There has been a lot going on in our lives. Lindley is starting g to sit up and getting ready to crawl and Avaleigh is singing (I say it is more like making a bunch of racket) and coloring everyday! We are just plugging along and we have hit a nice, little routine that is working for us.
Over the the past few months, I’ve been thinking about what advice will I give you, where will I tell you to turn…so that is what this post is about. Saying, quotes, and Bible verses are why I often remind myself of when I need some advice or when I am just reflecting on how my life is going. So without further aduea, here are my guiding principles….
1 Thesoloanians 14:11
11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders * and not be in any need.
This one is really simple. Follow the instructions in it. Your mother and I don’t go out and party, we aren’t flamboyant, we don’t travel much. It pretty much is just us. Do I think we do it right? Sometimes, I think we might be a little too isolated. I wish we would go and do more, but things are different know. I’m perfectly happy with how things are. But staying home doesn’t mean you have a quiet life. Stay out of drama, stay away from gossip, and don’t be around those who cause problems or don’t know how to act. As a 39 year old man, I haven’t had a drink of alcohol in nearly 4 years. I don’t need that. Keep those things that will make you fodder for others out of your life.
Attend to your business? More like handle yours and stay out of others. I’m not going to lie, this is hard for me sometimes. But just stay out of others business and don’t be nosey. Sometimes, I wonder if that is all social media is….my getting into other business.
Work with your own hands? Got it? You better…for a few reasons. Work is pleasing to God (and I’m gonna bust your tail if you don’t). I can’t remember the verses, but this is one of them. God doesn’t want us to have handouts, he wants us to make our way. I truly believe that and have seen scripture to back it up. You must work….and work hard. Take pride in what you do. Let it benefit others.
I think this verse also goes hand in hand with another one of my favorite verses. Read 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1. Everything you do, make sure you do for the right reasons. Imitate the goodness of Christ. You will never arrive that lofty goal, but you will find comfort being in midst of his name.
Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
Probably one of the most impactful verses I have ever had explained to me. Salt preserves things. We, as Christians, are the salt of the earth. We must preserve it. How? By living an example for all to follow. Remember, you are going to be criticized for what you try to do, but this is so important. We need to be good people and we need to show others what that looks like. Believe it or not, everybody doesn’t know! You must show others, but that doesn’t make you better than others. The 2nd part of this verse…everything after being the salt….remember, God always loves you. If you, as salt, need to be made whole again, turn your eyes to him.
1 Corinthians 4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
One day, as bad as I hate to admit it, you are going to grow up and fall in love. It already breaks my heart to know this, but I want this for you.
When that day arrives, let this be the instruction that guides you. This is what your love should be like. I don’t know what else I can say, but strive to be this for someone…and only have someone who strives to be this for you.
Your Mom was sent to me directly from God to show me how to do this things.
Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in peace.
When you lay your head down every night, “dwell in peace” by having prayer be a part each day. Make that your habit.
1 John 4:8
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
If it is possible to love a verse and hate it all at the same time…this is the one for me.
Look, there are going to be people who make you mad and people who just make your skin crawl. Love them anyways. There are going to be people who turn their back on you. Love them anyways. There are going to be people who stab you in the back, love them anyways. There are going to be people who want to see you fall. Love them anyways….
Love anyways…
It’s hard. Believe me! I have people that I talk to on a daily basis, who I know, want to see me fail. It is hard to wish them well and love them. We must continue to do so. Hate no one. It is such a wasted emotion.
My personal thought on this is something that I hope you debate and determine on your own. Even though we are supposed to love others….regardless of what they do or how they make us feel….doesn’t mean, to me, that we have to put ourselves in positions to be around them MORE. You will always find yourself around them, but don’t be snobbish and walk off when they walk up. On the flip side, don’t intentionally put yourself in their presence in setting where they might try to gain things to use against you. FOR EXAMPLE….I’ve been invited to several parties where people who attended don’t have my best interests at heart. Love them, but keep your guard up and keep yourself out of unfavorable situations. (This last paragraph is more of my personal opinion, so I hope you search for those answers in your heart.)
Ephesians 3:14-15
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from who every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
Know your reason. Know that you get on your knees and pray because you follow Christ. Also know the reasons why it is important. There are so many reasons…..so many.
Your precious mother and both of you are my reasons. I love you so much. I hope you follow Him.
Luke 10:41-42
41 But the Lord answered Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
So, there is a backstory here that I hope you one day take the time to go read about. The short version is that Jesus was with Martha and Mary to visit. Martha kept trying to clean the house, cook food, and really present herself as a great host to Jesus. All the while, Mary sit at his feet to listen to what he had to say.
Here is what Mary got that Martha didn’t….keep the main thing the main thing. All to often, we get caught up in all of this peripheral stuff in our jobs and in our personal lives. At work, my task is really very simple. my job is to focus on good instruction and help students move forward in life. Sometimes I try to make it much more complicated, but it isn’t. That is what it is….plain and simple. However, I let myself get distracted by so many other events that I often lose focus.
In our personal lives, it isn’t about gifts or doing things on the weekends, it is about us. It is very plain and simple. But it’s the truth. Try to spend time together and help each other out. That’s it…..
Of course, there is our spiritual life. What is the main thing? Jesus. Read his word, go to church, and pray. Find ways to pray often. Keep it at the center of your live. I promise you, there are so many good things that happen when you realize that you aren’t in control and that you can turn it over to Jesus and have a personal hotline to him through prayer. Be like Mary and sit at his feet often. That means reading your Bible, prayer, and church….just to say a few.
John 5:29
and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgement.
This verse is important to me because it seems so backwards on earth. People on earth do the exact opposite. We judge those who try to do good and don’t really think a lot about the evil that people do. Focus on doing good deeds and know that one day you will be judged on those.
By the way, I hope you see these words are written in red. Pay special attention to the words in red. Also, read the entire book of John. It is full of great advice and beautiful stories.
1 Samuel 17:48
Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that DAVID RAN QUICKLY TOWARD THE BATTLE LINE to meet the Philistine.
The classic…David and Goliath…..
This is such a great story. You will be told all your life about how the little guy beat the big guy with a sling shot and a rock. People will tell you it doesn’t matter how big you are, but how big your heart is….all true.
But foolish. Why? This wasn’t a miracle that David beat Goliath.
You don’t hear this…David spent time in preparation. People wanted him to take armor and a sword, but David said he couldn’t take those because he wasn’t familiar with that kind of weapon, instead he went and search for five stones that had to be smooth. He used a weapon that he had practiced with many time. He was prepared.
People often leave out how the giant taunted him and mocked him, but he stayed focused.
People often leave out…when the time came….he ran swiftly and with great courage to the battle. He knew he was ready. Girls, have courage. But don’t just think that you are going to be victorious because you have courage. As a famous coach, John Wooden, once said, “The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.”
And I hope when the time comes, you run swiftly to that line….
Finally, we move to the most important verse in the Bible to me…..
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes i Me shall live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
Girls, believe. The proof is everywhere. Don’t be naive enough to believe there was a large explosion that created the stars, the moons, and the planets. What did that explosion come from? Nothing? We are here because we were created by something greater. If you want to see proof, look no further than the mirror. You were created in his likeness.
Believe.
I will love you today, yesterday, and all the days that lay ahead…
Dad of Girls 