The illusion of control

This summer, Isaiah got to go to Valleyfair for the 1st time. He loved it! He had been to fairs, and been on rides before- but something was different. He could go on the rides as many times as he wanted. He didn't need tickets! The wrist band was paid for, so he could keep going on the rides over and over again. He of course loved it. His favorite ride though kind of surprised me. It was the antique autos ride. Here is what the ride looks like:

The part Isaiah liked was the control. He got to steer the wheel and push down the gas peddle. It was like he was driving a car. Well, as you can see in the picture, there is some definite irony in this. He had some control, but only to a point. The car is restricted along the path because of the track in the middle. The car stays on the track, but it was enough that Isaiah felt he had control.

I look at our lives as being similar to this. We feel we have control of things. Our family, our job, our homework, our school, our relationships- we have control over these right?!? Sure...to a point....but mostly no. We don't have control, it's simply an illusion.

The reality is that things happen. We get fired from a job, we get dumped, we turn in a homework assignment that we think is going to be an A and it comes back a D. We really aren't in control of everything, we just wished we were.

But here is where the good news comes in. Just like there is a track with the car that Isaiah was driving, we have a constant in our lives too. That person is God. Isaiah could swerve back and forth, floor it, or stop- the track is still there. The same is true in our lives with God. No matter where we are, or where we are going- God is there alongside of us.

A great Biblical reminder of this is Daniel in the Old Testament. Daniel was told that he couldn't pray to God. The country had made a decision that everyone should pray to the king and not the one true God. This was something out of Daniel's control. Daniel also couldn't control the consequences if he was caught praying to God. What did Daniel do? He still prayed. Not to the king, but to God. And you know what? Daniel got caught. He couldn't control who saw him. The punishment was being thrown into a den of hungry lions. Daniel certainly couldn't control what the lions would do. But you know what? God could. God could control them. Daniel didn't end up being a snack. God protected him.

And that's really the big thing in here to learn and remind us. We aren't in control, BUT we have a God who is. There was absolutely nothing Daniel could have done to protect himself from those lions. His only hope was God. But the great thing about Daniel? He had realized that already. He kept on praying to God even when it was illegal!

So how do we remind ourselves of this every day, that God is in control instead of us?

Well, please don't do the Carrie Underwood and have Jesus take the wheel while you are driving. That may be a recipe for disaster.

Instead, remind yourself right now, God is taking care of you. If God cares for birds and plants, God is going to care for you immensely more. (Us> Birds & Plants)

God is also present. Just like the track was there for Isaiah and his car, God is there for you. Unexplained things will still happen, but also remember that not all of them will be bad! Sometimes, great things happen that we have no idea would. Thank God for those. And when those bad unexplained things occur? Ask God to help get you through it.

We aren't in control. It's just an illusion. And you know what? That's ok! Think of yourself in your worst moment... Not a pretty picture is it? Probably a good thing you aren't in control all the time right? Let the God of the whole universe handle that instead!

Something you can't google the answer to

The last month in the United States hasn't been too terrific. It started with Hurricane Harvey hitting Texas. Massive flooding, wind damage, water damage, and MASSIVE loss of property and human life. Then the wild fires started out west burning up homes, trees, and everything else in their path. Then came Hurricane Irma. After a week of build up, it plowed through Florida. In some parts of the state they are STILL trying to get the power back on.

Whenever all these natural disaster events strike, another conversation seems to begin with it. Are we nearing the end? Not just of these events happening, BUT of the world itself. People see all this destruction, and begin asking the big question- is THIS how the end of the world is going to look?

If your facebook/twitter/instagram feed is like mine, people have starting asking the question. Someone even has a prediction for THIS next Saturday, September 23rd.

SO when all this happens- I go to the foremost source on the topic. And NO that isn't google. It's the Bible. If God started this whole world, He will eventually finish it too and create something new. When we go into Scripture, we don't find an answer on when the last day will be, but we certainly find clues.

The first place I look at is Matthew 24, because I want to see a place where Jesus is speaking on the topic. First, Jesus says HE is coming back in the end. That's for sure. BUT before Jesus comes, others will come saying THEY are Jesus. Or they will come saying THEY know when the end is. They are obviously false. Then check out these verses: ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Wickedness will increase, love grows cold, and the message of Jesus will be preached to the whole world before the end comes. As you look at that idea of wickedness growing, look at one these pictures from Hurricane Harvey: 

I see a lot more love and care than wickedness in this picture.

And Jesus states that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the whole world and to all nations. That means the whole world will have the opportunity to hear about Jesus. While in America, that might not seem THAT far fetched- we live in a BIG world. There are still many people who haven't had the opportunity to hear, because the Bible hasn't even been translated into their own language yet. (Here is how far on language translation we STILL need to go).


The next thing to look at in Scripture is the way God compares the end of the world coming. In 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 2, it says this- ² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The day of the Lord is when Jesus will come back, meaning the end of the world. This is described as "a thief in the night." A thief in the night is a total surprise. There is no warning.

So what then can be conclude from this Scripture? In my opinion, there is still a lot of love left in people. Which is GREAT! We are still probably in line to see a wickedness increase. Second, no one is going to know when the end is finally going to happen. We aren't going to see a bunch of predictions on facebook of the end of the world becoming correct.

What we can take from all this is to continue to show love and care for one another. Instead of getting all caught up in this end of the world stuff- let's instead practice another Bible story. The one of the Good Samaritan. Take some time to read that story today from Luke 10. Don't click on another story predicting the end of time- instead read about how we should treat others TODAY! 

 

Always looking for the good firsts

Have you had any life changing firsts lately? Firsts are life moments when you do something for the FIRST time. For me as a dad, most of the firsts I now celebrate are things my kids do for the 1st time. Brianna saying dadda.....that's a melt your heart first. Isaiah scoring 4 goals in a soccer game- his first "hat trick" (a hat trick is when 1 person scores 3 goals in hockey NOT soccer, but I'm not going to tell him that)....that's a proud dad moment. Or Micah going to preschool for the 1st time. These are moments that you seem to remember with a picture like quality to them. You basically can't help but smile.

I mean...look at this face, AND she says dadda. HOW am I EVER going to be able to say no....

I'm in sooo much trouble

In life, we definitely cherish many of these positives firsts. However, this last year, my family experienced some difficult firsts. My dad passed away in February and Bec's mom passed away in May. Dates on the calendar have been different b/c we are doing something for the first time without a loved one.

This last Sunday was a REALLY tough first that I've been dreading for a long time. My first Packer game Sunday without my dad here. That's right, I was dreading the start of the football season....ME....a HUGE Packers fan.

Generally the new football season is something I look forward to with GREAT excitement. This year was different. Very different. I have lots of people I talk to a little bit about the Packers, but my dad was that person I talked about EVERYTHING Packers to. The first big play- I would send a text. At halftime, I would be making a phone call to recap what happened. After the game, we would talk about what could be different next week.

This day was different. Dad is now in Heaven instead of yelling at the TV. I know for sure it would be the most relaxed Packer Sunday he's ever had. He wouldn't be mad at the defense or giving up on Coach McCarthy.

And while that is comfort for me, how do people get through those negative FIRST firsts?!? My first Sunday wasn't easy, BUT there were a few things that made it easier. I held Brianna a lot. The most recent blessings in my house that I had, I held close. I also remembered my dad with our lunch food choice. Hot ham and cheese sandwiches- the meal my family would pick up on the way home from church for our Packer Sundays. Finally, I had Isaiah reminding me how nice the day was and how I should get outside. See that's the thing- in this life we are assured that we are going to lose people we love. We will probably always grieve not having them here with us- but that doesn't mean we shouldn't hold tighter and appreciate the blessings we still have. 

That's probably what I kept thinking about the most. Sometimes we cling to things SO tightly-whether it's people or tradition or things. But life is meant to change. Will we not be able to see what is ahead if we keep looking behind? Even in His own ministry, Jesus struggled with this. Peter did this in the book of Matthew. Peter gets to be one of the disciples that sees Jesus in His FULL glory. Jesus shone like the sun and His clothes were white as light. What does Peter want to do? Build an altar, set up some shelters, and STAY! Peter isn't focused on showing others Jesus or telling them what he has seen. Peter instead wants to stay RIGHT where he is at.

This Sunday, I had a choice. Every time something in the Packer game happened, I could have been discouraged I didn't have my dad to talk about it with. WELL the reality is, every Packer game from now on will be that way. So I need to find a new way. Nothing will replace what I had with my dad, but I can certainly have new Sunday Packer traditions.

And that brings it full circle. I need to let myself experience NEW firsts. They will be different, but they can still be good. My dad has his best Packer Sunday ever. Why? Because, he is in Heaven. It didn't matter who won on the field. Jesus won the victory over death and the devil and my dad believed in that. What could be better than that?

Nothing.

So my prayer going forward is to keep focusing on the GOOD firsts. Keep LOOKING for them. Hold tightly and enjoy the blessings I have. I may no longer get to spend my Sundays texting my dad about a Packer game, but I have a God whose still sitting on the couch beside me.

SMILE it's your first day!

It's a NEW school year!!! Here is the required posting of my awesome kids on their first day of school:

Both of them were SO excited. New shoes, new classroom, and a new start. I remember growing up and all the anxiousness and excitement that came with beginning of a new school year. Who would be in my class? Who would I sit next to at lunch? How would my bus ride go? All those questions mixed together with new pencils, new shoes, and freshly cleaned squeaky floors provided quite the kaleidoscope for that first day.

The start of a new school year is unique, which is probably why as parents we want to CAPTURE the moment. I know, many kids roll their eyes as mom and dad make them pose in front of the house. But do you know what? Each year, us as parents realize that you are casting a little bit taller shadow over that door. You are also one step closer to posing for senior pictures and throwing your graduation cap. You aren't going to be little forever and starting a new school year reminds us of that!

My message for YOU as a student for today is EMBRACE it. Yeah, as parents, we can certainly be over the top. But you know why? It's because we love you. MORE than anything. Most of us spend the whole first morning of school thinking about you (and that's just the dads, the moms spend the WHOLE day). Then when we get home, all we want to do is find out about your day. SO help yourself out and remember AT LEAST 2-3 things that happened. It doesn't have to be the Pythagorean theory, just something that occurred from when the first bell rang until we get to see you again.

And for parents- my message is- enjoy every minute. I say this message only because I need to remind myself of this EVERY day. So many times as parents, we wait in anticipation for our kids to reach the next stage or next step. We can't wait until THEY: are out of diapers, they walk, they are going to school, they can drive themselves places. But let's do ourselves a favor and not rush them. Tonight, I'll do my best to enjoy my 3 year old spitting at dinner. I'll also be patient with my 6 year old who will be asking me to play football, NOW....now....and NOW! I'll do my best to enjoy it b/c I know someday they will have other people they would want to talk to more than me.

The start of school is a great time b/c it's an opportunity we take to pause. We take a picture, but it's more than that. It's a snapshot of our lives on THAT day. A day when we are trying to look our best and break in those new shoes.

So blessings and prayers to everyone on the start of a new school year. Whether you started two weeks ago, last week, or today- SMILE big for that picture and don't forget, your parents are only doing it because they love you SO much!