Day After Thanksgiving

Dear Children,

Boy did we ever have an adventure, today. Your mother was gone to your Uncle Micah's wedding, so I got you all up at 6:00 a.m. and took you with me to check out all the Day-After-Thanksgiving sales. Most of the time, people commented on how good you were, which made me proud, but Josiah definitely had his moments.

You all got throws, which will be yours on Christmas Day, including Tabitha who was in Tennessee at the time. Elijah and Alana both thought it was the greatest thing. I bought you the throws because you're always playing with your blankets, which means that I have to hunt them down when I'm ready to put you into bed.

When we got home, you couldn't wait to put the Christmas tree up and decorate it, which we did after getting a bite to eat. You all did very well, and I was again proud of you.

We took pictures of each stage. Elijah even took pictures of me, which turned out remarkably well for having been taken by a six-year-old.

After dinner, we drank hot chocolate and ate popcorn from a Christmas tin that we picked up earlier today. We had our devotion while we drank the hot chocolate, around the kitchen table. The popcorn made a nice treat, while we watched The Happy Elf on the computer.

By that time, you were all ready for bed--even if you didn't quite know it at the time.

Here are some pictures of our day. I hope they bring back good memories.

The early hours

Dear Children,

A month or two ago, I started a habit of getting up early and having some time alone to get things done and meditate on the Lord.

I want you to know that this has been one of the most rewarding decisions that I have ever made. I have been able to glean many wonderful things from the Lord, and I feel that it has helped me to clarify direction as well.

It have thoroughly enjoyed this time and am learning to make better and better use of it. Today, I went over some material on time management for pastors, which was a huge motivator for me, whereas I spent much of yesterday considering way that I can be a better father to you and a better husband to your mother.

I know that you will not read these posts for many years, but when my own father (your grandfather) died, he left little in the way of a spiritual legacy. I will be compiling these letters in the hope that, one day--even while I am yet living--you may refer back to them and be reminded that even while you were very young, I was building bridges to serve you in your walk with the Lord.

I love you all more than I can ever express.

I know that I have my moments--more of them than I want to have--when I am grumpy from being tired or busy. Sometimes, I'm just too absorbed and get irritated by the constant interruptions. Still, I realize that the interruptions are a part of fatherhood and that, if I will allow them, they can be a blessing rather than a source of irritation. That, in fact, is my prayer.

I want God to do something wonderful in our relationship, in the days, months and years to come. It is my heart's desire to spend every day of my life building the five of you up, spiritually, emotionally and in whatever way you need from me.

Our lives are too short to let a single day pass us by without making a positive difference in one another's lives.

I have been getting up between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., depending on how much sleep I feel that I require for that night. So far, it has worked out well. I'm don't think that everyone can get by on five hours of sleep per night, but I know that most people get far more sleep than they really need. I have learned to value the hours early in the morning, when all is quiet and peaceful. They are precious and productive hours that are soon gone and--for most people--entirely missed.

I got the idea of doing this blog after I covered a community assembly held by Darrel Scott, the father of Rachel Joy Scott, who died in the school shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. Although I don't know what Darrel's relationship is with the Lord, I could feel the depth of relationship that his daughter, Rachel, must have had.

She knew that God was going to use her words to have a positive influence on the world, and the team of Rachel's Challenge is now the largest school assembly program in the country, as well as an international outreach.

One of the things that Rachel wanted to see happen was for people to write letters to the ones they love on a regular basis, to let them know how much they love them. Rachel had kept every letter or note that her father had ever given her, and her father kept all of her letters as well. I wanted to have a way to keep all of the letters that I write to you so that no matter how young you are today or how old you find yourself, one day, you can always look back on what I have written to you and know how very much I love you and want you to have a deep, abiding relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope that these words will minister to you in the years ahead and that they will serve as a source of strength and inspiration, to aid you in your journey toward becoming all that God has purposed you to be.


May God smile upon you, this day, and teach you many wonderful things.

Thank you for the joy that you bring into my life--for the hugs when I leave for work and the embraces when I come home, followed by the excited retelling of all that you did while I was away. I may not say it, but the hugs and the things that you all share are incredibly special to me. It really warms my heart and makes my day immeasurably better than it would be without it.