Here at youshouldknowjasonparks.blogspot.com*, we strive to bring you a smorgasbord of interesting content to make you think, (hopefully) laugh, and shake your head in amazement/disgust. My expressed goal is to bring it with each and every post. Sometimes that means I write about my thoughts about God. Sometimes that means I keep you up to date on my Fantasy Football team. Sometimes that means I deliver some ideas about humanity in the world we live in. But today, for the first time ever, I'm going to talk to you about my absolute favoritest card game that I play on the computer- Free Cell.
If you haven't played Free Cell then please stop reading this blog right now, go over to the program menu, click on the game menu, highlight Free Cell, and get ready to have your mind blown. Free Cell is like solitaire if solitaire was King Leonidas played by Patrick Dempsey if Patrick Dempsey was Patrick Swayze. Yeah, it's like that.
The thing I love most about it is that it requires a good amount of strategy and planning. In solitaire, you're at the complete mercy of the deck. All you know is the cards on the top- most of the deck is a complete mystery. And the stock too is completely blind- so to me it's much more of a game of chance than it is strategy (although there are elements of both, to be sure). So when I win a game of solitaire I feel good- but I also feel like I was more like a mouse in a box, led by a series of pre-designed pellet droppings to an already determined outcome.
With Free Cell, it's all on me. Everything is laid out there. Win or lose, it's most likely due to some sort of human error I made instead of some random placement of cards. In fact (and when I say 'fact', you should know I'm taking my facts from Wikipedia), there is only one unwinnable Free Cell game out of 32,000 (from the original Windows), while the estimated number of unwinnable games in solitaire is between 8.5-18%. Basically if I lose in solitaire then it's 20% likely that I had no chance before the game even started. Meanwhile a Free Cell game will pretty much always rise and fall based on my abilities (which I should tell you are substantial).
And I like that. I like the feeling of being in complete control of my game destiny. That means that when I win, I win because I was smarter than a stack of computer generated playing cards. I was able to use my mental faculties and precognition to triumph over my inanimate enemy. If I lose, it's because I made a wrong choice or got ahead of myself- no mystical force leading me astray. No computer defense to accuse of cheating. The only person to throw the controller at is myself.
But hey, the point of this blog post wasn't really to trumpet the superiority of Free Cell over solitaire (ATTENTION- FREE CELL IS SUPERIOR TO SOLITAIRE). My point is to let you know that I am challenging myself to my own Free Cell football league. Yes, my efforts to incorporate football into every facet of my life knows no bounds.
Let me explain what I'm doing. I'm going through a series of 16 game 'seasons', if you will. At the end of each 'season', I advance to the playoffs depending on how many victories I achieve. 9-11 wins gets me in the Wildcard round, and 12-16 gives me a first round bye. If I make it to the playoffs, then I follow the NFL playoff format until I win the 'Super Bowl' or lose (whichever comes first). My first 'season' I went 12-4 but lost in the equivalent of the conference championship game (note: the only way that I could make this possibly cooler is if I somehow managed to clone myself into any multiple of four and set up equal divisions that I could compare records against and actually set up a literal playoff tree against myself. Science, get on this please). I was devastated to be sure- so I went out and made some impressive moves in free agency and drafted shrewdly to fill some needs. I'll let you figure out what that means.
Last 'season', which I finished tonight, I went 11-5. Not my most impressive finish, but considering I started 1-4, it was quite a feat- especially since I won the Super Bowl! That's right, I managed to overcome a 1-4 start to finish with a playoff berth and like the Green Bay Packers of last year, I won four straight games to reach the pinnacle of my trade. Move over, Freddie Mercury- I am the champion, my friend.
Rest assured faithful reader, I'm not going to be bringing you frequent updates of my Free Cell successes and failings. This will probably be the only time you have to read about these shenanigans. But I did think that the world needed to know that I take my Free Cell as seriously as I do my Fantasy Football. Which is to say that I take it way too seriously.
*I suppose that hyperlinking to a website that you're already at is a little superfluous. It's like giving you a map to a door, and the door is in the middle of the room that you're already in. But that's okay because it's just nice to know that there's no place like home.
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Bowl Weekend...which is much more like Super Bowl Two Weeks
I blogged about the Wild-card round. I wrote about the Divisional round. You read my thoughts right here about the Conference Championships. Shoot, I even spent time on the Pro Bowl. So what makes you think I wouldn't spend time on the biggest game for futbol americano?
Let's get it started in here.
-Green Bay vs. Pittsburgh
So I decided to watch a little bit of the pre-game show this year. Not the whole thing- after all, doesn't it start at like 6 in the morning? I did watch a couple hours of it at the in-laws house though, while munching delicious turkey.
And I had an epiphany. Maybe it was the MSG in the turkey, or maybe the fact that I actually sat down to watch a Super Bowl pre-game show, but I realized as I was sitting there watching it that it is probably the biggest waste of time in TV history (or so I thought...until I saw the half-time show). The red carpet "show"? LAME. Seriously, why do I want to watch a bunch of famous people coming into the game and then listen to them blabber about football? The only reason you are there is because you're rich and famous. Woopdy doo. And their "insight" was no more "insightful" than much of what I say right here- and in some cases, it was less so.
I also have mixed feelings about the whole Danica Patrick godaddy.com line of ads. Obviously she's a very attractive woman, and she needs to make money too. It just seems like such a shame that someone who, in my eyes, has done a lot to show that women can be successful, high-profile athletes in male-dominated sports (yes, for this argument I am considering race-car driving a "sport") would cater to the lowest common denominator by appearing in sexually provocative (although non-explicit) commercials. But that's just me. I'm sure millions of dudes out there would disagree- even if they are being led to a watering hole with no water in it.
Unfortunately for me, I missed the absolute best moment of the Super Bowl- the National Anthem-because we didn't get snacks and such until right before the game (BTWs- don't go to Wal-Mart right before the Super Bowl- they only have like two check-out lanes open and they are all out of the really good stuff).
Now understand that I'm not violently opposed to Christina Aguilera getting the gig to sing the Anthem. I just don't get into that type of singing as much. I enjoy a good, traditional Anthem, and the occasional acoustic rendition. I pretty much detest the pop-star diva amped up version. But that doesn't mean that I don't think that people who sing like that shouldn't get a shot at it. She's had a good career, she can sing well, she's American- sure, why not? Well, now we know why not. Because she obviously doesn't know the song.
If there is one part of the Super Bowl that should go off without a hitch, it's the National Anthem. The football game itself is prone to the mistakes that normally would occur during a football game. The half-time show is a mistake anyways. But the National Anthem? It's you and a microphone and a song that you've probably sung hundreds (if not thousands) of times. So how do you mess that up? Especially during these very politically charged times that we live in- Christina, you have to nail the Anthem! America is counting on you! The Stock Market is counting on you! The military is counting on you! Don't you dare let us down! (BTWs, it was awesome that the cameras went immediately to a group of troops that looked like they were going to do a Code Red to Aguilera as soon as she got off stage)
Going into, and for much of, the game- I really didn't have a rooting preference. I'm not much of a Packer fan or a Steeler fan, but I do appreciate the legacies that both franchises have created over their respective histories. Living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I know many Packer fans. MANY Packer fans. In fact, here's an interesting theory I came up with- I believe that all Michiganders (except the transplanted cheeseheads) are band-wagon Packer fans, and this phenomenon exists on a scale. The closer you are to Wisconsin, the less of a bandwagon fan you are. I'm just saying.
So my rooting interest was very much influenced by my situation at work tomorrow. A couple of the parents of the kids I am in charge of are very big Packer fans. I definitely did not want to go to work after a Packer loss- because that would have just killed the air of positive small talk that I have worked so hard to cultivate. But also, I would be expected to be empathetic to the plight of their beloved Pack- and as a Lions fan, I just don't have enough pain and suffering to give to anyone else's team. Plus, I think that Packer fans could use a dose of humility- and who better to give it to them than a team with a sex addict at quarterback? (Note: I have no idea what the connection is there)
I hate to be a hater- and admittedly, I wasn't 100% sold on Black-eyed Peas as a half-time performer- but oh my goodness. That was the worst half-time show I've ever seen. It's even worse than those MTV "all-star" half-time shows they used to do before the nipple slip. I mean, there was lots of cool lights (probably too many, which is why they put some of them on the costumes)- and a neat stage- and all sorts of dancers- and even a guest appearance by Usher (dude can dance). But what the heck was going on? I mean, there are four members of the Peas, correct? But only like two of them were actually doing any significant singing. What do the other guys do?
The truth is, the NFL is in a long-term rut for half-time shows. I can't even remember the last time there was a decent half-time show. I understand that they want to make the Super Bowl an event the whole family can enjoy, but all that the Black-Eyed Peas did was put on a show that had entire families saying "What the heck is this crap?". You know what I think they should do? They should make half-time like the half-time of a normal game. You know- where the talking heads sit around and talk about the actual game- the game we're all watching. It couldn't be any worse than seeing lots of shiny lights, pyrotechnics, and crappy music.
They could cut the pre-game show down by about five or six hours- the only thing that the pre-game show brings to the table that hasn't been beaten to death over the previous two weeks is the red carpet and live music- and I'm sorry, if I wanted to see the red carpet and live music I'd watch the Grammy's. Just think about it, NFL.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, I decided to root for the Packers (sorry Josh). I did this for a couple reasons:
1) Our friend Zach came over to watch the game. He is from Wisconsin, and so by birth he is a Packers fan.
2) My dread of having to pretend to care that the Packers lost joined forces with my desire to have something to small talk about at work tomorrow.
3) The Packers were winning. Like most Packer fans from Michigan, I figured that now was as good a time as any to jump on the bandwagon.
Man, the economy must really be bad. Pretty much the only commercials were car ones and movie trailers. Even the beer companies came up lame. Speaking of lame- again, most of the commercials were duds, although there were some very clever ones. I had never heard of Car Max before, and probably never will again- but they definitely had my attention for about a minute of Super Bowl Sunday. Good work, Car Max.
I'm sorry Fox- I've never seen Glee, but I can tell you it's not a comedy. And how do I know it's not a comedy? Because I've never seen it. Do you know how to spot circular logic? It's easy- the logic is circular.
Oooh, new show on Fox. Terra Nova. Looks like Avatar, but in the past (I originally thought that they were doing a sort of Star Wars prequel to Avatar). Even has the same military dude in it. PASS.
I had a feeling that tonight was going to be a good, good night. What a great game- coming right down to the wire, and when Green Bay failed to score a touchdown on that drive- well, I got a little nervous. I mean, Big Ben has been here before, and ripped human hearts right out of their cages, right on this stage- and it was like they scripted it. Fortunately the Pack's D was able to overcome Chuck Woodson's injury (which, again, felt scripted) and stop the Steelers to "bring the Lombardi trophy home".
Greg Jennings was the first Packer on the scene to be congratulated by Pam Oliver. "To God be the glory" is the first thing he said. I knew it! I knew it! I totally knew that God intervened in this game. His fingerprints are all over it. If I were the Steelers, I'd as Commissioner Goodell to look into this. I know these are serious ramifications- but if we thought the Patriots were cheating when they engaged in Spy-gate, imagine how the world would feel if they found out that the Packers had elicited help from the Divine? Would we have to go back through all the Super Bowls? How many championships has the Lord directly affected? What should we call this- Heavens Gate? Greg- I'm just playing. To God be the glory indeed- but don't forget to thank Big Ben, who basically handed you guys 14 points.
Anyways- from beginning to end, Fantasy Football to Madden NFL Superstars (best game on Facebook, if you're my friend you should totally play it) to these playoff blog posts, it's been a great and fun season. I hope that there is season next year for me to dip my shenanigans into- and if not, I'll figure out some way to brag about my exploits in virtual football. Until next time- I love you. And I love me. Hence, the title of my blog.
Let's get it started in here.
-Green Bay vs. Pittsburgh
So I decided to watch a little bit of the pre-game show this year. Not the whole thing- after all, doesn't it start at like 6 in the morning? I did watch a couple hours of it at the in-laws house though, while munching delicious turkey.
And I had an epiphany. Maybe it was the MSG in the turkey, or maybe the fact that I actually sat down to watch a Super Bowl pre-game show, but I realized as I was sitting there watching it that it is probably the biggest waste of time in TV history (or so I thought...until I saw the half-time show). The red carpet "show"? LAME. Seriously, why do I want to watch a bunch of famous people coming into the game and then listen to them blabber about football? The only reason you are there is because you're rich and famous. Woopdy doo. And their "insight" was no more "insightful" than much of what I say right here- and in some cases, it was less so.
I also have mixed feelings about the whole Danica Patrick godaddy.com line of ads. Obviously she's a very attractive woman, and she needs to make money too. It just seems like such a shame that someone who, in my eyes, has done a lot to show that women can be successful, high-profile athletes in male-dominated sports (yes, for this argument I am considering race-car driving a "sport") would cater to the lowest common denominator by appearing in sexually provocative (although non-explicit) commercials. But that's just me. I'm sure millions of dudes out there would disagree- even if they are being led to a watering hole with no water in it.
Unfortunately for me, I missed the absolute best moment of the Super Bowl- the National Anthem-because we didn't get snacks and such until right before the game (BTWs- don't go to Wal-Mart right before the Super Bowl- they only have like two check-out lanes open and they are all out of the really good stuff).
Now understand that I'm not violently opposed to Christina Aguilera getting the gig to sing the Anthem. I just don't get into that type of singing as much. I enjoy a good, traditional Anthem, and the occasional acoustic rendition. I pretty much detest the pop-star diva amped up version. But that doesn't mean that I don't think that people who sing like that shouldn't get a shot at it. She's had a good career, she can sing well, she's American- sure, why not? Well, now we know why not. Because she obviously doesn't know the song.
If there is one part of the Super Bowl that should go off without a hitch, it's the National Anthem. The football game itself is prone to the mistakes that normally would occur during a football game. The half-time show is a mistake anyways. But the National Anthem? It's you and a microphone and a song that you've probably sung hundreds (if not thousands) of times. So how do you mess that up? Especially during these very politically charged times that we live in- Christina, you have to nail the Anthem! America is counting on you! The Stock Market is counting on you! The military is counting on you! Don't you dare let us down! (BTWs, it was awesome that the cameras went immediately to a group of troops that looked like they were going to do a Code Red to Aguilera as soon as she got off stage)
Going into, and for much of, the game- I really didn't have a rooting preference. I'm not much of a Packer fan or a Steeler fan, but I do appreciate the legacies that both franchises have created over their respective histories. Living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I know many Packer fans. MANY Packer fans. In fact, here's an interesting theory I came up with- I believe that all Michiganders (except the transplanted cheeseheads) are band-wagon Packer fans, and this phenomenon exists on a scale. The closer you are to Wisconsin, the less of a bandwagon fan you are. I'm just saying.
So my rooting interest was very much influenced by my situation at work tomorrow. A couple of the parents of the kids I am in charge of are very big Packer fans. I definitely did not want to go to work after a Packer loss- because that would have just killed the air of positive small talk that I have worked so hard to cultivate. But also, I would be expected to be empathetic to the plight of their beloved Pack- and as a Lions fan, I just don't have enough pain and suffering to give to anyone else's team. Plus, I think that Packer fans could use a dose of humility- and who better to give it to them than a team with a sex addict at quarterback? (Note: I have no idea what the connection is there)
I hate to be a hater- and admittedly, I wasn't 100% sold on Black-eyed Peas as a half-time performer- but oh my goodness. That was the worst half-time show I've ever seen. It's even worse than those MTV "all-star" half-time shows they used to do before the nipple slip. I mean, there was lots of cool lights (probably too many, which is why they put some of them on the costumes)- and a neat stage- and all sorts of dancers- and even a guest appearance by Usher (dude can dance). But what the heck was going on? I mean, there are four members of the Peas, correct? But only like two of them were actually doing any significant singing. What do the other guys do?
The truth is, the NFL is in a long-term rut for half-time shows. I can't even remember the last time there was a decent half-time show. I understand that they want to make the Super Bowl an event the whole family can enjoy, but all that the Black-Eyed Peas did was put on a show that had entire families saying "What the heck is this crap?". You know what I think they should do? They should make half-time like the half-time of a normal game. You know- where the talking heads sit around and talk about the actual game- the game we're all watching. It couldn't be any worse than seeing lots of shiny lights, pyrotechnics, and crappy music.
They could cut the pre-game show down by about five or six hours- the only thing that the pre-game show brings to the table that hasn't been beaten to death over the previous two weeks is the red carpet and live music- and I'm sorry, if I wanted to see the red carpet and live music I'd watch the Grammy's. Just think about it, NFL.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, I decided to root for the Packers (sorry Josh). I did this for a couple reasons:
1) Our friend Zach came over to watch the game. He is from Wisconsin, and so by birth he is a Packers fan.
2) My dread of having to pretend to care that the Packers lost joined forces with my desire to have something to small talk about at work tomorrow.
3) The Packers were winning. Like most Packer fans from Michigan, I figured that now was as good a time as any to jump on the bandwagon.
Man, the economy must really be bad. Pretty much the only commercials were car ones and movie trailers. Even the beer companies came up lame. Speaking of lame- again, most of the commercials were duds, although there were some very clever ones. I had never heard of Car Max before, and probably never will again- but they definitely had my attention for about a minute of Super Bowl Sunday. Good work, Car Max.
I'm sorry Fox- I've never seen Glee, but I can tell you it's not a comedy. And how do I know it's not a comedy? Because I've never seen it. Do you know how to spot circular logic? It's easy- the logic is circular.
Oooh, new show on Fox. Terra Nova. Looks like Avatar, but in the past (I originally thought that they were doing a sort of Star Wars prequel to Avatar). Even has the same military dude in it. PASS.
I had a feeling that tonight was going to be a good, good night. What a great game- coming right down to the wire, and when Green Bay failed to score a touchdown on that drive- well, I got a little nervous. I mean, Big Ben has been here before, and ripped human hearts right out of their cages, right on this stage- and it was like they scripted it. Fortunately the Pack's D was able to overcome Chuck Woodson's injury (which, again, felt scripted) and stop the Steelers to "bring the Lombardi trophy home".
Greg Jennings was the first Packer on the scene to be congratulated by Pam Oliver. "To God be the glory" is the first thing he said. I knew it! I knew it! I totally knew that God intervened in this game. His fingerprints are all over it. If I were the Steelers, I'd as Commissioner Goodell to look into this. I know these are serious ramifications- but if we thought the Patriots were cheating when they engaged in Spy-gate, imagine how the world would feel if they found out that the Packers had elicited help from the Divine? Would we have to go back through all the Super Bowls? How many championships has the Lord directly affected? What should we call this- Heavens Gate? Greg- I'm just playing. To God be the glory indeed- but don't forget to thank Big Ben, who basically handed you guys 14 points.
Anyways- from beginning to end, Fantasy Football to Madden NFL Superstars (best game on Facebook, if you're my friend you should totally play it) to these playoff blog posts, it's been a great and fun season. I hope that there is season next year for me to dip my shenanigans into- and if not, I'll figure out some way to brag about my exploits in virtual football. Until next time- I love you. And I love me. Hence, the title of my blog.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Daddy God
Alright, I've been chewing on this idea for a while, and it's time to swallow or regurgitate. I'm not sure whether blogging about it would be considered swallowing or regurgitating...I think it's regurgitating, but that's just gross. But swallowing is bereft of hope as a source of information...once it goes through the digestive tract, there isn't much left except the waste material, which we all know as crap. So with that shining visual image, let me get to the point!
I've been trying to be a follower of Christ for about 10 years. During those 10 years, I can't even begin to compute how many times I've heard about God being our 'Heavenly Father'. And it sounded good...but it really never 'clicked'. Like who uses the word 'Father' any more? Beaver? I mean, seriously, what does that actually mean? I also heard a couple times, the expression abba, which apparantly is Greek for 'daddy daddy', or something like that. That one never really took either. Sure it sounded novel. And I can see Beaver Cleaver using that one too...as a BABY!
I mean, look at this kid...does he really have a clue about what's going on?
What is my point even? I guess I'm trying to say that relating to God as my father/daddy wasn't really connecting on any level. Probably because I really didn't understand how to connect in a fatherly manner.
Now, I love my Earth dad for sure. But I can't say that we had an amazingly close relationship when I was growing up- he was gone a lot on weekends, playing music in bars, and I was a pretty introverted kid, hiding myself away in books and sports cards. God has really brought us much closer together over the past couple years, which I praise Him for, but before that there was more of a business/casual relationship between him and myself. And whether you had a really good dad-relationship or he was a raging abusive alcoholic, I would imagine that most people in our country are probably in the same boat- we don't live in a culture that teaches fathers how to be fathers, which means that most of us haven't really 'connected' with our dads.
So when we hear of God as our 'Father' or even our 'Daddy', it doesn't really mean much. It's a statement of fact, but in terms of registering on the radar of our hearts...well, it stops short. They are just words that are devoid of emotional meaning. Like instruction manuals (at least, so I've heard. I've never actually opened an instruction manual, for fear of losing my manhood).
My beautiful family
And then I had my own kids. BLAM! Talk about getting instant wisdom! Well, not instant...actually, it has been a daily journey over the past two and a half years. But becoming a father myself has really helped me to understand what we're talking about when we throw things around like 'Abba Father' and 'Love of the Father' and 'Our Heavenly Father'- I can relate to that now. I can see and feel how God loves me as a son because I have a son. Bingo! I get it now!
Obviously I'm not saying that one needs to have their own children to acquire this understanding for themselves. Because really, there are people that just shouldn't be reproducing. I'd assume that some probably think that about me. Well, guess what- it's too late! I have procreated! My plan for world domination is now in stage 2! Seriously though, my hope is to parlay what I've learned to others.... for free even! You get to read about how awesome kids are in terms of understanding Divine Fatherness, but without the messy diapers and sleepless nights and coughing-that-leads-to-puking episodes...and best of all, to make sure that not a single point is missed, I will be presenting my case in Vintage Victorian era 3-pt. Sermon Format!
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba Father"- Romans 8:14-15
Now let me make this very clear- I am not going to be approaching this daddy idea from the adolescent childview. Adolescents would be like, 'Hey Dad, you own all the cattle on a thousand hills, can I borrow the car and $20?'. And God would be like 'Clean your room, which in this case is your heart', and the adolescent would throw a tantrum and get grounded. Who wants to hear about that? Besides, a) I have no experience with adolescent children- well, that's not entirely true, Sara and I ran a group home for over a year...but those exeriences are best labeled as 'dysfunctional', and b) I myself am in fact grounded, so my response would be tainted with teenage 'wisdom' (read:bitterness) about the situation.
Besides, compared to a God of infinite wisdom and power, I'm not so sure that we even really get to adolescence...I think that we are always meant to be wide-eyed children, full of anticipation and wonder, with faith in the impossible and hearts that desire only to make our parents proud. And that is what God has shown me through my own children.
First off (this is point #1 for those of you who are not familiar with Vintage Victorian 3 pt. format), God is proud of our accomplishments. I've played drums for about 9 years, often in a church setting, and I've often struggled with what to say/feel when people told me I did a good job. I mean, it feels good to have people tell me that I did a good job, or that I sounded good...but then I'm thinking, 'well, I'm doing this for God, I shouldn't be accepting compliments, should I?', and then I feel like crap. Then we had Delaney and Shane...and let me just tell you that kids are black holes of discovery. It's like something new, every day, and they just want to tell you about it- they're so proud of themselves. And you know what? They get even more joy from sharing those experiences with us. I remember the first few times that Delaney went pee on the potty...she'd look up at me, this big smile on her face, beaming...she was so proud of herself, but even more so she just wanted to share that with me, as her daddy. And I beamed right back, because I was proud of her too, proud of what she was accomplishing. Her joy brings me joy. So now, when people tell me how good I sounded or whatever, I don't cringe, I don't feel shame or confusion. I say 'Thanks', and then I go to my Daddy in pride of my baby steps, and He beams with me. God created us, and He delights in us and what we do for Him.
2) (this is the second point)- God's heart hurts when we aren't affectionate with Him. Delaney has never been super affectionate (although she is definitely growing more in that direction, she still doesn't often spontaneously show affection). Now I love my daughter, and I know she loves me, even without the kisses. But it does make me sad when she spurns my requests for a kiss or a hug. It hurts me, you know? Because I just want to be as close to her as I can at all times, because I love her so much. And I think that God feels the same way about us. I mean, we can love God without being 'affectionate'...and it could still be a great relationship...but it isn't the same. There isn't that magic. Our relationship with the Lord will never be all it can be if we don't sponaneously give Him our kisses and affection.
Obviously, we can't 'kiss' God. I can't even tell you what I mean necessarily. I think it's different for each person, how we're affectionate with God. Just pray about it...I'll bet that Daddy God has something in mind, because He delights in us and wants to be affectionate with us.
Finally, (yes, this is the third point. If you haven't figured it out by now, then I just can't help you) God doesn't delight in our suffering. Let me show you via real-life example (a classic method used often in 3 pt. AND 4 pt. sermon formats, but not as often delved into in the 2 pt. Or Less format). Delaney has settled into a bed time routine now. Sara takes her down, reads a book or two, sings a song or two, then she comes to the bottom of the stairs and calls up to me 'she's ready for you' (she heard Sara say that once and she's said it ever since...it makes my heart smile every time). I go down and sing her a couple songs, and then I tell her good night, and she reciprocates, and we keep saying good night to each other until I'm out of the door. Between 7:30 and 8:00 each night, the Parks household rests in peace.
But it wasn't always this way. I have vivid memories of Delaney screaming for 'one more song', standing at the door, crying 'Daddy where are you?', trying to pull the door open, kicking the door, yelling...and I wanted nothing more than to go in there and wrap my arms around her and tell her it was going to be okay. I wanted to sing that one more song, to let her know that I was there and that I always would be. But I knew that wasn't what she needed. I knew that giving in during those moments would set precedent that would become daily more difficult and that I would become resentful as she increasingly ate into our evenings, wearing us out and bringing stressful nights to our home.
Now I'm not saying that God will become stressed out if we don't suffer. I am saying that God allows us to go through painful experiences for our own good. If we hadn't made those short term sacrifices, then Delaney would not have such a smooth bedtime routine now. If God didn't allow us to go through tough times, then we wouldn't become people of character, we wouldn't be able to stand before Him in His Holiness. And through every disaster we go through, I'm willing to bet all that I have that God is watching us, wanting more than anything to come to our rescue, knowing that He needs to let us go through it but wanting to be our comforter.
To me, the whole argument of 'how could a loving God allow so much suffering and evil in the world?' doesn't hold up. You want to call me sick for believing in a God that allows suffering, but yet what is the alternative? That random chance, or else natural selection, determines the course of suffering? That we live in a world governed by the survival of the strong? Where is the hope in that? Answer- there is no hope. There is no repreive. All then is pointless. Because humanity becomes merely then an animal, doomed to struggle to survive for our meager lives until we die.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.- Matthew 6:24-29
I don't understand God all the time, and there are definitely questions I have about the Bible...but I know that God is there, is real, and loves me, and will work all things together for my good. Even when the world rages and thrashes in its death throes, I hold onto a stable, steady force that is beyond my control or understanding, yet reaches for me to bring me to safety. This is what fatherhood has taught me about Daddy God. It has completely rocked my world, and allowed me to view the eternal God in a comletely different way. He is not unapproachable...He wants us to come to Him, jump in to His arms, and snuggle with Him. He doesn't promise us ease...but we have safety in the arms of our Daddy.
Beaver Cleaver- http://www.michaelssword.blogspot.com/
Tombstone- http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rjo0665l.jpg
I've been trying to be a follower of Christ for about 10 years. During those 10 years, I can't even begin to compute how many times I've heard about God being our 'Heavenly Father'. And it sounded good...but it really never 'clicked'. Like who uses the word 'Father' any more? Beaver? I mean, seriously, what does that actually mean? I also heard a couple times, the expression abba, which apparantly is Greek for 'daddy daddy', or something like that. That one never really took either. Sure it sounded novel. And I can see Beaver Cleaver using that one too...as a BABY!
I mean, look at this kid...does he really have a clue about what's going on?
What is my point even? I guess I'm trying to say that relating to God as my father/daddy wasn't really connecting on any level. Probably because I really didn't understand how to connect in a fatherly manner.
Now, I love my Earth dad for sure. But I can't say that we had an amazingly close relationship when I was growing up- he was gone a lot on weekends, playing music in bars, and I was a pretty introverted kid, hiding myself away in books and sports cards. God has really brought us much closer together over the past couple years, which I praise Him for, but before that there was more of a business/casual relationship between him and myself. And whether you had a really good dad-relationship or he was a raging abusive alcoholic, I would imagine that most people in our country are probably in the same boat- we don't live in a culture that teaches fathers how to be fathers, which means that most of us haven't really 'connected' with our dads.
So when we hear of God as our 'Father' or even our 'Daddy', it doesn't really mean much. It's a statement of fact, but in terms of registering on the radar of our hearts...well, it stops short. They are just words that are devoid of emotional meaning. Like instruction manuals (at least, so I've heard. I've never actually opened an instruction manual, for fear of losing my manhood).
My beautiful family
And then I had my own kids. BLAM! Talk about getting instant wisdom! Well, not instant...actually, it has been a daily journey over the past two and a half years. But becoming a father myself has really helped me to understand what we're talking about when we throw things around like 'Abba Father' and 'Love of the Father' and 'Our Heavenly Father'- I can relate to that now. I can see and feel how God loves me as a son because I have a son. Bingo! I get it now!
Obviously I'm not saying that one needs to have their own children to acquire this understanding for themselves. Because really, there are people that just shouldn't be reproducing. I'd assume that some probably think that about me. Well, guess what- it's too late! I have procreated! My plan for world domination is now in stage 2! Seriously though, my hope is to parlay what I've learned to others.... for free even! You get to read about how awesome kids are in terms of understanding Divine Fatherness, but without the messy diapers and sleepless nights and coughing-that-leads-to-puking episodes...and best of all, to make sure that not a single point is missed, I will be presenting my case in Vintage Victorian era 3-pt. Sermon Format!
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba Father"- Romans 8:14-15
Now let me make this very clear- I am not going to be approaching this daddy idea from the adolescent childview. Adolescents would be like, 'Hey Dad, you own all the cattle on a thousand hills, can I borrow the car and $20?'. And God would be like 'Clean your room, which in this case is your heart', and the adolescent would throw a tantrum and get grounded. Who wants to hear about that? Besides, a) I have no experience with adolescent children- well, that's not entirely true, Sara and I ran a group home for over a year...but those exeriences are best labeled as 'dysfunctional', and b) I myself am in fact grounded, so my response would be tainted with teenage 'wisdom' (read:bitterness) about the situation.
Besides, compared to a God of infinite wisdom and power, I'm not so sure that we even really get to adolescence...I think that we are always meant to be wide-eyed children, full of anticipation and wonder, with faith in the impossible and hearts that desire only to make our parents proud. And that is what God has shown me through my own children.
First off (this is point #1 for those of you who are not familiar with Vintage Victorian 3 pt. format), God is proud of our accomplishments. I've played drums for about 9 years, often in a church setting, and I've often struggled with what to say/feel when people told me I did a good job. I mean, it feels good to have people tell me that I did a good job, or that I sounded good...but then I'm thinking, 'well, I'm doing this for God, I shouldn't be accepting compliments, should I?', and then I feel like crap. Then we had Delaney and Shane...and let me just tell you that kids are black holes of discovery. It's like something new, every day, and they just want to tell you about it- they're so proud of themselves. And you know what? They get even more joy from sharing those experiences with us. I remember the first few times that Delaney went pee on the potty...she'd look up at me, this big smile on her face, beaming...she was so proud of herself, but even more so she just wanted to share that with me, as her daddy. And I beamed right back, because I was proud of her too, proud of what she was accomplishing. Her joy brings me joy. So now, when people tell me how good I sounded or whatever, I don't cringe, I don't feel shame or confusion. I say 'Thanks', and then I go to my Daddy in pride of my baby steps, and He beams with me. God created us, and He delights in us and what we do for Him.
2) (this is the second point)- God's heart hurts when we aren't affectionate with Him. Delaney has never been super affectionate (although she is definitely growing more in that direction, she still doesn't often spontaneously show affection). Now I love my daughter, and I know she loves me, even without the kisses. But it does make me sad when she spurns my requests for a kiss or a hug. It hurts me, you know? Because I just want to be as close to her as I can at all times, because I love her so much. And I think that God feels the same way about us. I mean, we can love God without being 'affectionate'...and it could still be a great relationship...but it isn't the same. There isn't that magic. Our relationship with the Lord will never be all it can be if we don't sponaneously give Him our kisses and affection.
Obviously, we can't 'kiss' God. I can't even tell you what I mean necessarily. I think it's different for each person, how we're affectionate with God. Just pray about it...I'll bet that Daddy God has something in mind, because He delights in us and wants to be affectionate with us.
Finally, (yes, this is the third point. If you haven't figured it out by now, then I just can't help you) God doesn't delight in our suffering. Let me show you via real-life example (a classic method used often in 3 pt. AND 4 pt. sermon formats, but not as often delved into in the 2 pt. Or Less format). Delaney has settled into a bed time routine now. Sara takes her down, reads a book or two, sings a song or two, then she comes to the bottom of the stairs and calls up to me 'she's ready for you' (she heard Sara say that once and she's said it ever since...it makes my heart smile every time). I go down and sing her a couple songs, and then I tell her good night, and she reciprocates, and we keep saying good night to each other until I'm out of the door. Between 7:30 and 8:00 each night, the Parks household rests in peace.
But it wasn't always this way. I have vivid memories of Delaney screaming for 'one more song', standing at the door, crying 'Daddy where are you?', trying to pull the door open, kicking the door, yelling...and I wanted nothing more than to go in there and wrap my arms around her and tell her it was going to be okay. I wanted to sing that one more song, to let her know that I was there and that I always would be. But I knew that wasn't what she needed. I knew that giving in during those moments would set precedent that would become daily more difficult and that I would become resentful as she increasingly ate into our evenings, wearing us out and bringing stressful nights to our home.
Now I'm not saying that God will become stressed out if we don't suffer. I am saying that God allows us to go through painful experiences for our own good. If we hadn't made those short term sacrifices, then Delaney would not have such a smooth bedtime routine now. If God didn't allow us to go through tough times, then we wouldn't become people of character, we wouldn't be able to stand before Him in His Holiness. And through every disaster we go through, I'm willing to bet all that I have that God is watching us, wanting more than anything to come to our rescue, knowing that He needs to let us go through it but wanting to be our comforter.
To me, the whole argument of 'how could a loving God allow so much suffering and evil in the world?' doesn't hold up. You want to call me sick for believing in a God that allows suffering, but yet what is the alternative? That random chance, or else natural selection, determines the course of suffering? That we live in a world governed by the survival of the strong? Where is the hope in that? Answer- there is no hope. There is no repreive. All then is pointless. Because humanity becomes merely then an animal, doomed to struggle to survive for our meager lives until we die.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.- Matthew 6:24-29
I don't understand God all the time, and there are definitely questions I have about the Bible...but I know that God is there, is real, and loves me, and will work all things together for my good. Even when the world rages and thrashes in its death throes, I hold onto a stable, steady force that is beyond my control or understanding, yet reaches for me to bring me to safety. This is what fatherhood has taught me about Daddy God. It has completely rocked my world, and allowed me to view the eternal God in a comletely different way. He is not unapproachable...He wants us to come to Him, jump in to His arms, and snuggle with Him. He doesn't promise us ease...but we have safety in the arms of our Daddy.
Beaver Cleaver- http://www.michaelssword.blogspot.com/
Tombstone- http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rjo0665l.jpg
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