Tuesday, December 29th Julie and I will celebrate our ninth anniversary. We were married on a wintry Friday night in December of 2000. Some would call it a blizzard, but what took place in Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, and then in the Blossom Heath Inn at our reception, was quite the opposite from what was happening outside.
The service was wonderful and I remember it as if it were yesterday. Craig Mayes performed the ceremony splendidly, and Julie and I were surrounded by persons of vital importance in our lives prior to coming together in marriage. We included three worship songs and I can still hear our bridal party belting out the words to all three songs as it echoed in the old small church. I can still hear the two quarters (disguised as our rings) hitting the ceramic tile and rolling across the floor...that is still a good one Ara! I remember seeing Julie beautifully made up in her dress and thinking "is this real?"
Julie and I were surrounded by our family, but we were also surrounded by our church community, many brothers and sisters in Christ from "Primetime" our old single's ministry at Kensington Church in Troy, Michigan. As Craig pronounced us "man and wife", we, with the bridal party behind us, danced out of the church to Stephen Curtis Chapman's "I'm Divin' In". It was the most wonderful ceremony!
Then as we all headed outside into the blizzard and moved down the road for the reception, who knew what was in store? Oh yeah...I did! :-) Now it is important that Julie had chosen the Blossom Heath because of the beautiful circular dance floor surrounded by stately pillars in the middle of the hall. The head table was positioned in two rows overlooking the dance floor and seating was spread out on both sides. To get us to kiss, you had to do more than bang your silverware, you had to come up alone or in a group and sing us a song with the word "love" in it.
Well, people were getting settled in and probably thinking about the snow outside. The bridal party had been introduced, and the staff was serving dinner. Several of our wedding party had shared their hopes and prayers for our marriage and the salad was being served. Then I quietly got up from our table, headed over to the DJ, got the cordless microphone and...the music began...
Julie quickly recognized that this music was not part of her program, and she was right as I had inserted the next piece myself. I began my legendary rendition of Kenny Loggins' "Footloose" (which had enabled me to make Ensemble in Junior High by the way). There I was, singing, dancing, avoiding servers carrying salad plates, jumping, breaking a chair, and getting a standing ovation from the crowd when I was done. It was probably a top 10 moment in my life considering where and when it took place. Julie was stunned and laughed during the whole thing. It was AWESOME!!!
Well, our friends and family did not disappoint. After my song and dance, we had a great meal with some amazing renditions of love songs from those in attendance wanting us to kiss. Then as the dancing began, people flooded to the floor and our Primetime community led the way with the most wonderful spirit and joyful evening of dancing I have ever known. As the evening finally wound down our brothers and sisters in Christ surrounded us on the dance floor and prayed over Julie and I for many minutes, once again acknowledging God as the Sustainer of our relationship and now the center and foundation of our marriage.
As we finally drove home that night (in the blizzard), Julie cried the whole way home because of the joy in her heart from the evening. It truly was a most wonderful evening. Nine years together, married, me and her...it has been everything I could have hoped for. Happy Anniversary my Love!!! I hope you can still hear "eight hours, for what? Oh tell me what I got" ringing in your ears.
Image
The Narrow Path
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Traditions - (Part 4)
Our final and newest tradition that we just implemented this year is the 5 advent candles. These are 4 calenders of various colors that are lit on the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas and a fifth candle on Christmas day. Each candle represents a various people group who had an important role in the birth of Jesus Christ. A side benefit for this tradition is the enjoyment the children get from the lighting and blowing out of candles every day. Zeke stands and screams joyously at the smoke from the smoldering wicks while Caroline tries to catch it. There are many different versions of Advent but this worked best for us...
On the 1st Advent Sunday we lit the first candle which is the candle for the prophets. The prophets are listed first because all throughout the Old Testament and up through Simeon in the New Testament the prophets of God had been speaking of a coming Messiah and giving details of his birth, life and death. Isaiah is most noteworthy for messianic prophecies and he lived roughly 600 years before Christ. Micah speaks of the birthplace of the Messiah which Herod found and told the Magi when they came looking for Jesus. We close our discussion about the prophets by singing "After lighting this first candle on the first Advent Sunday we light the one candle each night that week as we move through the Jesse Tree and sing our carols.
On the 2nd Sunday we light the first candle and then we light a second candle. This second candle is for the angels who were sent by God to tell the people of Israel as well as Mary, Joseph, Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) and the Magi before they left Bethlehem to return home. Again we light 2 candles all that week and so on... The third candle is for the Shepherds and the fourth candle is for the Magi. On Christmas day we add a fifth and special candle for the Christ child and we read and hang our final Jesse Tree ornament. Julie cooks a special traditional Christmas breakfast highlighted by homemade cinnamon rolls.
These recent posts are some of the traditions which we have adopted over many years as a family. They have added meaning and depth to our Christmas season and have added significantly to what our children have been able to take away from Christmas. If Christmas is just about gifts and what they get (even if we love giving them gifts), then a great family time and teaching season is potentially lost. Our children are a captive audience to all things Christmas. It is up to us as parents to shape what they actually become captive to.
Merry Christmas to you and to your family this year!!!
(Summary of our Advent tradition )
1st Sunday - Prophets
Read Isaiah 9:2,6 & Sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel
2nd Sunday - Angels
Read Luke 2:10-14 & Sing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3rd Sunday - Shepherds
Read - Luke 2:15-18,20 & Sing Go Tell it on the Mountain
4th Sunday - Magi
Read Matthew 2:1-2,11 & Sing We Three Kings
Christmas - Savior
Read Luke 1:32-33 & Sing Joy to the World
On the 1st Advent Sunday we lit the first candle which is the candle for the prophets. The prophets are listed first because all throughout the Old Testament and up through Simeon in the New Testament the prophets of God had been speaking of a coming Messiah and giving details of his birth, life and death. Isaiah is most noteworthy for messianic prophecies and he lived roughly 600 years before Christ. Micah speaks of the birthplace of the Messiah which Herod found and told the Magi when they came looking for Jesus. We close our discussion about the prophets by singing "After lighting this first candle on the first Advent Sunday we light the one candle each night that week as we move through the Jesse Tree and sing our carols.
On the 2nd Sunday we light the first candle and then we light a second candle. This second candle is for the angels who were sent by God to tell the people of Israel as well as Mary, Joseph, Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) and the Magi before they left Bethlehem to return home. Again we light 2 candles all that week and so on... The third candle is for the Shepherds and the fourth candle is for the Magi. On Christmas day we add a fifth and special candle for the Christ child and we read and hang our final Jesse Tree ornament. Julie cooks a special traditional Christmas breakfast highlighted by homemade cinnamon rolls.
These recent posts are some of the traditions which we have adopted over many years as a family. They have added meaning and depth to our Christmas season and have added significantly to what our children have been able to take away from Christmas. If Christmas is just about gifts and what they get (even if we love giving them gifts), then a great family time and teaching season is potentially lost. Our children are a captive audience to all things Christmas. It is up to us as parents to shape what they actually become captive to.
Merry Christmas to you and to your family this year!!!
(Summary of our Advent tradition )
1st Sunday - Prophets
Read Isaiah 9:2,6 & Sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel
2nd Sunday - Angels
Read Luke 2:10-14 & Sing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3rd Sunday - Shepherds
Read - Luke 2:15-18,20 & Sing Go Tell it on the Mountain
4th Sunday - Magi
Read Matthew 2:1-2,11 & Sing We Three Kings
Christmas - Savior
Read Luke 1:32-33 & Sing Joy to the World
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas Traditions - (Part 2)...Updated with link to Jesse Tree
Here is the link to a Jesse Tree that we recommend. There are a bunch out there so make sure you look carefully to see if you like the one you are choosing...
Jesse Tree Link
Jesse Tree Link
Monday, December 21, 2009
Christmas Traditions - (Part 3)
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king.
Let every heart, prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing
and heaven and nature sing
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing"
Where in our daily life are we able to hear good, old-fashioned, Jesus-centered Christmas carols? Sometime in November one of the music stations I check every now and then had switched to Christmas songs for the season. Now it was shortly after Halloween and I thought, no thanks...too early. Then about Thanksgiving as the "yuletide" spirit was coming upon me I checked back into the forementioned station. "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock..." Then next up, a song I didn't recognize... Over the next couple days I would check in and sure enough...not one REAL Christmas Carol.
Last year Julie and I decided we wanted to be a family that knows and sings all the cool Christmas carols. So I got on line and began copying and pasting the lyrics to various Christmas carols and placed them in 2 column format on a Word document. We included 15 or so songs, printed out multiple copies and each night after our "Jesse Tree" time, we would end the evening singing 2 or 3 carols off of the song sheet. I am not a great singer but I can lead some caroling and as long as you don't start too low or too high with your first note, you can sing a song and it doesn't sound all that bad.
After just a few nights we knew we had a winning tradition in this one. How many families sing together these days??? It is like something out of a Norman Rockwell picture from the days of radio theater and the 1930s. Yet, we Zilkies, never afraid to be the contrarians, continued it again this year as well. Jonathan is now reading the words and both he and David are singing stronger and better each night. And Sweet Caroline...she loves "Go Tell It On A Mountain" and has a little dance she does as we sing.
Seriously, it only gets better as we learn the verses of the songs and improve in our singing. Be careful, one of these days the Zilkies may end up on your front porch singing your favorite Christmas carol. Just ask our new neighbors here in Affton. :-)
*If this idea/tradition interests you, it really is easy. If you need help with the singing, download a bunch of carols onto your iPod or mp3 player and let them help you as you sing. If you are looking for some fun and meaningful traditions for the family, singing carols together is a must. If you ever come to the Zilkies during the month of December, you will be able to join us for an evening of the Jesse Tree and some singing of carols as well.
Let earth receive her king.
Let every heart, prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing
and heaven and nature sing
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing"
Where in our daily life are we able to hear good, old-fashioned, Jesus-centered Christmas carols? Sometime in November one of the music stations I check every now and then had switched to Christmas songs for the season. Now it was shortly after Halloween and I thought, no thanks...too early. Then about Thanksgiving as the "yuletide" spirit was coming upon me I checked back into the forementioned station. "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock..." Then next up, a song I didn't recognize... Over the next couple days I would check in and sure enough...not one REAL Christmas Carol.
Last year Julie and I decided we wanted to be a family that knows and sings all the cool Christmas carols. So I got on line and began copying and pasting the lyrics to various Christmas carols and placed them in 2 column format on a Word document. We included 15 or so songs, printed out multiple copies and each night after our "Jesse Tree" time, we would end the evening singing 2 or 3 carols off of the song sheet. I am not a great singer but I can lead some caroling and as long as you don't start too low or too high with your first note, you can sing a song and it doesn't sound all that bad.
After just a few nights we knew we had a winning tradition in this one. How many families sing together these days??? It is like something out of a Norman Rockwell picture from the days of radio theater and the 1930s. Yet, we Zilkies, never afraid to be the contrarians, continued it again this year as well. Jonathan is now reading the words and both he and David are singing stronger and better each night. And Sweet Caroline...she loves "Go Tell It On A Mountain" and has a little dance she does as we sing.
Seriously, it only gets better as we learn the verses of the songs and improve in our singing. Be careful, one of these days the Zilkies may end up on your front porch singing your favorite Christmas carol. Just ask our new neighbors here in Affton. :-)
*If this idea/tradition interests you, it really is easy. If you need help with the singing, download a bunch of carols onto your iPod or mp3 player and let them help you as you sing. If you are looking for some fun and meaningful traditions for the family, singing carols together is a must. If you ever come to the Zilkies during the month of December, you will be able to join us for an evening of the Jesse Tree and some singing of carols as well.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Christmas Traditions - (Part 2)
Several years ago Julie began looking for some creative ways to add some family traditions to our celebration of Christmas. Neither of us really came from families that did much more than the usual...tree, gifts, church, etc., and we wanted something more meaningful for our children. As Julie researched, she found something called "The Jesse Tree". What is the Jesse Tree you may ask? Well there are many different styles and versions, but, in general, it is a daily journey through the Old Testament-- from Genesis to the birth of Jesus Christ, beginning on December 1st and ending on Christmas day. (It is often in line with the Advent season which celebrates the four Sundays prior to Christmas through the lighting of candles and remembering the Christmas story.) For the Zilkies there are three main parts which we do every day (if at all possible) for all 25 days.
Part One is the reading of a passage of Scripture to the family. The passage is predetermined by our version of the Jesse Tree and has a corresponding picture which we have had laminated and made into Christmas ornaments. Sitting down as a family and reading the Bible together is so important, the most important thing we do. In doing so, we as a family stop and recognize the sovereignty of God and rule of Jesus Christ and His word in our family. One can never underestimate the power of God's word, and you never know what kind of impact the Holy Spirit can have on your children when they hear God's word. This can be especially powerful when read by mom or dad and in a family setting.
Part Two is the discussion that takes place after reading. A great practice for reading to children is to have them repeat back to you the details of the passage or story you just read to them. This is a great developmental tool for children and it also reinforces the passage and its details in the mind and heart of the children. We are thus able to see if the child or children correctly understands what was just read. If not, it allows us the opportunity to clarify and reexplain the passage or story in terms they can understand.
After the passage is read and understood, the next question is "How does this passage or story point to Jesus Christ?" This is the fun part because the Old Testament has hundreds of references, inferences, and prophecies about Jesus Christ throughout the 39 books. For example, when we read in the book of Joshua about the story of Rahab and the fall of Jericho, is there any correlation to the "scarlet cord" hanging out her window which will save all persons inside and the (scarlet) blood of Jesus flowing from His body which has the power to save us from our sins? Or in Genesis 12, when God makes His unconditional convenant with Abraham and states therein that "all the families of the world will be blessed through you", who or what is He talking about? How could the whole world be blessed through Abraham and his descendants??? ***The children are fascinated to learn that biblical events from long before Jesus was born point in many different ways to the coming of Jesus and His ministry purpose here on earth...they LOVE learning about it!!!
Part Three involves taking the ornament/picture of the day which has been hidden in Papa's Bible up to this point and hanging it on the tree. I like to ask the children if they remember what picture is on the ornament for that day from doing it the previous year. We play this game where they usually guess the right picture, such as a scarlet cord on the day we read about Rahab, and I will say after we are done reading "Alright, who gets to come hang the picture of the crumbling walls of Jericho?" They roll their eyes and scream out "Nooooo, its a picture of the scarlet cord!!!" It sounds cheesy but they fall for it every time and I laugh every time. They get so excited to hang the picture on the tree and take turns doing so each day.
Sitting down as a family and reading God's word together is a practice that seems to be lost or crowded out in our families today. This is sad and really is a loss in our efforts to raise up spiritual young men and women with strong Christian character. Julie and I have been doing this over Christmas for several years now and the family loves it. By the time Christmas comes, we wonder why we don't do this in some capacity all year round? We enjoy it, the children enjoy it as long as I put some energy and passion into the reading and discussion, and God is honored by it for sure. So at the conclusion of Advent this year, we are going to seek to continue the daily reading of the Word in our family, as a family.
You can find a FREE download of the Jesse Tree by Ann Voskamp at her blog www.aholyexperience.com. It is located in the November 28th 2010 entry, as well as other places at her blog. It is wonderful, and so is Ann!!
Part One is the reading of a passage of Scripture to the family. The passage is predetermined by our version of the Jesse Tree and has a corresponding picture which we have had laminated and made into Christmas ornaments. Sitting down as a family and reading the Bible together is so important, the most important thing we do. In doing so, we as a family stop and recognize the sovereignty of God and rule of Jesus Christ and His word in our family. One can never underestimate the power of God's word, and you never know what kind of impact the Holy Spirit can have on your children when they hear God's word. This can be especially powerful when read by mom or dad and in a family setting.
Part Two is the discussion that takes place after reading. A great practice for reading to children is to have them repeat back to you the details of the passage or story you just read to them. This is a great developmental tool for children and it also reinforces the passage and its details in the mind and heart of the children. We are thus able to see if the child or children correctly understands what was just read. If not, it allows us the opportunity to clarify and reexplain the passage or story in terms they can understand.
After the passage is read and understood, the next question is "How does this passage or story point to Jesus Christ?" This is the fun part because the Old Testament has hundreds of references, inferences, and prophecies about Jesus Christ throughout the 39 books. For example, when we read in the book of Joshua about the story of Rahab and the fall of Jericho, is there any correlation to the "scarlet cord" hanging out her window which will save all persons inside and the (scarlet) blood of Jesus flowing from His body which has the power to save us from our sins? Or in Genesis 12, when God makes His unconditional convenant with Abraham and states therein that "all the families of the world will be blessed through you", who or what is He talking about? How could the whole world be blessed through Abraham and his descendants??? ***The children are fascinated to learn that biblical events from long before Jesus was born point in many different ways to the coming of Jesus and His ministry purpose here on earth...they LOVE learning about it!!!
Part Three involves taking the ornament/picture of the day which has been hidden in Papa's Bible up to this point and hanging it on the tree. I like to ask the children if they remember what picture is on the ornament for that day from doing it the previous year. We play this game where they usually guess the right picture, such as a scarlet cord on the day we read about Rahab, and I will say after we are done reading "Alright, who gets to come hang the picture of the crumbling walls of Jericho?" They roll their eyes and scream out "Nooooo, its a picture of the scarlet cord!!!" It sounds cheesy but they fall for it every time and I laugh every time. They get so excited to hang the picture on the tree and take turns doing so each day.
Sitting down as a family and reading God's word together is a practice that seems to be lost or crowded out in our families today. This is sad and really is a loss in our efforts to raise up spiritual young men and women with strong Christian character. Julie and I have been doing this over Christmas for several years now and the family loves it. By the time Christmas comes, we wonder why we don't do this in some capacity all year round? We enjoy it, the children enjoy it as long as I put some energy and passion into the reading and discussion, and God is honored by it for sure. So at the conclusion of Advent this year, we are going to seek to continue the daily reading of the Word in our family, as a family.
You can find a FREE download of the Jesse Tree by Ann Voskamp at her blog www.aholyexperience.com. It is located in the November 28th 2010 entry, as well as other places at her blog. It is wonderful, and so is Ann!!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Christmas Traditions - (Part 1)
In the almost nine years Julie and I have been married (our anniversary being on the 29th of December), each Christmas has brought an increasing level of importance. During our 1st Christmas we had just moved from Detroit to Grand Rapids, were pregnant with David, and were about to celebrate our first anniversary. I still remember getting the tree and dragging it home on top of the old white 1989 Ford Crown Victoria (that hood really seemed to go on forever). Being just the two of us we decorated the tree, got each other some presents and Christmas came and went. Then the next year we now had a third Zilkie and it was David's first Christmas. Once again we got a real tree and this time we seemed to pay extra attention to the holiday because it was David's first Christmas. In fact we still have video of him licking the wrapping paper of the gifts he had received.
Each year since as our children have grown in maturity and understanding, and as we have added to the number of children we have (yes we know how that happens), Christmas has grown in importance. My ability to see Christmas through their eyes with all of its joy and wonder has been a major component of that growth. As Julie and I reflected back on our childhoods and the various Christmas traditions we had when we were little we wanted to build many, many of our own traditions that our children would look back on fondly and remember. For us Zilkies, Christmas now begins long before Christmas day or Christmas Eve even. Christmas begins the weekend after Thanksgiving when we get out the tree (we stopped buying fresh in 2004 and found a GREAT artificial tree which we still use today) and begin decorating it together. The children love this and each year we add meaningful and sentimental ornaments commemerating our children and the stages of life they find themselves in each particular year.
For example, several years ago Julie baked some gingerbread men and then coated them in some kind of preservant so that they could hang as ornaments and last over the years. Well, when Jonathan was almost 2 back in 2005 he took a bite out of one of those "cookies". This year as we once again hung the one-legged gingerbread man we were able to remember back and remind Jonathan, who is now almost 6, that he ate the leg off 4 years ago. It provided a wonderful laugh and brought a sheepish smile to his face. Caroline however, then wanted to eat the other leg and the two legs off the other gingerbread man as well. We had to gently yet firmly instruct her that this should not happen and that it would not be nearly as funny either.
The tree is now up, looking almost the same as it has each year and we love it. Our children are going to grow up and remember what our/their tree looks like and it will bring them much joy when they return and see it then the same as it was when they were children. In the meantime, we are vigilantly watching the gingerbread men ornaments, hoping their remaining legs persevere another Christmas season.
Each year since as our children have grown in maturity and understanding, and as we have added to the number of children we have (yes we know how that happens), Christmas has grown in importance. My ability to see Christmas through their eyes with all of its joy and wonder has been a major component of that growth. As Julie and I reflected back on our childhoods and the various Christmas traditions we had when we were little we wanted to build many, many of our own traditions that our children would look back on fondly and remember. For us Zilkies, Christmas now begins long before Christmas day or Christmas Eve even. Christmas begins the weekend after Thanksgiving when we get out the tree (we stopped buying fresh in 2004 and found a GREAT artificial tree which we still use today) and begin decorating it together. The children love this and each year we add meaningful and sentimental ornaments commemerating our children and the stages of life they find themselves in each particular year.
For example, several years ago Julie baked some gingerbread men and then coated them in some kind of preservant so that they could hang as ornaments and last over the years. Well, when Jonathan was almost 2 back in 2005 he took a bite out of one of those "cookies". This year as we once again hung the one-legged gingerbread man we were able to remember back and remind Jonathan, who is now almost 6, that he ate the leg off 4 years ago. It provided a wonderful laugh and brought a sheepish smile to his face. Caroline however, then wanted to eat the other leg and the two legs off the other gingerbread man as well. We had to gently yet firmly instruct her that this should not happen and that it would not be nearly as funny either.
The tree is now up, looking almost the same as it has each year and we love it. Our children are going to grow up and remember what our/their tree looks like and it will bring them much joy when they return and see it then the same as it was when they were children. In the meantime, we are vigilantly watching the gingerbread men ornaments, hoping their remaining legs persevere another Christmas season.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
I read somewhere recently that Thanksgiving is the favorite holiday of a majority of people in America. With Halloween growing in the costumes, candy, and excessive marketing and Christmas continuing to be more about stress, parties, presents, and going, going, going... Is it any surprise that this midweek holiday where we are supposed to do nothing but rest, eat, and relax is peoples most enjoyable holiday of the year? (I know we had a blast Thursdday with my sister in town and the food was AMAZING for sure.)
But even this idea of Thanksgiving can miss the mark if we forget its origin along with the true power in Thanksgiving...GRATITUDE. Thanksgiving began in a colony of people in the fall of 1621. Ironically, this colony had just lost almost half of their original 102 community to sickness, during their first year in their new land. Think about that, having lost dear friends and family members, enduring a brutal winter with little to no protection from the elements, they still saw through all of their hardship to see the providential hand of God and took time to celebrate and thank God for His goodness to them.
If you have not read the story of the original Thanksgiving recently...you know the version where God and all things spiritual are not "cut out", you should. When reading it, you will see an amazing providential God who in the midst of great suffering and loss, still intimately loved and cared for a community of people who loved and worshiped Him no matter what hardship came their way.
This is the power of gratitude. Gratitude does not focus on that which we do not have or wish we did, for we could always want something more or identify something we do not have. Rather, gratitude is a spirit of grace that exists in the heart of a person who lives each day with a winsomeness derived from their awareness that life is good and that "every good and perfect gift is from above...from the Father of heavenly lights." (James 1:17)
I desire to be a grateful person who does not overlook the life, family, health, and most importantly the saving faith that God has given. I hope your Thanksgiving provided you a sincere moment to reflect and give thanks to God as well. May we as followers of Jesus be marked by a spirit of gratitude in this world, whatever may come our way.
But even this idea of Thanksgiving can miss the mark if we forget its origin along with the true power in Thanksgiving...GRATITUDE. Thanksgiving began in a colony of people in the fall of 1621. Ironically, this colony had just lost almost half of their original 102 community to sickness, during their first year in their new land. Think about that, having lost dear friends and family members, enduring a brutal winter with little to no protection from the elements, they still saw through all of their hardship to see the providential hand of God and took time to celebrate and thank God for His goodness to them.
If you have not read the story of the original Thanksgiving recently...you know the version where God and all things spiritual are not "cut out", you should. When reading it, you will see an amazing providential God who in the midst of great suffering and loss, still intimately loved and cared for a community of people who loved and worshiped Him no matter what hardship came their way.
This is the power of gratitude. Gratitude does not focus on that which we do not have or wish we did, for we could always want something more or identify something we do not have. Rather, gratitude is a spirit of grace that exists in the heart of a person who lives each day with a winsomeness derived from their awareness that life is good and that "every good and perfect gift is from above...from the Father of heavenly lights." (James 1:17)
I desire to be a grateful person who does not overlook the life, family, health, and most importantly the saving faith that God has given. I hope your Thanksgiving provided you a sincere moment to reflect and give thanks to God as well. May we as followers of Jesus be marked by a spirit of gratitude in this world, whatever may come our way.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Sensing People's Prayers
The past couple of weeks have seen some good movement in my life on a spiritual level. I have been more attentive and loving toward Julie. I have desired to spend more time with my children and less time doing less important things like reading the news, following my sports interests, staying up late, etc. Also, I am working on some important things at Rooftop to help people get connected more effectively and more quickly and have felt a sharp eye and a keen mind to discern some important steps we need to be taking. Julie has noticed this or at least has noticed my demeanor around her and the children and has asked "what's up with you?". I smile because many thoughts go through my mind.
-Why now rather than months ago when I thought the same things is there actual movement in my life?
-I have had good bursts before but few have sustained themselves over the long haul as I would have liked so should I get too confident in what will happen in the days ahead?
-I am a pretty confident and amibitious person who casts vision much easier than I follow through on it, so I am cautious to repeast past sins of over-promising and under performing.
-A main theme in my life has been, "Jeremy you have not reached or lived up to your potential" and I continue to hear that message even today.
-I often care more about what people think about my spiritual fervency instead of what God thinks in His perfect understanding and knowledge of me and my heart. This can lead to me hiding the bad and acting as if it isn't important.
All these questions and sinful thought patterns lead me to a contemplative answer to Julie's question: "what has gotten into you?" My answer to her has NOT been:
-My passion for God compels me to live more obediently and attentively.
-I can just feel the Lord's strength and Spirit within me leading me to live differently.
-It's the right thing and I want to be God's man, trustworthy in the little things that I might be trustworthy with much.
(and other answers like this I may have given in years past)
Rather my answer to her has been, "People must be praying for me."
Let me type that again, MY answer to her has been (and I think I really mean it) "People must be praying for me." If something is different, I confess that it is God's grace manifest in the prayers and faith of my brothers and sisters in Christ upon whose prayers and encoruagement I am dependent to give anything of value back to my Lord and those in my life.
You see, I am a very proud person and that pride has often gotten in the way of my submission and surrender to God my Father. I am a man of great passion and fervor when focused and envisioned with something, especially something I think God wants to do. And yet, my greatest weakness is that I have harbored pride in various forms in my heart over a lifetime of walking with God and learning a ton about Him. I deceive myself, as many Christians do, about how spiritual I really am and in the process I often neglect the most important part of my life. That I have a Creator, Father God who loves me and adores me AND...who wants me to become like His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This process, becoming like Jesus, is the problem because I really don't want to surrender my life as I say I do and experience the struggle and sacrifice of being made, or remade into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.
Jesus surrendered completely to the Father while on earth, He had to to know and live the life He needed to live so that He could die as the perfect sacrifice. I admit that I struggle to want this and struggle even more to follow through with this. So, for any and all of you who are and have been praying for me..."Thank you!!!"
I am not going to presume upon tomorrow for I do not know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:13-17). I am however very thankful for today and pray that I might honor Him with the day that He has given. I also pray that by His grace, He may bless the desire of my heart to share His love and grace with those He is bringing into my life at this time.
Peace...
-Why now rather than months ago when I thought the same things is there actual movement in my life?
-I have had good bursts before but few have sustained themselves over the long haul as I would have liked so should I get too confident in what will happen in the days ahead?
-I am a pretty confident and amibitious person who casts vision much easier than I follow through on it, so I am cautious to repeast past sins of over-promising and under performing.
-A main theme in my life has been, "Jeremy you have not reached or lived up to your potential" and I continue to hear that message even today.
-I often care more about what people think about my spiritual fervency instead of what God thinks in His perfect understanding and knowledge of me and my heart. This can lead to me hiding the bad and acting as if it isn't important.
All these questions and sinful thought patterns lead me to a contemplative answer to Julie's question: "what has gotten into you?" My answer to her has NOT been:
-My passion for God compels me to live more obediently and attentively.
-I can just feel the Lord's strength and Spirit within me leading me to live differently.
-It's the right thing and I want to be God's man, trustworthy in the little things that I might be trustworthy with much.
(and other answers like this I may have given in years past)
Rather my answer to her has been, "People must be praying for me."
Let me type that again, MY answer to her has been (and I think I really mean it) "People must be praying for me." If something is different, I confess that it is God's grace manifest in the prayers and faith of my brothers and sisters in Christ upon whose prayers and encoruagement I am dependent to give anything of value back to my Lord and those in my life.
You see, I am a very proud person and that pride has often gotten in the way of my submission and surrender to God my Father. I am a man of great passion and fervor when focused and envisioned with something, especially something I think God wants to do. And yet, my greatest weakness is that I have harbored pride in various forms in my heart over a lifetime of walking with God and learning a ton about Him. I deceive myself, as many Christians do, about how spiritual I really am and in the process I often neglect the most important part of my life. That I have a Creator, Father God who loves me and adores me AND...who wants me to become like His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This process, becoming like Jesus, is the problem because I really don't want to surrender my life as I say I do and experience the struggle and sacrifice of being made, or remade into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.
Jesus surrendered completely to the Father while on earth, He had to to know and live the life He needed to live so that He could die as the perfect sacrifice. I admit that I struggle to want this and struggle even more to follow through with this. So, for any and all of you who are and have been praying for me..."Thank you!!!"
I am not going to presume upon tomorrow for I do not know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:13-17). I am however very thankful for today and pray that I might honor Him with the day that He has given. I also pray that by His grace, He may bless the desire of my heart to share His love and grace with those He is bringing into my life at this time.
Peace...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Selah Alane Zilkie
4-7 month pictures of Selah and the family.
(If you get the email you may have to click to the blog.)
(If you get the email you may have to click to the blog.)
Here are the boys at our Gresham Home
We have officially moved from the city of St. Louis into Affton (on Saturday, October 24th), part of St. Louis County and 7 houses away from Rooftop's church building. Our 6 months in the city were wonderful. We are so excited to see what life in the county will bring...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Rooftop's "Be The Church Day"
This past Saturday I was privileged to be a part of Rooftop Community Church's first "Be The Church Day". This was an effort to get "a bunch" of Rooftoppers to come together for the purpose of serving each other, the community, and ultimately revealing the glory and goodness of God through our actions and "loving our neighbor" (See Matt 5:14-16, John 13:34-35).
The day was phenomenal and we had over 150 Rooftoppers including children, come and serve, learn about serving, and be a community of people unified and intent on a single purpose (Phil 2:1-4).
Here is a video overview overview of the day...
(email subscribers may need to click to the blog for the video)
The day was phenomenal and we had over 150 Rooftoppers including children, come and serve, learn about serving, and be a community of people unified and intent on a single purpose (Phil 2:1-4).
Here is a video overview overview of the day...
(email subscribers may need to click to the blog for the video)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Planet Earth
It was never my specific intention to raise boys who love animals, nature, and all things created by our Uncreated God. Yet, both David and Jonathan have grown (7 & 5 now) into young men who love animals, birds, flowers, leaves, even insects...and want to value and cherish life in all shapes and forms. At their young age, when other kids are watching or reading about cartoons or other "kid stuff", my boys sit on the couch reading and memorizing the different birds from the "Birds of North America" book. To be fair to them, they do like their Star Wars stuff and other things boys their age do, but their interest in zoology is definitely something special that Julie and I are trying to nurture each and every day. I don't know where this will lead...will they be zoologists some day? Maybe...
Their favorite video of all time is the Planet Earth video series by BBC released in the past 5 years or so. It truly is an amazing video series and even more amazing when watching it with and through the eyes of a 5 and 7 year old boy filled with wonder. During our vacation in August we watched all 9 episodes (again) in 6 days time and we loved it.
I was reminded of it this morning in my friend Aaron's blog and wanted to share it with you as well.
Enjoy, and try to wrap your mind around a Creator God who knows and is intimately aware of every creature that lives and moves on this earth...
...or this one...which is even better...
Their favorite video of all time is the Planet Earth video series by BBC released in the past 5 years or so. It truly is an amazing video series and even more amazing when watching it with and through the eyes of a 5 and 7 year old boy filled with wonder. During our vacation in August we watched all 9 episodes (again) in 6 days time and we loved it.
I was reminded of it this morning in my friend Aaron's blog and wanted to share it with you as well.
Enjoy, and try to wrap your mind around a Creator God who knows and is intimately aware of every creature that lives and moves on this earth...
...or this one...which is even better...
Friday, October 16, 2009
My Dad - Part 3
It has been several weeks since part 2 and since I preached the message on God as Father from our current message series at Rooftop, but I wanted to come back and close out my Father journey. Before I do that, I will share that many, many people commented to me the significance of my message on God as Father, sharing their own hurts and issues related to their father. A person's age was no discriminate either, having 40-60 years olds comment as frequently as 20-40 year olds. The impact of a father, good or bad, is felt for a lifetime and is foundational toward how we view certain aspects of life, ourselves, and especially God who is our Heavenly Father.
My father journey since my dad died has been very colorful. I dated and pursued three different relationships with Christian women my age who all came from strong Christian families with strong fathers. All three relationship attempts failed and it was not until I was in relationship with Julie whose dad had passed away years before and was not in the picture that I finally realized I had actually been "dating dad" with all three women, and not necessarily the women themselves. (I am sure this contributed to the broken pieces of each of those relationships).
There have been men in my life for periods of time who have helped fill in the father role:
Gary Petrous - he was the manager of the newspaper office in Romeo, Michigan when I was delivering papers back in the day. He was energetic, engaging, and a Vietnam Veteran who also loved the University of Michigan. For those of us who worked for him and were closes to him, he felt like Bo Schemblecher training us for life even as we were just delivering papers. He challenged me, influenced me positively for the Marine Corps, shared my love for the Wolverines, and engaged me in significant dialogue. He was not a follower of Jesus last I knew, and had no interest being one. Yet his vision for me and his wisdom gained were an incredible gift for me in my early teenage years.
Terry Vanderwerf - he was the youth pastor at our church up until my senior year when he and his family moved to the mission field in Mexico. I remember spending time with him in high school, just hanging out talking with him, enjoying that time together, even though there was not stated purpose. He always pointed me toward Jesus Christ and again helped fill in the gap in that time.
Ernie Elmore - Once in the Marines and while stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I met Ernie and Bobbie Elmore. He was former Marine who served as a missionary to the military guys in Okinawa. I met him and Bobbie at their home/ministry center and fell in love with them. He discipled me for 4 months while I was there and opened up his life to me in that time. By this age (21) I was realizing my desire to be mentored and welcomed his filling that role for a season. I love Bobbie and Ernie and am thankful for their presence, not only in my life, but also in the lives of hundreds of others as well.
And here I am today, now 34 years old, a father myself of 5 children ages 7 and under and I still would love a mentor/father figure to journey through life with. I haven't had one in a long time, but I will say that my Father in heaven has done well to raise me up, teach me through His Spirit, and show me what a Father is supposed to be. Hopefully I will correct the missed areas from my own dad and leave a very significant and Jesus Christ centered impact on the lives of my children for their life journey.
For those of you who have read these father posts, I would encourage you to reflect on your relationship with your dad and how it may have impacted your relationship with God our Father. Many people cruise through life never becoming aware of the impact their earthly father has had on their earthly life and contributed to the struggles in their relationship with God as a result. I pray for each of you in your journey. May the Holy Spirit reveal Truth to you and draw you closer to our Father, the one true and perfect Father.
My father journey since my dad died has been very colorful. I dated and pursued three different relationships with Christian women my age who all came from strong Christian families with strong fathers. All three relationship attempts failed and it was not until I was in relationship with Julie whose dad had passed away years before and was not in the picture that I finally realized I had actually been "dating dad" with all three women, and not necessarily the women themselves. (I am sure this contributed to the broken pieces of each of those relationships).
There have been men in my life for periods of time who have helped fill in the father role:
Gary Petrous - he was the manager of the newspaper office in Romeo, Michigan when I was delivering papers back in the day. He was energetic, engaging, and a Vietnam Veteran who also loved the University of Michigan. For those of us who worked for him and were closes to him, he felt like Bo Schemblecher training us for life even as we were just delivering papers. He challenged me, influenced me positively for the Marine Corps, shared my love for the Wolverines, and engaged me in significant dialogue. He was not a follower of Jesus last I knew, and had no interest being one. Yet his vision for me and his wisdom gained were an incredible gift for me in my early teenage years.
Terry Vanderwerf - he was the youth pastor at our church up until my senior year when he and his family moved to the mission field in Mexico. I remember spending time with him in high school, just hanging out talking with him, enjoying that time together, even though there was not stated purpose. He always pointed me toward Jesus Christ and again helped fill in the gap in that time.
Ernie Elmore - Once in the Marines and while stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I met Ernie and Bobbie Elmore. He was former Marine who served as a missionary to the military guys in Okinawa. I met him and Bobbie at their home/ministry center and fell in love with them. He discipled me for 4 months while I was there and opened up his life to me in that time. By this age (21) I was realizing my desire to be mentored and welcomed his filling that role for a season. I love Bobbie and Ernie and am thankful for their presence, not only in my life, but also in the lives of hundreds of others as well.
And here I am today, now 34 years old, a father myself of 5 children ages 7 and under and I still would love a mentor/father figure to journey through life with. I haven't had one in a long time, but I will say that my Father in heaven has done well to raise me up, teach me through His Spirit, and show me what a Father is supposed to be. Hopefully I will correct the missed areas from my own dad and leave a very significant and Jesus Christ centered impact on the lives of my children for their life journey.
For those of you who have read these father posts, I would encourage you to reflect on your relationship with your dad and how it may have impacted your relationship with God our Father. Many people cruise through life never becoming aware of the impact their earthly father has had on their earthly life and contributed to the struggles in their relationship with God as a result. I pray for each of you in your journey. May the Holy Spirit reveal Truth to you and draw you closer to our Father, the one true and perfect Father.
Friday, September 25, 2009
My Dad - Part 2
My wife Julie read my blog last night and agreed with me that from a style standpoint, it was not one of my better efforts. Yet the content in the blog was the most personal and the time it took to write was the greatest in length. That being said, this is the very reason why I am writing and is the reason why we need to look more deeply into our own belief in God as the Father Almighty. This is what the message at Rooftop is on this week and why I am writing about it. I along with everyone else has to overcome to varying degrees the impact our own father's have had on our ability and desire to know God as our ultimate Father. So here goes part 2...
At age 17 during my senior year, my dad was diagnosed with this disease I had mentioned previously. At first the seriousness of it was shocking. In the months to follow, it was major component in me recommitting my life to Jesus. This was the day as an adult where I surrendered all of myself and my life to Him. In retrospect, it was the greatest day of my life surpassing even my wedding day and the births of my five wonderful children. For had I not had that day, I would not have my incredible wife and amazing children. In the months following my recommitment, my dad's condition stabilized and God began leading me to enlist in the Marine Corps. As the time for my departure to Boot Camp drew near the seminal moment in our relationship took place.
During a conversation about me going to Boot Camp my dad expressed his doubts in me being able to graduate. He cited different character and personality flaws along with personal quirks which he thought would be problems. This was hurtful to an 18 year old young man about to venture into the most dangerous endeavor of my life. If anything, I needed and wanted my family, and especially my father, to bless me and believe in me. My response was all too familiar as well and I began to criticize dad for being a failure for not supporting me and breathing life into me for my upcoming adventure. As I finished, my dad to my shock raised his hand and slapped me across the mouth. I was stunned and then filled with rage. My father, who normally could have stood down his 18 year old son in a physical confrontation was now weakened by the disease and I knew it. I also knew I was stronger as I had been training to go off to Boot Camp and believed I could finally best my dad should I need to. Subsequently, I told him with the most defiant sneer, "don't ever touch me again". Dad, not backing down from my challenge raised his hand to hit me again, but this time I was ready.
I blocked his hand with my own and shoved him against the back door. I put my hand around his neck and held my other hand cocked in a fist ready to hit back. Now he was stunned, and there I stayed, staring into his eyes but I choosing not to follow through. My older sister and future brother-in-law were in the house and came running in and separated us. In the hours and days that followed, as was my dad's normal response, he acted as if nothing had ever happened and never said a word about it. I on the other hand remember struggling with the unresolved anger for several days before putting it aside myself. That was the last personal interaction I had with my dad before leaving for Boot Camp a couple months later.
A couple months into Boot Camp I got a letter saying dad had gone into the hospital with a worsened condition. I told my Drill Instructor and was able to get a couple phone calls home (which is not normally allowed) to see how he was doing. He bounced back and after several days came home from the hospital. When I came home from Boot Camp after graduation he seemed fine and back to normal. I left again after 10 days at home for my next duty station and did not return home for 5 more months, the weekend of my 19th birthday. I was in between two duty stations, Boston and Pensacola and went home to see my high school buddies for the weekend.
Before flying back on Sunday, I had to run some errands Saturday afternoon and my dad, out of character, asked to come along with me. Puzzled, I said sure and we spent a couple hours in the car together. We talked about all sorts of surface stuff but didn't argue for which I was thankful. We didn't talk about anything meaningful either, but I guess being with me in peace for that afternoon was meaningful to him.
The next morning I got up to catch my flight back and I went in to say good-bye. Mornings were especially tough on my dad in his sickness as it took him a while to get going. I stuck my head into his room and waved goodbye. Instead of waving, he called me over, which again was something abnormal from him. As I came over to his side of the bed he struggled to sit up and then for the first time in my conscious memory, he said " I love you" and he kissed me on the cheek. I remember feeling weird and not knowing how to respond. I think I said "I love you" back and then went on my way. Three weeks later, in the middle of the night, I received the phone call from my mom telling me dad had died.
I still to this day wonder if he knew. Did he know he was going to die? Was the kiss and the "I love you" his one final olive branch to me his only son? Did he realize all the holes left and mistakes made with me over the years? Or was he just wanting to not let our last memorable encounter together be the fight in the kitchen a year earlier? Either way, that kiss and those words have helped me deal with his passing and my search for peace in my relationship with my father. Over the next few months I had nothing but time to think about the lost relationship with my dad. Those months honestly were the hardest months of my life since graduating high school.
Most people entering into adulthood with father issues have their father present or at least alive. If they choose, and if the father obliges, often there can be peace made and restoration brought to the relationship. Sometimes there isn't such peace and the relationship only gets worse. For me, my dad was gone. I have no doubt he was and is in heaven for his faith in and love for Jesus. But he was gone for my lifetime, and I was left to chase the ghost of my absent father. I had much childishness and immaturity yet to grow through and no help or direction in doing it...no earthly help that is...
At age 17 during my senior year, my dad was diagnosed with this disease I had mentioned previously. At first the seriousness of it was shocking. In the months to follow, it was major component in me recommitting my life to Jesus. This was the day as an adult where I surrendered all of myself and my life to Him. In retrospect, it was the greatest day of my life surpassing even my wedding day and the births of my five wonderful children. For had I not had that day, I would not have my incredible wife and amazing children. In the months following my recommitment, my dad's condition stabilized and God began leading me to enlist in the Marine Corps. As the time for my departure to Boot Camp drew near the seminal moment in our relationship took place.
During a conversation about me going to Boot Camp my dad expressed his doubts in me being able to graduate. He cited different character and personality flaws along with personal quirks which he thought would be problems. This was hurtful to an 18 year old young man about to venture into the most dangerous endeavor of my life. If anything, I needed and wanted my family, and especially my father, to bless me and believe in me. My response was all too familiar as well and I began to criticize dad for being a failure for not supporting me and breathing life into me for my upcoming adventure. As I finished, my dad to my shock raised his hand and slapped me across the mouth. I was stunned and then filled with rage. My father, who normally could have stood down his 18 year old son in a physical confrontation was now weakened by the disease and I knew it. I also knew I was stronger as I had been training to go off to Boot Camp and believed I could finally best my dad should I need to. Subsequently, I told him with the most defiant sneer, "don't ever touch me again". Dad, not backing down from my challenge raised his hand to hit me again, but this time I was ready.
I blocked his hand with my own and shoved him against the back door. I put my hand around his neck and held my other hand cocked in a fist ready to hit back. Now he was stunned, and there I stayed, staring into his eyes but I choosing not to follow through. My older sister and future brother-in-law were in the house and came running in and separated us. In the hours and days that followed, as was my dad's normal response, he acted as if nothing had ever happened and never said a word about it. I on the other hand remember struggling with the unresolved anger for several days before putting it aside myself. That was the last personal interaction I had with my dad before leaving for Boot Camp a couple months later.
A couple months into Boot Camp I got a letter saying dad had gone into the hospital with a worsened condition. I told my Drill Instructor and was able to get a couple phone calls home (which is not normally allowed) to see how he was doing. He bounced back and after several days came home from the hospital. When I came home from Boot Camp after graduation he seemed fine and back to normal. I left again after 10 days at home for my next duty station and did not return home for 5 more months, the weekend of my 19th birthday. I was in between two duty stations, Boston and Pensacola and went home to see my high school buddies for the weekend.
Before flying back on Sunday, I had to run some errands Saturday afternoon and my dad, out of character, asked to come along with me. Puzzled, I said sure and we spent a couple hours in the car together. We talked about all sorts of surface stuff but didn't argue for which I was thankful. We didn't talk about anything meaningful either, but I guess being with me in peace for that afternoon was meaningful to him.
The next morning I got up to catch my flight back and I went in to say good-bye. Mornings were especially tough on my dad in his sickness as it took him a while to get going. I stuck my head into his room and waved goodbye. Instead of waving, he called me over, which again was something abnormal from him. As I came over to his side of the bed he struggled to sit up and then for the first time in my conscious memory, he said " I love you" and he kissed me on the cheek. I remember feeling weird and not knowing how to respond. I think I said "I love you" back and then went on my way. Three weeks later, in the middle of the night, I received the phone call from my mom telling me dad had died.
I still to this day wonder if he knew. Did he know he was going to die? Was the kiss and the "I love you" his one final olive branch to me his only son? Did he realize all the holes left and mistakes made with me over the years? Or was he just wanting to not let our last memorable encounter together be the fight in the kitchen a year earlier? Either way, that kiss and those words have helped me deal with his passing and my search for peace in my relationship with my father. Over the next few months I had nothing but time to think about the lost relationship with my dad. Those months honestly were the hardest months of my life since graduating high school.
Most people entering into adulthood with father issues have their father present or at least alive. If they choose, and if the father obliges, often there can be peace made and restoration brought to the relationship. Sometimes there isn't such peace and the relationship only gets worse. For me, my dad was gone. I have no doubt he was and is in heaven for his faith in and love for Jesus. But he was gone for my lifetime, and I was left to chase the ghost of my absent father. I had much childishness and immaturity yet to grow through and no help or direction in doing it...no earthly help that is...
My Dad - Part 1
This weekend, Rooftop continues our series on The Apostles' Creed. We are teaching through the creed as a means of covering the important foundational components of the Christian faith, and this week I am speaking on "God the Father Almighty". This will be interesting because I am living what I am teaching, and I am going to share the unabridged version here for the record and a more fuller understanding of my own search for my Father.
None of us first learns what "Father" is supposed to mean from a textbook nor from any other objective source. Rather from our earliest memories, we learned about "Father" from our own experiences with or without a father or father figure. So here you have a biblical truth "God as Father" and yet all of us come to this idea with our own misconceptions and presuppositions...all dependent on the nature of our relationship with our own fathers. This ranges from great to horrible and touches every possible reality in between as well.
For me personally, I have been on a father journey since my own dad died on December 1st, 1993. In the middle of the night, I received a call from my mom that my dad had died. He had been battling a rare heart disease he had contracted a couple years earlier. I was in the Marines at the time and would be promoted from Private First Class to Lance Corporal the following morning. I received my promotion and then got a plane ticket home from my duty station in Pensacola.
The almost 16 years since has been some kind of journey for me chasing the ghost of my father. You see, my father was a good man and he was a simple man. He did not want much from this life: God, his family, his workshops, his church, his hobbies; and that is what he had. I am his only son, and I am about as different from my dad as someone can be. As good a man as my dad was, willing to serve and help anyone who needed it, I had little to no relationship with my dad because he did not know how to relate to me beyond doing things for me which was his language of love.
This blog is difficult because my relationship with my dad was so erratic. I want to and need to honor him, and yet I also want to be honest about my journey, and as my father, he played a big role therein.
My dad had a very rough childhood. He was a very small boy who did not get his growth spurt until he was 20 years old...growing one foot in one year. He also suffered from a variation of dyslexia. And this was before there was good training in schools to deal with it appropriately. He never talked about it, but I can imagine being the smallest boy in 8th grade (being one of the smallest boys in 8th grade myself) and also having reading problems for no apparent reason and probably being called "stupid" by his classmates. Consequently, my father had to repeat both the 3rd and the 8th grades in order to graduate. From what I understand, 8th grade gym was the worst and oh...8th grade boys can be so brutal when they want to.
Ironically, my dad lost his dad when he was 25. Grandpa Zilkie had a massive heart attack while getting his hair cut at the barber shop in 1967. From what I was told, he, like my father, was not much of a communicator either, and so my dad very much was a product of his environment.
I share this because it is important to know the path my dad came from. And yet, that knowledge did little to help me in my adolescence when I found myself in the same or similar position as my father had found himself 32 years earlier. More on that later...
My dad coached my first soccer teams. He always drove me around on my paper route on Sunday mornings when the papers were too heavy to put on my bike. He spanked my butt for lying to him when I was in 3rd grade and was right in doing it. He did a lot of things for me and tried in many areas to support me. And yet though he was physically present in my life, he never talked with me about life...ever. And so I was a lonely, depressed, and confused young man who was destined to face the dangers of adolescence on my own, going without what I needed most...a loving father's wisdom, support, and help.
To this day, I love my dad, naming our oldest child after him, David Lawrence Zilkie II. And yet, I get so frustrated when I see the missed opportunities in his life and the consequences I and our family endured as a result. Beyond the age of 10, the only kind of communication I remember having with my dad was arguing and fighting. Constantly arguing about nothing, and boy, I could get him riled up some of the time. I also lost respect for my father and in some ways grew to be ashamed of him. This is a terrible thing and would break my heart if my children ever felt this way about me. I wonder how he felt? He never let us know...
(Part 2 tomorrow)
None of us first learns what "Father" is supposed to mean from a textbook nor from any other objective source. Rather from our earliest memories, we learned about "Father" from our own experiences with or without a father or father figure. So here you have a biblical truth "God as Father" and yet all of us come to this idea with our own misconceptions and presuppositions...all dependent on the nature of our relationship with our own fathers. This ranges from great to horrible and touches every possible reality in between as well.
For me personally, I have been on a father journey since my own dad died on December 1st, 1993. In the middle of the night, I received a call from my mom that my dad had died. He had been battling a rare heart disease he had contracted a couple years earlier. I was in the Marines at the time and would be promoted from Private First Class to Lance Corporal the following morning. I received my promotion and then got a plane ticket home from my duty station in Pensacola.
The almost 16 years since has been some kind of journey for me chasing the ghost of my father. You see, my father was a good man and he was a simple man. He did not want much from this life: God, his family, his workshops, his church, his hobbies; and that is what he had. I am his only son, and I am about as different from my dad as someone can be. As good a man as my dad was, willing to serve and help anyone who needed it, I had little to no relationship with my dad because he did not know how to relate to me beyond doing things for me which was his language of love.
This blog is difficult because my relationship with my dad was so erratic. I want to and need to honor him, and yet I also want to be honest about my journey, and as my father, he played a big role therein.
My dad had a very rough childhood. He was a very small boy who did not get his growth spurt until he was 20 years old...growing one foot in one year. He also suffered from a variation of dyslexia. And this was before there was good training in schools to deal with it appropriately. He never talked about it, but I can imagine being the smallest boy in 8th grade (being one of the smallest boys in 8th grade myself) and also having reading problems for no apparent reason and probably being called "stupid" by his classmates. Consequently, my father had to repeat both the 3rd and the 8th grades in order to graduate. From what I understand, 8th grade gym was the worst and oh...8th grade boys can be so brutal when they want to.
Ironically, my dad lost his dad when he was 25. Grandpa Zilkie had a massive heart attack while getting his hair cut at the barber shop in 1967. From what I was told, he, like my father, was not much of a communicator either, and so my dad very much was a product of his environment.
I share this because it is important to know the path my dad came from. And yet, that knowledge did little to help me in my adolescence when I found myself in the same or similar position as my father had found himself 32 years earlier. More on that later...
My dad coached my first soccer teams. He always drove me around on my paper route on Sunday mornings when the papers were too heavy to put on my bike. He spanked my butt for lying to him when I was in 3rd grade and was right in doing it. He did a lot of things for me and tried in many areas to support me. And yet though he was physically present in my life, he never talked with me about life...ever. And so I was a lonely, depressed, and confused young man who was destined to face the dangers of adolescence on my own, going without what I needed most...a loving father's wisdom, support, and help.
To this day, I love my dad, naming our oldest child after him, David Lawrence Zilkie II. And yet, I get so frustrated when I see the missed opportunities in his life and the consequences I and our family endured as a result. Beyond the age of 10, the only kind of communication I remember having with my dad was arguing and fighting. Constantly arguing about nothing, and boy, I could get him riled up some of the time. I also lost respect for my father and in some ways grew to be ashamed of him. This is a terrible thing and would break my heart if my children ever felt this way about me. I wonder how he felt? He never let us know...
(Part 2 tomorrow)
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Journey to Manhood
When I was a child I was part of a group similar to the boy scouts, but organized through my church called Christian Service Brigade. My dad was a leader and worked with the boys that came through for almost 30 years of his life. In addition to the weekly meetings involving working through a handbook, building various crafts (most of which Mr. Joe Hoover had come up with), and playing dodge ball in the gym, we would periodically go on weekend camp outs to various locations.
One of the regular activities we would take part in as young men was building a fire. There is something very exciting and dare I say "dangerous" about fire and it captures the imagination of many a boy...including myself. Although I was taught to build a fire as a kid, I would also like to light papers and things on fire in my old garage growing up as well. Mom and Dad didn't know and I never burned it down so I guess all is good.
After graduation from high school I got a job as a camp counselor in West Michigan at Camp Kaskitowa for the summer. One or our responsibilities was campfire each night and about my fourth or fifth day, I was put in charge of the fire for the evening. Thinking I remembered everything I needed to know about a fire I got all the little twigs and leaves...also known as kindling...and I put together a fire for the evening. I had these big logs stacked up nicely and the kindling underneath. Well I started the fire and the evening program began. Sadly, I had forgotten one thing...the medium size sticks and branches necessary to bridge the gap between the kindling and the logs...about 5 minutes into the the campfire the fire burnt out.
Well, the lead counselor had one of the guys go run and get the gasoline, they doused the wood, and it quickly was ablaze. After the campfire was over the leader pulled me aside and said, "Zilkie, you don't know how to build a fire?" I was embarrassed and felt as if my manhood was on the line. My punishment for screwing up the fire was the privilege of building the campfire for the next week. (Which was some work gathering all of the wood necessary to burn a big fire for an hour or so.)
Fast forward 17 years and we are vacationing a couple weeks ago at the Lake of the Ozarks. There is a beautiful fire pit and I see an opportunity. I will begin teaching my children how to build a fire...the right way...just in case they ever are in charge of "campfire" later in their life.
First I had them collect three different types of fuel (wood) to burn. Kindling...smaller sticks and branches, and finally the bigger wood where the real fire and heat come from...
After they had collected and put it in piles we began the building process placing the little twigs and paper at the bottom. We then laid the medium size sticks on top of those in a tee pee formation. Finally we gently laid the larger logs on top without knocking the other sticks down. I handed the match to David and let him strike it against the matchbox and...wala...fire. He gently lit the paper on fire and watched the chain reaction. The paper ignited the twigs, the twigs as they heated up ignited the sticks, and the sticks and they got hot ignited the logs...
...just how I should have done it 17 years ago at campfire that night. No lighter fluid, no gasoline, just good old fashioned fire building and they did a great job.
One of the regular activities we would take part in as young men was building a fire. There is something very exciting and dare I say "dangerous" about fire and it captures the imagination of many a boy...including myself. Although I was taught to build a fire as a kid, I would also like to light papers and things on fire in my old garage growing up as well. Mom and Dad didn't know and I never burned it down so I guess all is good.
After graduation from high school I got a job as a camp counselor in West Michigan at Camp Kaskitowa for the summer. One or our responsibilities was campfire each night and about my fourth or fifth day, I was put in charge of the fire for the evening. Thinking I remembered everything I needed to know about a fire I got all the little twigs and leaves...also known as kindling...and I put together a fire for the evening. I had these big logs stacked up nicely and the kindling underneath. Well I started the fire and the evening program began. Sadly, I had forgotten one thing...the medium size sticks and branches necessary to bridge the gap between the kindling and the logs...about 5 minutes into the the campfire the fire burnt out.
Well, the lead counselor had one of the guys go run and get the gasoline, they doused the wood, and it quickly was ablaze. After the campfire was over the leader pulled me aside and said, "Zilkie, you don't know how to build a fire?" I was embarrassed and felt as if my manhood was on the line. My punishment for screwing up the fire was the privilege of building the campfire for the next week. (Which was some work gathering all of the wood necessary to burn a big fire for an hour or so.)
Fast forward 17 years and we are vacationing a couple weeks ago at the Lake of the Ozarks. There is a beautiful fire pit and I see an opportunity. I will begin teaching my children how to build a fire...the right way...just in case they ever are in charge of "campfire" later in their life.
First I had them collect three different types of fuel (wood) to burn. Kindling...smaller sticks and branches, and finally the bigger wood where the real fire and heat come from...
After they had collected and put it in piles we began the building process placing the little twigs and paper at the bottom. We then laid the medium size sticks on top of those in a tee pee formation. Finally we gently laid the larger logs on top without knocking the other sticks down. I handed the match to David and let him strike it against the matchbox and...wala...fire. He gently lit the paper on fire and watched the chain reaction. The paper ignited the twigs, the twigs as they heated up ignited the sticks, and the sticks and they got hot ignited the logs...
...just how I should have done it 17 years ago at campfire that night. No lighter fluid, no gasoline, just good old fashioned fire building and they did a great job.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
...4 Months
Back in March one of my first posts was called "4 Days". That is the story of how we sold our home in Michigan in 4 days in a horrendous housing market and still got a little above what we were realistically expecting on the sales price. Well...
As of Thursday evening, we have a purchase agreement on our new home here in St. Louis. there are 4-6 weeks ahead of work to do before we close and then additional work to do before it is move-in ready. But we are thrilled and are so thankful for God's provision.
Instead of 4 Days, it took us "4 Months" to find the home that had all the "stuff" we felt was important for our growing family in this next Zilkie Home. Most importantly...
Near work - Our prayer was within 5 miles of the Rooftop building, we got 10 houses down the road...walking distance!!!
Reasonable Price - Finding a suitable 4 bedroom home here in St. Louis with all our "fixins" that didn't break our budget was not easy. We were having to look at homes way out of our realistic price range and were concerned how the financing would work out. We ended up within our predetermined range and budgeted allotment for a home purchase.
Big Yard - since our kids school at home, we needed some room for them to run, play, throw, catch, swing, and most importantly to David.."a yard that can hold my BIG KICKS" (as he told us he is getting bigger and our current yard can't hold his kicks and the ball keeps going into the neighbors yard). Our home is on an ACRE lot in the middle of the city of Affton...a real find for sure and plenty big for his "big kicks".
In fact, Julie made a list before we began of the things she felt we wanted and needed in our home and she prayed diligently over that list these past 4 months. It took some time, but our needs were provided for. Humble, God-focused, open-handed prayer is still and will always be both powerful and effective. God loves to engage us and our lives through our prayers to Him, both the "yes"s and the "no"s. In both cases, if we are praying, we come away knowing Him better and isn't that the MOST important thing???
Since we are on the subject we do ask for your prayers on everything working out up to and through the closing the end of September. In the meantime feel free to join us in thanking God for his many gifts to us...both the enjoyable ones (like our new home) and the struggles where we are separated from our flesh and our personal desires and are forced to lean on Him or crumble under the pressure.
We are so very excited to open up the Zilkie home very soon for some great dinners, great games in the "huge" yard, great parties and BBQs, lodging for distant travelers, and share with others the goodness God has so graciously shared with us.
As of Thursday evening, we have a purchase agreement on our new home here in St. Louis. there are 4-6 weeks ahead of work to do before we close and then additional work to do before it is move-in ready. But we are thrilled and are so thankful for God's provision.
Instead of 4 Days, it took us "4 Months" to find the home that had all the "stuff" we felt was important for our growing family in this next Zilkie Home. Most importantly...
Near work - Our prayer was within 5 miles of the Rooftop building, we got 10 houses down the road...walking distance!!!
Reasonable Price - Finding a suitable 4 bedroom home here in St. Louis with all our "fixins" that didn't break our budget was not easy. We were having to look at homes way out of our realistic price range and were concerned how the financing would work out. We ended up within our predetermined range and budgeted allotment for a home purchase.
Big Yard - since our kids school at home, we needed some room for them to run, play, throw, catch, swing, and most importantly to David.."a yard that can hold my BIG KICKS" (as he told us he is getting bigger and our current yard can't hold his kicks and the ball keeps going into the neighbors yard). Our home is on an ACRE lot in the middle of the city of Affton...a real find for sure and plenty big for his "big kicks".
In fact, Julie made a list before we began of the things she felt we wanted and needed in our home and she prayed diligently over that list these past 4 months. It took some time, but our needs were provided for. Humble, God-focused, open-handed prayer is still and will always be both powerful and effective. God loves to engage us and our lives through our prayers to Him, both the "yes"s and the "no"s. In both cases, if we are praying, we come away knowing Him better and isn't that the MOST important thing???
Since we are on the subject we do ask for your prayers on everything working out up to and through the closing the end of September. In the meantime feel free to join us in thanking God for his many gifts to us...both the enjoyable ones (like our new home) and the struggles where we are separated from our flesh and our personal desires and are forced to lean on Him or crumble under the pressure.
We are so very excited to open up the Zilkie home very soon for some great dinners, great games in the "huge" yard, great parties and BBQs, lodging for distant travelers, and share with others the goodness God has so graciously shared with us.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Our First St. Louis Vacation
This past week the Zilkie family took their first vacation since moving to Missouri and spent the week at the Lake of the Ozarks. This lake is a man-made lake like many of the little ponds and lakes all across southern Michigan where Julie and I grew up and lived most of our lives. So when I received the offer to stay at a friends home there for our vacation, we gladly took them up on it. Our friends the Smiths have a nice house on a "man-made" lake back in Michigan and it is a fun little place for the kids to go and play...
Just like we didn't know what a "float trip" was or what "trivia night" was, so too "man made" means something completely different here in Missouri. As opposed to some bulldozers clearning out a big pit several acres big to make a lake...here in Missouri, they just build a dam, flood a river valley raising the water level 100 feet, and call the huge expanded river a lake and a massive one at that that. (Click here for map)
We had a good week and these are Jonathan's top 4 events from the week:
1. Watching all 11 episodes of Planet Earth together over a 7 day period
2. Going swimming in the lake
3. Ice cream and other treats
4. Papa reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" to the boys for the first time.
At least I made his top 4....
(Those receiving the email must click on the blog to view pictures.)
Eating Smores
Bagnell Dam
Julie and Selah at a picnic lunch
Zeke at McDs playland...loves the slide
The Family...and yes Zeke is pulling Jonathan's hair...love our family!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just like we didn't know what a "float trip" was or what "trivia night" was, so too "man made" means something completely different here in Missouri. As opposed to some bulldozers clearning out a big pit several acres big to make a lake...here in Missouri, they just build a dam, flood a river valley raising the water level 100 feet, and call the huge expanded river a lake and a massive one at that that. (Click here for map)
We had a good week and these are Jonathan's top 4 events from the week:
1. Watching all 11 episodes of Planet Earth together over a 7 day period
2. Going swimming in the lake
3. Ice cream and other treats
4. Papa reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" to the boys for the first time.
At least I made his top 4....
(Those receiving the email must click on the blog to view pictures.)
Eating Smores
Bagnell Dam
Julie and Selah at a picnic lunch
Zeke at McDs playland...loves the slide
The Family...and yes Zeke is pulling Jonathan's hair...love our family!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A little break...
It has been several weeks since my last post and the longest break I have taken since starting this blog earlier this year. I am actually sitting in the break room at a church west of St. Louis attending the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. This is an annual leadership conference hosted by Willow Creek which is located in the suburbs of Chicago. There are hundreds of satellite locations around North America and the world which host this conferences via simulcast. I attended my first in Grand Rapids in 2001 and every one thereafter until 2006. After leaving Kentwood Community Church in 2006 (which was a host site as well), I had not attended one since. So here, three years later I am back and as usual Bill Hybels opened the Summit with his leadership message and as usual, it was very good and a shot in the arm in regard to leadership.
On a side note, we Zilkies are planning a little get-a-way here soon as well. Also, the 100 days mark is almost upon us so there is much to write and reflect upon as the summer winds down in the next month. In the meantime, it is good to be back engaging you my blogging friends and I will be back soon...
On a side note, we Zilkies are planning a little get-a-way here soon as well. Also, the 100 days mark is almost upon us so there is much to write and reflect upon as the summer winds down in the next month. In the meantime, it is good to be back engaging you my blogging friends and I will be back soon...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Update on David
Well we have some news on David and he would like to tell it to you himself.
(If you get the email you are going to have to click on the blog to watch it.)
If you want to see the longer interview with David you can watch it here
As far as Julie goes, her post-delivery issues have not been noticed for many weeks and the Stratus which was stolen around Memorial Day is up and running for less than what we were initially told, $600 instead of $1,000.
Tonight, the Zilkies sleep in peace. Thanks for you prayers and especially for David. This has been huge for him and his spiritual journey.
(If you get the email you are going to have to click on the blog to watch it.)
If you want to see the longer interview with David you can watch it here
As far as Julie goes, her post-delivery issues have not been noticed for many weeks and the Stratus which was stolen around Memorial Day is up and running for less than what we were initially told, $600 instead of $1,000.
Tonight, the Zilkies sleep in peace. Thanks for you prayers and especially for David. This has been huge for him and his spiritual journey.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
100 Days Update - Day 76
It has been over a week since I posted. Things got busy here over the holiday. We will have an update on David's hip and well being in the next couple days as well.
After 76 Days how are things going?
After 76 Days how are things going?
- We are still looking for a permanent home, but enjoying our time on Gresham and our neighbors. David, Jonathan, and Caroline all are making friends and engaging the neighbors on our side of the road and even across the street. (I am not sure how that is happening).
- Things at Rooftop are going well. I am meeting with the ministry team leaders and small group leaders and starting to get in a groove. I have spoken twice at the weekend service so far and will be back up again in August.
- I am enjoying getting to know Jason and Matt, my coworkers here at Rooftop. They both have neat families and we are planning a staff family day next week which will be a ton of fun.
- I am doing well spiritually as well and have found several kindred spirits to meet with and pray together on a regular basis. This is so important for so many reasons and is something I did not have at my last church.
- I am really enjoying seeing God at work in the lives of my Rooftop family. Hearing about God's working in their lives and hearts on various levels, challenging them to a more fervent pursuit of God on a narrower path, energizes me every single time.
- Update on David and the family and our previous struggles later this week...
Thank you to all of you who read, follow along, and pray for us here in St. Louis.
Here is a little reminder of God's love for you and for me...enjoy and peace of Chist to you...
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"The Light Shines in the Darkness"
I taught this past Sunday, July 5th; the 3rd message in a 13 week series on 1 John called "Summer of Love". The passage I taught from is 1 John 1:8 - 2:2 (5 verses). Click the title to listen: "A Light Shines in the Darkness"
You can check out www.rooftop.org for the previous 2 messages...
You can check out www.rooftop.org for the previous 2 messages...
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Facebook, Irony, and the Brink Family
I don't know if I am different than most people, but I remember incredible details from my childhood and very specific events and thoughts I had during that time. Facebook, for those of you who are on it, has opened up a new door to reconnecting with all kinds of people from our past. Many people find this exercise a waste of time and energy. I find it somewhat nostalgic and also enjoy reflecting on who I was as a child and what I thought about people and the world. This is especially significant as I am now grown and have five children of my own who look at people and the world much differently than I do at 34, and yet I see how significant and formative the childhood thoughts they are having today can and will be.
One example of this is my reconnecting with a bunch of people whose families attended the church I went to when I was young. Growing up, my church was most of my life and I viewed all of my church family very highly, even if I didn't know them. Many of the people I am connecting with were older than me by 3 to 6 years and knew of me, but more likely knew me through my sister Heather who is almost 5 years older than me. What they don't know is that as a child I looked up to the older kids very much and held them in a very high regard. Even today as I connect with them through Facebook, I feel an affinity with them that they don't necessarily feel with me. I am the brat kid brother of Heather ...which sadly was true on many accounts. Yet, this connection from my youth is still important to me and I appreciate the opportunity to interact with them, feeble and shallow as it might seem.
Then there are the important people from my youth, one of whom I just connected with yesterday through Facebook. Growing up I did not spend much time in my home unless I was watching TV or playing video games. Mostly, I was wandering about my hometown of Romeo, Michigan on my bike, filling my days with whatever. During the summers especially, I was always looking for things to fill my time. Somewhere along the way I met the Brink family who lived just three blocks away. Their dad was a minister in the Southern Baptist Church, and had been assigned to the church in our town. They were a "large" family with five kids from somewhere down south, had accents we made fun of from time to time, and they didn't have a TV. No doubt about it...they were weird...or so I thought.
Mr. and Mrs. Brink were very stable and solid people. Mrs. Brink was very generous and kind and who knows how many meals I mooched off of them and her over the years. Eric, who was in my grade, and his brothers would join me in all kinds of imaginative games and make-believe...you know, stuff kids should do more of these days. We formed clubs of various kinds that met in the back of our crazy garage/barn which used to be a "chicken coop". We played football, baseball, kickball, and many other sports games together. Some mornings, I would be over to their house before they had breakfast. They were a great family and their home was a good place for me to dwell as a child. God definitely placed them in my adolescent life for a purpose I would not see until all these years later.
Sadly, as I grew older and succumbed to the peer pressures of junior high and trying to be cool (which I wasn't), I began to scorn Eric and their family. Because they were different, and by different I mean kind, unified as a family, respectful to their parents, and less affluent, I decided I was better than they were at some level. Ironically enough, my junior high years were very lonely and sad years in my life, as I felt disconnected from family, friends, God, just about everyone. Adolescence can be such a hard time, and especially if a child has no trustworthy source to talk with and help guide them through, and even then it is still filled with challenges. I reconnected with Eric a little through morning basketball in high school but never really reengaged him nor his family again. We graduated from high school, their family moved away to a new assignment out west and I never saw them again, but thought of them from time to time over the years.
Then Eric shows up on Facebook this week and my mind wanders back to all the memories and childhood events that involved him and his family in my life. What was "weird" to me back then is now my life...five kids, a TV that is rarely used in our home, a choice to live less affluently, and my serving as a pastor...just like his father did. Even as I write this, I am amazed at what has transpired and how we are the Brink family, except that our accent is more nasally than theirs was. I will forward this link on to Eric and his siblings and ask that he forward it on to his parents as well. They should know of the impact their home and ministry had, albeit abstract and unknown to me at the time. I am so thankful for the "different" family that lived on the corner of Benjamin and Main Street next to the old white church in town. I hope that we Zilkies might be a refuge to a young "Jeremy" out there, who needs a safe and loving place to rest and receive the unconditional love of Jesus, even as their world is filled with challenges and dangers they aren't quite sure how to navigate.
One example of this is my reconnecting with a bunch of people whose families attended the church I went to when I was young. Growing up, my church was most of my life and I viewed all of my church family very highly, even if I didn't know them. Many of the people I am connecting with were older than me by 3 to 6 years and knew of me, but more likely knew me through my sister Heather who is almost 5 years older than me. What they don't know is that as a child I looked up to the older kids very much and held them in a very high regard. Even today as I connect with them through Facebook, I feel an affinity with them that they don't necessarily feel with me. I am the brat kid brother of Heather ...which sadly was true on many accounts. Yet, this connection from my youth is still important to me and I appreciate the opportunity to interact with them, feeble and shallow as it might seem.
Then there are the important people from my youth, one of whom I just connected with yesterday through Facebook. Growing up I did not spend much time in my home unless I was watching TV or playing video games. Mostly, I was wandering about my hometown of Romeo, Michigan on my bike, filling my days with whatever. During the summers especially, I was always looking for things to fill my time. Somewhere along the way I met the Brink family who lived just three blocks away. Their dad was a minister in the Southern Baptist Church, and had been assigned to the church in our town. They were a "large" family with five kids from somewhere down south, had accents we made fun of from time to time, and they didn't have a TV. No doubt about it...they were weird...or so I thought.
Mr. and Mrs. Brink were very stable and solid people. Mrs. Brink was very generous and kind and who knows how many meals I mooched off of them and her over the years. Eric, who was in my grade, and his brothers would join me in all kinds of imaginative games and make-believe...you know, stuff kids should do more of these days. We formed clubs of various kinds that met in the back of our crazy garage/barn which used to be a "chicken coop". We played football, baseball, kickball, and many other sports games together. Some mornings, I would be over to their house before they had breakfast. They were a great family and their home was a good place for me to dwell as a child. God definitely placed them in my adolescent life for a purpose I would not see until all these years later.
Sadly, as I grew older and succumbed to the peer pressures of junior high and trying to be cool (which I wasn't), I began to scorn Eric and their family. Because they were different, and by different I mean kind, unified as a family, respectful to their parents, and less affluent, I decided I was better than they were at some level. Ironically enough, my junior high years were very lonely and sad years in my life, as I felt disconnected from family, friends, God, just about everyone. Adolescence can be such a hard time, and especially if a child has no trustworthy source to talk with and help guide them through, and even then it is still filled with challenges. I reconnected with Eric a little through morning basketball in high school but never really reengaged him nor his family again. We graduated from high school, their family moved away to a new assignment out west and I never saw them again, but thought of them from time to time over the years.
Then Eric shows up on Facebook this week and my mind wanders back to all the memories and childhood events that involved him and his family in my life. What was "weird" to me back then is now my life...five kids, a TV that is rarely used in our home, a choice to live less affluently, and my serving as a pastor...just like his father did. Even as I write this, I am amazed at what has transpired and how we are the Brink family, except that our accent is more nasally than theirs was. I will forward this link on to Eric and his siblings and ask that he forward it on to his parents as well. They should know of the impact their home and ministry had, albeit abstract and unknown to me at the time. I am so thankful for the "different" family that lived on the corner of Benjamin and Main Street next to the old white church in town. I hope that we Zilkies might be a refuge to a young "Jeremy" out there, who needs a safe and loving place to rest and receive the unconditional love of Jesus, even as their world is filled with challenges and dangers they aren't quite sure how to navigate.
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Good Day
Yesterday was a very full day for me and a very good one as well. Let's recap...
Early Sunday morning Julie left on a trip back to Michigan to see my sister, brother-in-law, and their newborn daughter, Ruby...their first child. We had hoped to see little Ruby before we left, but God's timing in bringing us to STL did not coincide as she was not born until June. We are so excited for Katie and Kent and I was thrilled to see Julie go and spend several days with them. Katie and Kent have been a great aunt and uncle to our children. Our other siblings, my sister Heather and Julie's sister Jodi are good aunts, but have children of their own and lived some distance away from us when we were in Grand Rapids. Yet Katie and Kent regularly made the trip out to our home and blessed us each time they came. The fact that they did not have children of their own increased their flexibility for sure. Now that they have their first child, we are sad that we will not be able to shower them with love and support in being the great aunt and uncle they have been. They are going to be great parents for sure!!! So we sent our Zilkie ambassador, namely Julie and her attendant Selah, on a three day trip to Detroit.
The other positive is that Julie can use the break as she has been stretched thin these past couple months since moving into a temporary home here in STL. She is doing great and taking great care of our home, but this time away for her is good. In the meantime, I get to watch our four oldest by myself for three days...which is a blast. Sunday afternoon we made pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese...and a slice of buttered bread. Not fancy, but a perennial favorite with the kids...and a meal that Julie would never dream of serving. In fact David said that it was his "favorite noodles". Sometimes simple is best. Then this morning we were up, fed, and at the zoo by 8 a.m. There was nobody there and it was great. We saw the penguins and puffins, touched the stingrays, walked through the bird sanctuary, reptile house, monkey house, and insectarium. We had 2 full hours of zoo fun and were out of there by 10 a.m. when the crowds started showing up. Also, David and Jonathan watched Star Wars for the first time yesterday afternoon. Then today they watched Empire Strikes Back for the first time and they want to finish off the trilogy tomorrow afternoon with Return of the Jedi. They are mesmerized by the movies, the larger than life characters, and they remind me of what it was like to watch those films when I was a child when they were first released. It has been a very cool time.
The second thing that was special yesterday was being part of a baptism for a neat woman and sister in Christ named Claire. Claire is the fifth child in a family of 17. Her mother Rita gave birth to 17 children in 20 years and did not have any multiples. Pretty amazing. Claire is now in her 50s with three grown daughters of her own and has a beautiful faith in God that only really took hold about three years ago. Claire grew up in a strongly denominational church-going family. Her parents were amazing people and sought to impart their faith into the lives of their children as best they could. However, with 17 kids, odds are some might not "get it" from the start. Well with many of her family and friends present yesterday, Claire got up in the service and read the story of her spiritual journey. It is a beautiful one. Her eldest daughter is the one who actually pursued her heart and was the lynch-pin for her finally seeing and believing in Jesus for herself three years ago. Not only that, but Claire is now heavily involved in the life of Rooftop and in the lives of her three girls as a loving and godly mother and grandmother. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations as we talked about her spiritual journey and what she wanted to share before being baptized. The water in the baptismal was cold, but the warmth of support and love in the room from Rooftoppers, her family and friends, and the blessing of God's presence more than made up for it.
Finally, I met with a bunch of Rooftoppers who volunteer their time and energy to serve our church community. We are planning a big fall serving event that will hopefully accomplish much in line with God's will for our church and for our community. There are more details to come, but it will be successful because of the great servants and volunteers God has placed at Rooftop.
Yes, yesterday was a good day. I continually get excited to think of the many like it that, Lord willing, are yet to come.
Early Sunday morning Julie left on a trip back to Michigan to see my sister, brother-in-law, and their newborn daughter, Ruby...their first child. We had hoped to see little Ruby before we left, but God's timing in bringing us to STL did not coincide as she was not born until June. We are so excited for Katie and Kent and I was thrilled to see Julie go and spend several days with them. Katie and Kent have been a great aunt and uncle to our children. Our other siblings, my sister Heather and Julie's sister Jodi are good aunts, but have children of their own and lived some distance away from us when we were in Grand Rapids. Yet Katie and Kent regularly made the trip out to our home and blessed us each time they came. The fact that they did not have children of their own increased their flexibility for sure. Now that they have their first child, we are sad that we will not be able to shower them with love and support in being the great aunt and uncle they have been. They are going to be great parents for sure!!! So we sent our Zilkie ambassador, namely Julie and her attendant Selah, on a three day trip to Detroit.
The other positive is that Julie can use the break as she has been stretched thin these past couple months since moving into a temporary home here in STL. She is doing great and taking great care of our home, but this time away for her is good. In the meantime, I get to watch our four oldest by myself for three days...which is a blast. Sunday afternoon we made pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese...and a slice of buttered bread. Not fancy, but a perennial favorite with the kids...and a meal that Julie would never dream of serving. In fact David said that it was his "favorite noodles". Sometimes simple is best. Then this morning we were up, fed, and at the zoo by 8 a.m. There was nobody there and it was great. We saw the penguins and puffins, touched the stingrays, walked through the bird sanctuary, reptile house, monkey house, and insectarium. We had 2 full hours of zoo fun and were out of there by 10 a.m. when the crowds started showing up. Also, David and Jonathan watched Star Wars for the first time yesterday afternoon. Then today they watched Empire Strikes Back for the first time and they want to finish off the trilogy tomorrow afternoon with Return of the Jedi. They are mesmerized by the movies, the larger than life characters, and they remind me of what it was like to watch those films when I was a child when they were first released. It has been a very cool time.
The second thing that was special yesterday was being part of a baptism for a neat woman and sister in Christ named Claire. Claire is the fifth child in a family of 17. Her mother Rita gave birth to 17 children in 20 years and did not have any multiples. Pretty amazing. Claire is now in her 50s with three grown daughters of her own and has a beautiful faith in God that only really took hold about three years ago. Claire grew up in a strongly denominational church-going family. Her parents were amazing people and sought to impart their faith into the lives of their children as best they could. However, with 17 kids, odds are some might not "get it" from the start. Well with many of her family and friends present yesterday, Claire got up in the service and read the story of her spiritual journey. It is a beautiful one. Her eldest daughter is the one who actually pursued her heart and was the lynch-pin for her finally seeing and believing in Jesus for herself three years ago. Not only that, but Claire is now heavily involved in the life of Rooftop and in the lives of her three girls as a loving and godly mother and grandmother. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations as we talked about her spiritual journey and what she wanted to share before being baptized. The water in the baptismal was cold, but the warmth of support and love in the room from Rooftoppers, her family and friends, and the blessing of God's presence more than made up for it.
Finally, I met with a bunch of Rooftoppers who volunteer their time and energy to serve our church community. We are planning a big fall serving event that will hopefully accomplish much in line with God's will for our church and for our community. There are more details to come, but it will be successful because of the great servants and volunteers God has placed at Rooftop.
Yes, yesterday was a good day. I continually get excited to think of the many like it that, Lord willing, are yet to come.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Trusting God
As Julie and I continue to settle into life here in St. Louis and at Rooftop we often find ourselves reflecting back on our journey in getting here. The other day we both looked back on all of the churches where we applied to throughout 2008 and the numerous ministry positions which we made the final 10, final 5, and on several occasions the final 2 or 3. Yet at each point we were told, "sorry, we are going in a different direction." I remember the feeling in my gut when I heard that after months of pursuing each of these different positions, once again this was a closed door. We got used to, and even pretty good at being rejected with grace and also with inquisitive questions as to what we were lacking.
There was a church in Grand Rapids which we were one of the final 3 candidates and getting all the right signs from them. It looked very promising after our on-site interview and we were getting quite excited and then a week later...they went silent. Our family attended their service that weekend and the previous enthusiasm we had seen had been replaced with a polite "hello" followed by a little awkwardness. A week later we hear that they had gone with the dark horse candidate who took the interview process by storm and ultimately took the position.
There was another church in the Houston area that we traveled to for a formal interview. It was between me and an older gentleman. The church had a choice of the younger, passionate, and somewhat "risky" Jeremy or the older, established, stable (other guy). We had a lot to offer that church and community in connecting better with younger people and families and I thought we were going to get that offer. In fact, although Julie wasn't sold on the church I kept telling her that if they offered us we should accept. However, if I am honest, I was saying "yes" for many of the wrong reasons. We would have been repeating some of the problems we faced at our previous church that were related to how we "fit" with the church culture, and yet I was feeling desperate. It was pretty much a coin flip and they chose the other guy. You can only wonder what would have happened had they said yes and how different so many things would be.
There was even one church in Tennessee who after speaking with their two lead pastors decided that they were going in a different direction as well. When I asked them about other candidates and what they had found, they said, "oh, there are no other candidates, we just don't feel like you would be a good fit." Ouch! I had been rejected before, but at least someone had bested me for the position...in this case I lost out to nobody which is much worse.
But it was after the Houston visit in November that things changed for me and for our family. Around Thanksgiving God convicted me of some sinful thoughts and beliefs of mine that were rooted in fear and lacking faith. This was very startling to me as I realized it and led me to fast for an extended period of time in hopes that God would straighten me out. After the fast, heading into 2009, everything had changed. My heart had been renewed and Julie and I had been freed from the process of looking for a church. We were now down to one ministry position (Rooftop) and had decided that if Rooftop didn't work, God was closing the ministry door. In addition to that, I was no longer desperate to get back into vocational ministry. If Rooftop didn't work, then into the marketplace we would stay and likely move back to the Detroit area.
Yet, God had a plan and we had been given freedom from the Holy Spirit. Freedom to say "yes" or "no", based on what God wanted and not what we "needed" to transpire. It was a much different process for us which led to a little drama in the final weeks of the interveiw process here at Rooftop before being offered the position. In our desire to walk this different path, we made some contrarian decisions which contirbuted to the previously mentioned "drama". Ultimately, God is faithful and worked it out for His glory as we authentically sought to seek and obey Him. He can be trusted. The real question is, to what lengths will we go and what will we give up to show our trust in Him?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Family Update
There is a reason we call him among other names..."big face"
Julie taught David to read last fall and he has really taken off and is doing so well. Since then Jonathan has wanted to learn and Julie told him she would teach him this fall. He did not want to wait. Between his own initiative and David's tutoring, Jonathan is teaching himself to read and is doing quite well. Here is a picture of a very common occurrence in our home...the boys combing over a nature book and memorizing all of the zoological information inside as David helps Jonathan read and access the "vital" information on the pages.
Our three little ones hanging out in the rocking chair.
Little girl is starting to grow up...adorable indeed!
Climbing the neighbor's tree. We love our neighborhood!!!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Reality Check
Ever since joining the Marines at 18, running has been a part of my life. Although never a great runner, I have been a strong runner and have loved the challenge of competing against my fellow Marines at the various levels of physical training we would be required to do. In order to excel at my Physical Fitness Tests, which were considered in my promotions, I would go out and run on my own. Some of my favorite runs were the hard runs up various hills, and specifically a hill called "KT or Kansas Tower" on the Marine base in Hawaii. This was the highest point on the base, not counting the rifle range, and from it you can see much of the windward side of Oahu. This hill would separate the runners from the pretenders by seeing who could make it up the whole way without stopping? I loved this hill and I loved the challenge of getting to the top without stopping. I loved the challenge of racing against the guys in my unit to be the first to the top and I sometimes was. It definitely fueled my competitive fire.
Here is the view from the ocean...
And here is the view from Kansas Tower looking out over the golf course into the Pacific Ocean. (I don't know the gentlemen in the picture, sorry...)
Well, that was 12 years ago, and here in St. Louis I am beginning to face the reality that everyone faces as they grow older. I have mapped out a 3 mile run here in South Hampton where I live that starts at my house and goes out and around Francis Park and then back to our home. I have now run the course four times and I still have not been able to complete the 3 mile run without stopping, yet...
I will get to the point soon when this run is really no problem. However that day has not yet come and it is definitely taking longer than it ever has before. Tonight, talking to Julie I realized I am getting older. Being 34 is different than being 24. Although in my mind I am still that 20 year old Marine running up Kansas Tower, my body is telling me something different. I must be patient and allow my 34 year old body to adjust and adapt to what I am asking of it. This is a hard reality to accept.
One of the things I do love about running is the pain and discomfort is causes me, as strange as that sounds. I find that when I am hurting and uncomfortable I am much more focused and fervent in my conversation with God. Recently my prayer has been, "Oh God, please give me self control the next time I want to stuff my face with dessert and help me to remember the price I am paying now for that dessert I just had and the one in the near future." But as this fades and running gets easier, I hope and plan to pray for my sharpness of mind and spirit and also for the neighborhoods and the streets that I am running. Julie and I really want to bloom where God plants us, and we want to be a blessing as God has blessed us.
Physical exercise has always been helpful and a beneficial component of my spiritual life. Moreover, Francis park is such a beautiful park to run around and the neighborhoods of South Hampton are beautiful neighborhoods. We really are blessed here on Gresham and want to live life to the fullest today. Even as we look to buying a home in the near future, we do not do so without considering God's desire for us here. We love being neighbors and learning to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the second greatest commandment after all, right? That was my prayer tonight as I closed up my run, "Father, teach me to love as You love." That is who we are as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. We are God's ambassadors of love. In spite of my pain and discomfort from the run, this truth was the greater reality check.
Here is the view from the ocean...
And here is the view from Kansas Tower looking out over the golf course into the Pacific Ocean. (I don't know the gentlemen in the picture, sorry...)
Well, that was 12 years ago, and here in St. Louis I am beginning to face the reality that everyone faces as they grow older. I have mapped out a 3 mile run here in South Hampton where I live that starts at my house and goes out and around Francis Park and then back to our home. I have now run the course four times and I still have not been able to complete the 3 mile run without stopping, yet...
I will get to the point soon when this run is really no problem. However that day has not yet come and it is definitely taking longer than it ever has before. Tonight, talking to Julie I realized I am getting older. Being 34 is different than being 24. Although in my mind I am still that 20 year old Marine running up Kansas Tower, my body is telling me something different. I must be patient and allow my 34 year old body to adjust and adapt to what I am asking of it. This is a hard reality to accept.
One of the things I do love about running is the pain and discomfort is causes me, as strange as that sounds. I find that when I am hurting and uncomfortable I am much more focused and fervent in my conversation with God. Recently my prayer has been, "Oh God, please give me self control the next time I want to stuff my face with dessert and help me to remember the price I am paying now for that dessert I just had and the one in the near future." But as this fades and running gets easier, I hope and plan to pray for my sharpness of mind and spirit and also for the neighborhoods and the streets that I am running. Julie and I really want to bloom where God plants us, and we want to be a blessing as God has blessed us.
Physical exercise has always been helpful and a beneficial component of my spiritual life. Moreover, Francis park is such a beautiful park to run around and the neighborhoods of South Hampton are beautiful neighborhoods. We really are blessed here on Gresham and want to live life to the fullest today. Even as we look to buying a home in the near future, we do not do so without considering God's desire for us here. We love being neighbors and learning to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the second greatest commandment after all, right? That was my prayer tonight as I closed up my run, "Father, teach me to love as You love." That is who we are as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. We are God's ambassadors of love. In spite of my pain and discomfort from the run, this truth was the greater reality check.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Update on David, Julie & the Car
For those of you following along with our life via the blog, you know the past several weeks have been very intense to say the least. In a matter of days our car was stolen, Julie had some major health concerns related to Selah's birth, and David had severe pain in his hip without a fall or accident of any kind.
In response to all of this, we prayed and many of you prayed...and this evening we have a very positive update.
Julie saw a doctor and although there is a small piece of the placenta remaining, her health and iron level is high enough for them to be patient and see if things correct themselves in time. Along with that her bleeding has diminished and there has been no trace of blood for 5 days now which is very encouraging.
The car has been cleaned, the console fixed, and is operable again. There is no radio and the A/C was damaged slightly, but it is running well and for half of what we were told it would cost.
We are most thrilled for David, who after being prayed for last weekend at our church's worship night by several leaders and an elder in the church has his pain diminish over the weekend and has been completely pain free for several days. We have a follow up doctor's visit in July where the X-rays will tell us of any bone deformation, but for the time being things look and David is feeling good.
I am being reminded to ask God fervently in prayer for that which He has laid upon my heart. Sometimes I just "trust" God and assume He will do what He will do. Yet, this is not God's complete desire for me because He wants me to pursue Him and to keep pursuing Him. Ironically, Jacob wrestled with God in the book of Genesis and would not let go until God blessed Him. Finally, after a long night, God gave in and blessed Jacob. Yet, he touched Jacob on the hip and gave him a limp as a reminder that He had wrestled with God and won.
I don't know if we are completely out of the woods yet...we will see. I do know that God is "marking" this journey for David, for Julie and for myself. Today, David felt great and played chase with his brother Jonathan and sister Caroline. They had a blast and for that...today, we give thanks.
In response to all of this, we prayed and many of you prayed...and this evening we have a very positive update.
Julie saw a doctor and although there is a small piece of the placenta remaining, her health and iron level is high enough for them to be patient and see if things correct themselves in time. Along with that her bleeding has diminished and there has been no trace of blood for 5 days now which is very encouraging.
The car has been cleaned, the console fixed, and is operable again. There is no radio and the A/C was damaged slightly, but it is running well and for half of what we were told it would cost.
We are most thrilled for David, who after being prayed for last weekend at our church's worship night by several leaders and an elder in the church has his pain diminish over the weekend and has been completely pain free for several days. We have a follow up doctor's visit in July where the X-rays will tell us of any bone deformation, but for the time being things look and David is feeling good.
I am being reminded to ask God fervently in prayer for that which He has laid upon my heart. Sometimes I just "trust" God and assume He will do what He will do. Yet, this is not God's complete desire for me because He wants me to pursue Him and to keep pursuing Him. Ironically, Jacob wrestled with God in the book of Genesis and would not let go until God blessed Him. Finally, after a long night, God gave in and blessed Jacob. Yet, he touched Jacob on the hip and gave him a limp as a reminder that He had wrestled with God and won.
I don't know if we are completely out of the woods yet...we will see. I do know that God is "marking" this journey for David, for Julie and for myself. Today, David felt great and played chase with his brother Jonathan and sister Caroline. They had a blast and for that...today, we give thanks.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Looking For A Home
Since we arrived in St. Louis on April 29th, Julie and I have been looking for a home to permanently purchase and move our family into. Our life has not stopped, nor even settled with all of the events and occurrences that have taken place. Yet, we know that our current home is just temporary while we look for a place to land for years to come.
We want a home big enough for our growing family, a kitchen where Julie can work her "magic", and also a home where we can invite friends and family to come and stay with us for days at a time. Julie wants to buy a house that will fit comfortably in our budget and not overextend us, I also want to protect our budget, which we work very hard to maintain, but am willing to risk more for value and a good investment as well. We tend to come at this process from two slightly differing points of view.
We are now in our 6th week of looking for a home and haven't felt a peace about one yet. Some Julie has liked, and some I have liked, but we are not going to proceed with a home until we both agree and have peace that "the home" is what we desire and can honor God with. Most importantly, as we look at all of these homes and make these major life decisions, we try to remember that what makes a home is the lovingkindness and joy within the walls and not its size, location, or the interest rate you are paying on the mortgage. Presently, mortgage rates are going up and the days of 5% are probably long gone. How should this affect our search for a home??? It shouldn't!
It is so easy to fall into the pressures of American life: having a real nice home, paying the best rate, not missing the opportunity, and so on. Honestly though, that is the "tyranny of the urgent" and will never bring the peace and joy into a home that makes the home the special place it is supposed to be. Honestly, I feel some of that pressure to act quickly and you know what? Shame on me if I give in. Our God does not deal or depend on good interest rates or resale value in order to provide for His people or accomplish His will. Rather, he looks for these times in our lives to see how we will seek after Him, depend on Him, and grow closer to Him as we walk through life's tough decisions.
For those of you who feel pressure from the "tyranny of the urgent", do not worry, but rather entrust yourself and your family into the loving hands of a sovereign God. It sounds overly simple, but He clothes the lilies of the field, and He feeds the birds of the air. He has not forgotten about you and will provide for you as you entrust yourself to Him.
Psalm 34: 12-15
12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.
We want a home big enough for our growing family, a kitchen where Julie can work her "magic", and also a home where we can invite friends and family to come and stay with us for days at a time. Julie wants to buy a house that will fit comfortably in our budget and not overextend us, I also want to protect our budget, which we work very hard to maintain, but am willing to risk more for value and a good investment as well. We tend to come at this process from two slightly differing points of view.
We are now in our 6th week of looking for a home and haven't felt a peace about one yet. Some Julie has liked, and some I have liked, but we are not going to proceed with a home until we both agree and have peace that "the home" is what we desire and can honor God with. Most importantly, as we look at all of these homes and make these major life decisions, we try to remember that what makes a home is the lovingkindness and joy within the walls and not its size, location, or the interest rate you are paying on the mortgage. Presently, mortgage rates are going up and the days of 5% are probably long gone. How should this affect our search for a home??? It shouldn't!
It is so easy to fall into the pressures of American life: having a real nice home, paying the best rate, not missing the opportunity, and so on. Honestly though, that is the "tyranny of the urgent" and will never bring the peace and joy into a home that makes the home the special place it is supposed to be. Honestly, I feel some of that pressure to act quickly and you know what? Shame on me if I give in. Our God does not deal or depend on good interest rates or resale value in order to provide for His people or accomplish His will. Rather, he looks for these times in our lives to see how we will seek after Him, depend on Him, and grow closer to Him as we walk through life's tough decisions.
For those of you who feel pressure from the "tyranny of the urgent", do not worry, but rather entrust yourself and your family into the loving hands of a sovereign God. It sounds overly simple, but He clothes the lilies of the field, and He feeds the birds of the air. He has not forgotten about you and will provide for you as you entrust yourself to Him.
Psalm 34: 12-15
12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)