Fathers Day

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My dad passed away about 11 years ago. I got my love for the outdoors from my dad. He loved to hunt and fish and to generally explore the outdoors. He never hesitated to take me with him....I can remember sitting In the woods on opening day, when I wasn't quite old enough to hunt, with a 20 gauge slug tucked into each of my boots in case I saw a deer (I'm pretty sure he knew I wouldn't).

I inherited a couple of traits from my dad that have proven to be instrumental in my life:

1. My dad believed he could do anything he set his mind to...building, sports, figuring out, fixing things, etc. He would tell me " no one likes to help someone that won't at least try to do it themselves. You start doing and someone will always come along to help you.". This has been invaluable advice to me. I learned from my dad that I could start a business, or write a book, or preach... my dad did whatever he felt he should, and knew on the inside it would work out.

2. My dad had an amazing one-track mind. When He set his heart on something, he would figure out everything about it that he could. My dad took up golf when I was a kid and taught himself to be a near-scratch golfer. Our house was full of golf books and magazines, he set up nets to drive into in the garage or basement for the winter...shag bags in the closet, he regripped clubs, and he'd watch countless vhs (!) golf instruction videos. We went to several professional tournaments together where my dad would study the technique of the pros...when he locked on to something, he would not let go until he wrestled it to the ground...then, more than once, when he had fully figured it out, he would move on to something else.

I inherited this singular focus from my dad. I have trained it on a few things myself...mountain biking, windsurfing, fly fishing....but then ...almost by accident...I trained my gaze on Jesus.

What I discovered was that Jesus is the one pursuit I will never figure out, wrestle to the ground, or graduate from. I will never reach the end of Jesus, or be satisfied by how much I know. Jesus is the one pursuit that doesn't wear me out, drive me from my family ,or hurt me in the obsession....being obsessed with Jesus has only made my life better, my marriage better, and my mind more able to take care of all the other things that seem so much less important. I've got a "one thing" desire to know Jesus and the roots of that focus I inherited from my dad. For that I will be eternally grateful. My dad would be so proud of me, and I am really proud of him. Can't wait to see him again.

Happy Father's day!

Psalm 27:3Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
4One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
5For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
6And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

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