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I love coming home after work. After spending a day in the office, it’s nice to come home to a happy family. Parker is usually “hiding” behind the curtains. Kent is busy stuffing his face with food and Bethany’s on the phone with one of several possible family members.

That didn’t happen the other day.

As I walked in, Bethany gave me the “thank goodness your home because the boys are driving me crazy” look. Parker was pouting and Kent was engrossed in his dinner (I guess some things don’t change).

Parker’s pouting, however, soon turned to declaring his dislike for me. I don’t know what got in to him, but I was his least favorite person that day. The usual, “Daddy’s home!” had become, “I no like you!” and “I no lub you!”

I didn’t let it get to me.

Then we went outside and Parker ran over to the swing set (still proclaiming his feelings for me) and tried to get on the swing. Thirty seconds later he began saying, “Help me, somebody help me up!” Since Bethany had already gone inside I said to Parker. “I’d like to help you, but you told me you don’t love me and I don’t think you want me around you.”

Realizing there was no way out, Parker turned to me and a sudden glow began to shine around him. In the most angelic voice he could muster he informed me, “Daddy, I lub you widdle bit!” (that’s “I love you a little bit” for the non-three year old speakers out there).

How often do we tell God we don’t love Him with our actions, the things we say and thoughts we think, and then turn around and say “I lub you a wittle bit” when it’s convenient for us. The problem is that too many people expect God’s love for us to be unconditional (which it is) but then don’t return that love back to Him.

They offer love that is conditional. They love Him when it benefits them. They love Him by doing Him a favor and showing up for a church service. They love Him to the extent that it fits their agenda. They love Him and lean on His grace and mercy to justify their selfish actions.

Jesus said that the greatest love is when someone lays down their life for a friend. When will we love God by laying down our lives for our Lord and then not demand them back?

Do we love God a “widdle bit” or with everything?

Why did I just spend a ridiculous amount of time tonight tweaking my layout when it really didn’t make that much difference?

It’s late. I’m tired. Yet I feel compelled to write. Not so much because I have anything meaningful to say, but because I feel like I should at least say something. I guess the difficult/sad thing is that lately I don’t feel like I have anything to say at all.

So, in the absence of my words, here are the lyrics to a song we sang at camp last week. It’s by Hillsong United and I think it’s an amazingly prophetic and optimistic song for our generation.

Verse 1
I see the king of glory
Coming down the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Chorus
Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

Verse 2
I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a new revival
Staring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees

Bridge
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what is yours
Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

Hosanna

Bethany had a girls movie day today, so I had the responsibility of watching the boys. In keeping with tradition, the boys made a mess while I wasn’t paying attention and then I filmed/photographed the results.

Here’s a great picture of Parker jumping off of his bed into a pile of stuffed animals (click on “my pics” on the right to see more).

And here’s a video of me scaring Kent with a bouncing Tigger.

Then I went and saw the movie Transformers. Once you get past the fact that it is based on an amazing 80s cartoon with a ridiculous story, you’ve got one of the most thoroughly entertaining movies I’ve seen in a long time. Tons of action and plenty of humor. It won’t win any awards for story (though it’ll probably be in the running for the CGI–it’s very impresive), but it was a great 2+ hour ride that rarely let up.

I read this last week. Isaiah 10:15 says, Can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a whip strike unless a hand is moving it? Can a cane walk by itself?
I love this passage and the imagery here. It’s like those shots in the movies that zoom out until you seen the greater picture. Essentially God is zooming out the camera to give us a better perspective of how things work.

What’s greater? The ax or the person using it?
What’s greater? God’s plan or my personal agenda?
What’s greater? God’s ways or my selfish desires?
What’s greater? God’s Word or my thoughts and beliefs?

Ideally, perspective should inform our actions. So when I read this, I’m forced to realize that I’m not something that God has wound up and let loose on the earth. Instead, I’m an instrument in the hands of One who is greater than me. When I try to “swing myself” I get into a whole mess of problems.

I’d better just let the ax swinger do His job.