Pappa-isms

Why would I title this blog "Pappa-isms"?  You might have to be a member of our family to understand completely, but Pappa is my official name for Grand Pa.  You guessed it bloglodytes.  I'm going to muse for a bit about being Pappa.  Why you say?  I'll tell you later, but for now let's just look at what being "Pappa" is all about.

I find it very similar to being "Daddy" only with a greater sense of peace and accomplishment.  There's something about seeing my family grow that makes me feel good about my life.  You start with a marriage, have some kids, the kids get married, the kids start to have more kids.  What a great blessing this life can be. 

If you know me at all you probably know that I have a spiritual slant on just about everything, but I can't think of anything better to draw spiritual insight from than being Pappa.  You see, I'm convinced that being a Pappa gives me some insight into God's kingdom.  With 5 children, two heaven sent grand daughters and another one on the way I occasionally get a small glimpse of how God must feel being Father to us all.  I'm totally connected to each one.  Heart, mind, body and soul and it's no different for my grandchildren.  I see how much I love them and want to extend that love.  I see how easy it is for me to forgive every little error they make.  I see how much I want to bless them, help them, protect them, provide for them and do everything I can to ensure they realize the very desire of their hearts and I can sit back and say "Abba Pappa,this must be a small glimpse of how you feel about me."  And if I feel this way, how much more must God feel this way about His very creation.  What a treasure it is to be Pappa.  I can only pray that each one of my own children will experience the taste of heaven that I have seen in my life.

I know I know.  You're asking yourselves what could possibly cause me to muse of all things Pappa.  Simply this-

Our daughter Brittany and son in law Jamie are adding another branch to our family tree.  We found out last weekend during a skype session when they showed us a picture of what was supposed to be some great decor idea for their kitchen.  Turns out it was a picture of their pregnancy test results. "Positive".  Yea!!!

You know how people always say that pregnant women glow?  Personally I believe it is true.  What's more, I'll say why it is true.  In Ephesians 2:10, God's word says that we are His workmanship.  The word workmanship translates from the original greek to mean a masterpiece poem.  In other words, each one of us were created in the same way the earth was created.  God spoke us into existance.  We are the result of God speaking our lives into the wombs of our mothers and each one of us is a unique poem.  The Psalmist says in Psalms 139 that "Your (God's) eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them".  In other words, even when we were still baby badder, God was speaking His design over each one of us.  How miraculaous.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the light of the world.  Well doesn't it make sense that if the light of the world is personally speaking creation into the body of a woman that she would radiate?  In fact, I don't know how we could keep from seeing it.  It can't be contained.  You might say, "Well yea, I get that for any woman who believes in God, but what about the ones who don't.  How do you explain their radiance?  Simple, belief in God is no prerequisite to God's masterpiece poem being spoken into to you.  Believe in God or not, you can't help but radiate the light of the world.

To my daughter Brittany- I couldn't be happier about your pregnancy.  I pray you revel in the months ahead while the creator of all the universe and those in it is giving special attention to you, speaking His very "masterpiece" into you.  Draw near to Him and worship Him more than ever now, giving thanks for what He is doing inside you and glow baby glow so the world will see and know that He is God.

All my love, Pappa!

We, the Beloved!

I said in my first blog that I figured out I had a lot to say.  Well guess what?  Daddy got some talkin' ta do... so here goes.  Ephesians 1:6 says...

"To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us ACCEPTED in the beloved."

When Jesus came up out of the water He heard His father say "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased".  He leaves and immediately goes to the wilderness where satan says "If you are the son of god..."?  Notice that satan conveniently leaves out the word "beloved" when he throws his darts of temptation.  He won't remind us because when we truly know we are "beloved", whatever he throws at us can not succeed.  No temptation, no trial, or no weapon can succeed against us.  Not even the giant ones.  Consider David and Goliath.  That story is such a beautiful picture of Jesus and His grace.  Let me explain.  Names in the Bible are significant.  They mean something and can point to a message that God wants us to get.  In this case, the name David means "Beloved" or Grace.  On the opposite side we have Goliath.  His name means "disgracefully stripped and held captive".  The place where the two of them met was in the battle field at what was considered the "blood line".  Are you seeing the picture yet? 

Like Goliath, since the fall of man we have been stripped of the glory of God that was with us and we all have been held captive to the clutches of sin, legalism and trying to abide by laws.  Yet when we get born again in Jesus, the "beloved" we are set completely free from not only our captors but all the guilt and shame (disgrace) that comes with it.  It happens when we see the truth of the blood (blood line) of Christ.  It is THE truth that sets us free.  It takes a David to knock down a giant.  In other words, it takes someone who KNOWS that he is God's beloved to win the fights of life!

We are God's beloved not because of what we do.  Christ did it all.  He is God's Beloved.  But God put us in Christ.  That is why we are "accepted in the Beloved."  By the way, the word accepted here in the original greek form means "highly favored" so we are highly favored in the Beloved.  Wow!  And what God said to Jesus, He says to us today: "You are My beloved son.  In you, I am well pleased." When was the last time you saw yourself as well pleasing to God?  Here's the thing. We have the assurance that it is not based on what we have done, but what Christ has done.  We are still God's beloved no matter what we have done.

No one understood this more than the woman caught in adultery.  I used to wonder how she could "go and sin no more" after doing something she most certainly must have really enjoyed.  I fully understand this delima.  What power could possibly trump the pull of sexual sin?  Then I saw it.  The power of "nor do I condem you".  Jesus took away her judgement and sentence of death.  That is what the beloved did for us all.  He took our judgement and sentence for our sin and said I accept (highly favor) you and placed us in Himself.  Out of His enormous Grace, God highly favors us and covers us with His love.  His Beloved.

Wise Aker!

In one of my recent blogs I left you a brain teaser regarding the summation of life from the wisest person who ever lived.  I'm talking about King Solomon.  He said  "Everything under the sun is all vanity".  While it appears cynical and depressing, it is actully a road map to the hope of all hopes and true purposeful living.  Did you see the clue?

It was the term "under the sun" that is the dead giveaway.  His point is that everything that man diligently strives in pursuit of within the world system leaves you empty and desolate.  Fame, fortune, looks, prestige.  These are all fleeting.  Vanity is the only reason for such driven pursuit.  So how do we escape the fruitless ending of life pursuits?  Simple!  Set your sites on what's "above the sun", or above worldly pursuits.  Jesus said, "seek first the kingdom of God and it's righteousness and all the rest will be added".  Jesus is the King of the Kingdom and our righteousness comes from having faith in the work of what He accomplished on the cross.  So in other words, seek Jesus first and all the rest (health, relationships, prosperity, protection) will be added.  God wants us to have all the wonderful blessing of this life, but He just doesn't want all the blessings to have us, if you know what I mean.  Seeking Jesus first paves the way to the former while protecting us from the latter.  What's more, once you have entered into relationship with Jesus, who is our hope of all hopes, life will have ultimate purpose and fulfillment.  We get promoted from successful to significant.

Yes & Amen!

I'm Falling

Isn't fall the very best time of year?  The trees are beautiful, there's a nip in the air, there's the excitement of football, and yes the Chiefs won again today.  I have every reason to be happy.  Janet and I took mom on a drive today to look at the pretty countryside.  It was great.  She had such a good time.

Now you should know that I'm not writing about fall just to be newsy.  Truth be told, I have two sons and two lovely daughters in law that live in Austin, can you say hot, Texas.  As such, they have two basic seasons of the year down there.  Hotter 'n Hell and drabby.  Neither of which are what you would call beautiful. (spoken like a true Kansan)  One of my sweet daughters in law asked for photo's of the fall colors up here, so here's to you Brenna.

Isn't it gorgeous?