above adversity. I choose to rise above those that would exploit mistakes. I choose to stay when everything in me says run. I choose to stand in battle until the bell sounds or the whistle blows and when the smoke clears, keep standing. I choose to have the determination that if my God would allow His Son to die for my sins that I will not embarrass the calling or the blood by being a hypocrite. You see, I believe that this Jesus-thing is real and I will stand before my God some day. But because of the blood of Jesus, I will stand without regret. I will stand with humble confidence that the blood was not wasted on me. The day will not be wasted on me. Are there days where I don’t want to stand? Of course. Are there days where I just want a normal life? Yep! Are there days when I’ve tak...