Happy Valentine’s Day
Twenty-one years ago (getting close to 22 now) I married the most wonderful wife the world has ever known. Sorry girls, but she really is—maybe you can work on being the second best. At the beginning of our reception, I played the guitar and sang this song to my wife. And it is more true today than it was 22 years ago—and I understand its implications more.
I thought I’d try to tell you
How much I love you in a song
But found out very soon that
that would make it last too long
I started it last evening
When the sun was going down
I’d barely just begun it
When the sun came back aroundI’d really like to tell you—
I’d really like to show how much
I’d really care to share this love with you.
I’d really like to tell you
I’d really like to show you
But I’m afraid I just might never
quite get throughIf every star that’s in the sky
Could scream, “I love you, girl.”
And if I sent a rose for every
flower in the world
It would only start to tell
The things I long to say
The stars will fall and the rose will die
But my love won’t go away!I’d really like to tell you
I’d really like to show how much
I’d really care to share this love with you.
I’d really like to tell you
I’d really like to show you
But I’m afraid I might not ever quite get through.
I love you Kim!
Happy Valentine’s Day
Twenty-one years ago (getting close to 22 now) I married the most wonderful wife the world has ever known. Sorry girls, but she really is—maybe you can work on being the second best. At the beginning of our reception, I played the guitar and sang this song to my wife. And it is more true today than it was 22 years ago—and I understand its implications more.
I thought I’d try to tell you
How much I love you in a song
But found out very soon that
that would make it last too long
I started it last evening
When the sun was going down
I’d barely just begun it
When the sun came back aroundI’d really like to tell you—
I’d really like to show how much
I’d really care to share this love with you.
I’d really like to tell you
I’d really like to show you
But I’m afraid I just might never
quite get throughIf every star that’s in the sky
Could scream, “I love you, girl.”
And if I sent a rose for every
flower in the world
It would only start to tell
The things I long to say
The stars will fall and the rose will die
But my love won’t go away!I’d really like to tell you
I’d really like to show how much
I’d really care to share this love with you.
I’d really like to tell you
I’d really like to show you
But I’m afraid I might not ever quite get through.
I love you Kim!
Check out our love story on my wife’s blog.
A father’s grief
Life is hard. Not much more than that needs be said. We often wonder what God is doing as our lives seem to unravel. I was reminded recently by a friend that it is okay to question God as long as we are willing to accept his answer (or willing to accept his decision to not answer our “why?” question). My friend pointed out that Job asked God “why?” on a number of occasions—even, at one point, asking God why he had been born. But in the end we are told that in all that Job said he did not sin.
Many of my why? questions seem to revolve around my role as a parent. Being a father is not an easy job and I often feel that I am not up to the task. But in my personal bible reading this morning and read part of the story of Joseph and I was struck with a different viewpoint on this story that what we normally think of—the viewpoint of Jacob, Joseph’s father
Imagine the difficulties, agony, and emotional pain Jacob had to endure as his sons showed their hatred for their brother, Joseph. Imagine his disappointment when Joseph started saying things that appeared to be calculated to make his brothers hate him even more—such things as, “you all are going to bow down to me one day … and I heard this news from God in my dreams last night.” Imagine Jacob’s pain upon the news that his favored son had been killed by a wild animal, the news of which was brought to him along with a bloodied garment to prove the violent report.
But it didn’t end there. Years later, during the famine, His sons were told to bring their younger brother with them to Egypt or they would not be able to receive food. Jacob must have felt terrible trepidation at letting his youngest son, the only other brother of his favored wife Rebecca, go with the other brothers to Egypt. And then for the younger brother to be kept in Egypt when the brothers returned to Canaan, it must have been almost unbearable for Jacob.
In fact, the brothers told the Egyptian leader in Genesis 44:30-31, “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. This must have been a terrible thing for Jacob, the father.
But in the end, Joseph tells his brothers:
Genesis 50:19-21
But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
From this story I find great comfort in knowing that whatever happens in my parenting—whatever happens with my children, I must rest in God’s total and complete sovereignty over all that happens. Whatever happens, I know that it will bring ultimate glory to God. In that I must rest.
A father’s grief
Life is hard. Not much more than that needs be said. We often wonder what God is doing as our lives seem to unravel. I was reminded recently by a friend that it is okay to question God as long as we are willing to accept his answer (or willing to accept his decision to not answer our “why?” question). My friend pointed out that Job asked God “why?” on a number of occasions—even, at one point, asking God why he had been born. But in the end we are told that in all that Job said he did not sin.
Many of my why? questions seem to revolve around my role as a parent. Being a father is not an easy job and I often feel that I am not up to the task. But in my personal bible reading this morning and read part of the story of Joseph and I was struck with a different viewpoint on this story than what we normally think of—the viewpoint of Jacob, Joseph’s father
Imagine the difficulties, agony, and emotional pain Jacob had to endure as his sons showed their hatred for their brother, Joseph. Imagine his disappointment when Joseph started saying things that appeared to be calculated to make his brothers hate him even more—such things as, “you all are going to bow down to me one day … and I heard this news from God in my dreams last night.” Imagine Jacob’s pain upon the news that his favored son had been killed by a wild animal, the news of which was brought to him along with a bloodied garment to prove the violent report.
But it didn’t end there. Years later, during the famine, His sons were told to bring their younger brother with them to Egypt or they would not be able to receive food. Jacob must have felt terrible trepidation at letting his youngest son, the only other brother of his favored wife Rebecca, go with the other brothers to Egypt. And then for the younger brother to be kept in Egypt when the brothers returned to Canaan, it must have been almost unbearable for Jacob.
In fact, the brothers told the Egyptian leader in Genesis 44:30-31, “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. This must have been a terrible thing for Jacob, the father.
But in the end, Joseph tells his brothers:
Genesis 50:19-21
But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
From this story I find great comfort in knowing that whatever happens in my parenting—whatever happens with my children, I must rest in God’s total and complete sovereignty over all that happens. Whatever happens, I know that it will bring ultimate glory to God. In that I must rest.
Merry Christmas
Following our family tradition, our son could not get to sleep on Christmas Eve until well past 2:00 am. He came into our room to get us up to open presents at 5:14am. In between those hours, we had to put out the presents “from Santa.” So lack of sleep is the order of the day.
But we had a good time and our son is enjoying his presents. He’s building a K’nex “Starburst Spinner” right now. K’nex are amazing. Much better than the Erector Sets we used to have as children. In fact, here it is in completed form:
Last night our church had a candlelight Christmas Eve worship service. Several people sang special music and our youth pastor read the delightful Tale of the Three Trees, which you may read more about here. The congregation sang Christmas carols, one of the men presented a message about the fact that Christ came “to save his people from their sins.” We all held candles and sang “Silent Night” at the end of the service. When the song was finished, together we extinguished our candles. It was a wonderful reverential time.
Praise the Lord for the wonderful salvation he has prepared for his people. No other religion solves the problem of human sin by God dying to pay the penalty of that sin—because no other religion is the True religion. What a wonderful God we worship and love.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Following our family tradition, our son could not get to sleep on Christmas Eve until well past 2:00 am. He came into our room to get us up to open presents at 5:14am. In between those hours, we had to put out the presents “from Santa.” So lack of sleep is the order of the day.
But we had a good time and our son is enjoying his presents. He’s building a K’nex “Starburst Spinner” right now. K’nex are amazing. Much better than the Erector Sets we used to have as children. In fact, here it is in completed form:
Last night our church had a candlelight Christmas Eve worship service. Several people sang special music and our youth pastor read the delightful Tale of the Three Trees, which you may read more about here. The congregation sang Christmas carols, one of the men presented a message about the fact that Christ came “to save his people from their sins.” We all held candles and sang “Silent Night” at the end of the service. When the song was finished, together we extinguished our candles. It was a wonderful reverential time.
Praise the Lord for the wonderful salvation he has prepared for his people. No other religion solves the problem of human sin by God dying to pay the penalty of that sin—because no other religion is the True religion. What a wonderful God we worship and love.
Merry Christmas
By His grace - For His glory 