Two Fathers and Learning to Be a Son

The Father's Day That Was

God in His holy dwelling is
a father of the fatherless
and a champion of widows.
Psalm 68:5 (HCSB)

Father's Day.  Two days ago.  A day when fathers were celebrated.  A day many pastors and orphan care advocates used to point to God as our Heavenly Father.  

It was also a day when bitterness welled up in many who resent their fathers, many of whom really were not in their lives at all.  It was a day -- along with its reminders -- that couldn't pass quickly enough.

Not Me

Many people who advocate for a particular cause do so because of some type of negative experience or suffering that they don't want others to go through.  It's the principle of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 

Not me, though.  I advocate for the orphan because of what I do have in my life.  I do have a strong father who taught me right from wrong, taught me the value of simply being there, taught me how to walk on my own two feet.  Our view of God as our Heavenly Father begins with our view of our own fathers.  I can see why so many people that I talk to about God have such a hard time believing He is who He claims to be.  I, on the other hand, had a terrific head start.

Just hanging out on the back porch with with dad.

 Not a day goes by that I don't think of my dad.  Oftentimes, it's one of those sayings that is unique to him (or his father before him), including my all-time favorite, "You thought like Parker's dog."  (Ask me sometime; I'll explain it to you.)  

Sometimes, it's something he did or is in the process of doing, like when I'm working in my really small garden and thinking of his working in his much bigger garden.  

My favorite photo: 3 generations & a mess of fish!

Every once and a while, not nearly as often as I would like, I will just sit down on the couch and peacefully doze off, like my dad can do like a champ.  I think of him then, too.

Transferring What I've Learned

Not a day goes by that I don't think of my Heavenly Father, either.  Oftentimes, it's one of those sayings that is unique to Him, something in His Word or in a Scripture that I have heard so often that I know it by heart.  Something like James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."  Or Psalm 67:7: "God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!" 

Welcome to one of my conversations with God -- always better when He does most of the speaking.

Sometimes, it's what He's doing or in the process of doing.  Like conforming me into the image of His Son.  Like allowing me to come alongside others while they do the same.  Like causing my heart to melt over 13 Haitian children and the ones who are spending their lives caring for them.

Sometimes, it's just in the quiet, peaceful moments that I get to spend with my Heavenly Father.  Moments when He doesn't have to say or do anything, just be there.

I'd say I got quite a head start knowing and loving God, my Heavenly Father, because of the example of my earthly father.  Thanks, Dad.  You have not only prepared me to be a father but a son to my Heavenly Father, as well.  As far as I'm concerned, every day is Father's Day.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

3 Levels of Fishing

When my son Garrett and I go fishing, we always call our activity by the generic title, fishing . . . at least at the beginning of the day.  After a few hours, however, the terminology changes.  At the end of the day, we have three different levels of reporting, based on our results:

Level 1: Casting

This is when we spend (usually no more than) a couple of hours practicing casting, removing lures, tying lures, and trying new lures -- only to come up empty.  These are the days that we determine that "there are NO fish in this ENTIRE pond."  (Because if there were, of course we would have caught some of them.)

Level 1 days are also the days that we have the greatest opportunity to default to conversations of frustrations over the fishing.  Simultaneously, these are the days when we have the greatest opportunities to talk about other things that matter a lot more than fishing.

Some days, the beauty of the lake belies the scarcity of fish in the lake.

All it took was finding the right lure!

Level 2: Fishing

Garrett and I call the second level of fishing . . . well, fishing.  These are the days when we get a few bites and maybe even catch a few fish.  The lure (pun intended) of catching fish usually keeps us on the pond an extra hour, at least.  The right lure, the right spot, the right flick of the wrist, make this a different day and take us to the next level.

These are the days when -- in the poetic words of Ernest Lawerence Thayer -- "hope springs eternal."  There are many transferable principles there, principles to be taught and of which to be reminded, on level 2 days.

And then, there's . . .

Level 3: Catching

Every once and a while, we have those days when we catch fish after fish, including some big ones.  There was the time when Garrett and I went with my dad to a pond near his house and caught 27 big bass within a couple of hours.  We may have caught more, but we spent some of that time taking photos of the ones we did reel in.

The level 3 days are the days that keep us going back.  Every time we go fishing, we make our predictions of how many fish we will catch.  Typically, we are optimistic that it will be at least a level 2, perhaps even a level 3 day.

Always a good sign to start catching fish before the sun is up good.

Good morning, beautiful!

My favorite fishing photo -- definitely a level 3 day!

 

A Word of Encouragement

The whole point of this blog is not simply to share my fishing experiences.  The point is this: If you are influencing people at any level, there are various seasons of results.  There are seasons of casting, when our best efforts just don't seem to produce any results.  There are season of fishing, when we see enough results to encourage us to keep going.  And there are seasons of catching, when the results of our impact on others is so great that it can barely be captured.

Whether you are a pastor, a teacher, a mom, a student, an orphan care advocate-- no matter where your place of influence is, be encouraged that there are relationships that are enhanced at all three levels -- casting, fishing, and catching -- if you are intentional about using your influence.  Keep investing.  Keep influencing.  Keep encouraging.  Let God bring the results in His timing.

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their 
father and followed him.  (Matthew 4:18-22)

Thanks for reading.  Fish for people today.

4theVoiceless,
Al