Honoring Father

I have spent a good portion of my life not very grateful for my father. Although, I do believe that I forgave him for all of disappointment that he caused me as a young woman. I remember him laying there in the hospital, hooked up to a breathing machine, asking for forgiveness for being a lousy father. At that time, I told him that I was working on it. I was working on it then and am still working on it.

These old photos that I have scanned over the last few months have allowed me to have my father's face a little more accessible then before. Looking at his smile brightens my day. I no longer hold stuff against him. Now, I am working on "honoring" him.

"A long and healthy existence requires that we be grateful to God for who we are, and we cannot be thankful for who we are without being thankful for our parents, through whom our life came. They are part of our identity, and to reject and be angry with them is to reject and be angry with ourselves. To reject ourselves leads to sickness, dissolution, and death, spiritual and physical. We cannot reject ourselves and love God." (Dallas Willard in the Divine Conspiracy)

I see a lot of self rejection in the lives of foster kids that we bring into our home. One moment with one of them, (only under the direction of God) I said to this one: "I know you are not getting along with your parents right now, but they must not be all bad, cause you turned out a pretty cool kid!"

Family connections are so important to our identity. I am thankful for my parents. I honor them and thank God for their giving me my existance. I am blessed!

Perhaps the ultimate goodness of God is shown to us during those moments when we feel most rejected by our families. More than a few times, I have thought about God being a Father to the fatherless. This great promise is there in Psalm 27, v. 10 (NRSV): "If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up." It is only because of God's goodness to me in this way that, in turn, makes it possible for me to be thankful for and honor my father.

**In the picture, my sister Becky in the center around age 4 and me on the right around age 2. My father enjoyed a half gallon of ice cream with Kellog's 19 and milk poured over the top of them every night before bed. BTW, he also weighed around 100 pounds at 6'3" when he died in 1995.**

Psalm 27 in the Message

Light, space, zest - that's God!
So, with him on my side I'm fearless,
afraid of no one and nothing.

When vandal hordes ride down
ready to eat me alive,
Those bullies and toughs
fall flat on their faces.

When besieged,
I'm calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
I'm collected and cool.

I'm asking God for one thing,
only one thing:
to live with Him in His house
my whole life long.
I'll contemplate His beauty;
I'll study at his feet.

That's the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
far from the buzz of traffic.

God holds me head and shoulders
above all who try to pull me down.
I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
that will raise the roof!
Already I'm singing God-songs;
I'm making music to God.

Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs:
"Be good to me! Answer me!"
When my heart whispered, "seek God,"
my whole being replied
"I'm seeking him! Don't hide from me now."

You've always been right there for me;
don't turn your back on me now.
Don't throw me out, don't abandon me;
you've always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me,
but God took me in.

Point me down your highway, God;
direct me along a well-lighted street;
show my enemies whose side you're on.
Don't throw me to the dogs,
those liars who are out to get me,
filling the air with their threats.

I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness
in the exuberant earth.
Stay with God!
Take heart. Don't quit.
I'll say it again:
Stay with God.