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Our “Thing”

January 2, 2012 in Family, Parenting with 33 Comments

Developing a intimate relationship with each one of my boys is something I work really hard at. I’m increasingly learning that each one of them is so unique. I’ve noticed that with each one of them there seems to be an environment where they are more apt to be open to significant conversations. I call this place our “thing.” It’s the activity or environment that makes your child feel loved,  invested in and connected to you.

With Gage, my middle son, right now it’s all about legos. If I’m playing legos with him he’ll talk to me for hours. With Jett, my oldest son, it’s all about hunting. We went hunting together for the first time last week. We created some unforgettable moments in the deer stand and he got his first deer!

Brewer is just five, but right now if I’ll let him play with my iPad he’ll sit in my lap for hours showing me how amazing his video game skills are.

The “thing” with each of them will change over time. What must not change is my pursuit.

What’s your “thing” with your kids these days? Do you remember what it was with your parents growing up?

 

 

A Few Of My Favorite Things

December 23, 2011 in Family, Holidays with 12 Comments

Here’s a few of my favorite pictures from this Christmas season. As always, I’m so thankful for you being a part of this blog community.

I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!!

Love you guys,

Pete

 

Grace Upon Grace

December 21, 2011 in Holidays, Spiritual Growth with 21 Comments

 

Read this amazing passage this morning that I wanted to share with you.

John 1: 14-18

14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15( John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

16And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

What a powerful verse reminding us of the beautiful miracle of Christmas. We have received “grace upon grace.” So powerful.

Reminds me of this quote from Fredrich Beuchner in Secrets in the Dark

Those who believe in God can never in a way be sure of Him again. Once they have seen him in a stable, they can never be sure where he will appear or to what lengths he will go or to what ludicrous depths of self-humiliation he will descend in his wild pursuit of man. If the holiness and awful power and majesty of God were present in this even, this birth of a peasant’s child, then there is no place or time so lowly and earthbound but that holiness can be present there also. And, this means that we are not safe, that there is no place where we can hide from God, no place where we are safe from his power to break in to and recreate the human heart because it is where he seems most helpless that He is most strong and just where we least expect Him that he comes most fully.

Part of the Christmas message is God telling his people, “You can’t predict me. I’ll show up anytime and anywhere. I’ll show up in the midst of the most unlikely circumstances and through the most unlikely people.”

Why?

Because I’m God and you’re not.

Have you seen God show up in any unlikely circumstances or through any unlikely people?

Your Person Of The Year

December 15, 2011 in Family, Leadership, My Family with 38 Comments

Well you’ve probably heard by now, but just in case you haven’t Time Magazine has named their person of the year for 2011. Drum roll please…it’s The Protester. Yep, the person of the year ended up actually being a group of the year. Obviously Time and I don’t agree since I just wrote a post a couple weeks ago entitled “Why I Don’t Protest” but to each his own. It’s actually a great article and they make some great points which probably prove me wrong.

I was even more intrigued with the story of William McRaven who was the runner up. What an amazing story!

But here’s what I’m really interested in. Who’s your person of the year?  Who’s the person who had a huge impact on your this past year. Was it a pastor, an author, a teacher, a friend, or maybe a family member?  I would love to hear.

Mine?

I’m going to go with my wife Brandi.

Yesterday was our 15th wedding anniversary and I spent a lot of time thinking about just how blessed I am. She’s obviously meant a lot to me over the past 15 years but she has meant more to me this year than ever before.

This woman puts up with a lot. Her patience with my schedule and her support of my dreams in the past year have been above and beyond. She’s really hitting a groove and finally found her sweet spot helping with Leading and Loving It. She’s doing an amazing job encouraging and coaching hundreds of pastors wives and I couldn’t be more proud of her for the difference she’s making around the country and right here in our home.

So that’s my person of the year.

Your Turn.

 

A Difficult Day

December 8, 2011 in Family with 130 Comments

UPDATE: Grandpa Wilson went home to be with the Lord late last night. Thanks so much for all of your prayers.

I’d like to take the opportunity today to ask you guys to join me in praying for my grandfather and family.

Last week was a normal week for my grandpa. He worked  40+ hours at a job he’s loved and held for 60 years. Then he started his weekend off running errands for neighbors and friends then checked his email and facebook, all stuff he loved to do. But while blowing leaves out of his yard in Toledo, Ohio, he had a horrible fall, fracturing his cervical vertebrae and bruising his spinal cord.  Since the fall he has been paralyzed from the neck down and not able to breathe on his own.

My father, along with his siblings, have painstakingly and prayerfully decided to respect the wishes of his living will and this morning will have his ventilator removed.

My dad summed it up well last night. He said, “I am looking at tomorrow as if we are walking dad across the stage to receive his diploma. Don’t know, but I can imagine mom (my grandma passed away several years ago. They were married for 57 years.) on the other side of the stage to receive him.”

I wanted to share this with you guys because, whether you realize it or not, you’ve been a part of his community. He loved to read this blog. He told me on many occasions that his favorite part of my blog was the comments. And while he would only occasionally make a comment, he would read every single one of them daily.

Thanks for all the different ways you entertained, encouraged and challenged him with your thoughts, perspectives and wisdom. I wish every one of you could have had the honor and privilege I had of being loved, believed in, and mentored by such an amazing man. My life will forever be changed because of his influence.

Love you, grandpa.

Stuff Christians Like (For Christmas)

December 7, 2011 in Friends with 5 Comments

I love Jon Acuff. Even when he wishes our church was more traditional I still love him.

He’s not only a good friend, but there is no doubt in my mind that he’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met.

I wanted to tell you guys about another one of his brilliant ideas. You can now buy your own Stuff Christians Like Daily Desk Calendar!

Each day contains a remix of one of the best posts from the site, including “Serious Wednesdays.”

I’m a big believer that we should laugh a lot more. Especially at ourselves and I can’t think of a better way for you to make sure that happens consistently than to pick up one of the calendars.

He promises it’s 100% easier to finish than your read-through-the-Bible-in-one-year plan and 77% funnier than the book of Deuteronomy (but then again he wants hand bells for Christmas and you can never trust a dude that likes hand bells).

They only printed a limited number so make sure you grab one soon. You can order yours RIGHT HERE.

Free Christmas Music

December 5, 2011 in Holidays with 14 Comments

I’m excited to tell you guys about one of my new favorite Christmas tunes called “Holy Child.” We did it yesterday at church and I instantly fell in love with it.  A bunch of Cross Point creatives wrote and put this song together and now we want to give it to you for FREE. It features Jarrod Morris, one of the many talented worship leaders I get to work with at Cross Point.

Hope is alive!! Merry Christmas (and feel free to share the song with anyone).

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