Boys to Men

Dear Lord; Good morning Father!  To start off today, I’d like to thank You for the emotional “purging” You helped me with yesterday.  Sometimes, the hidden feelings that quietly eat at our spirits are the hardest to control, and it feels absolutely wonderful to have laid that one down.  Every negative I can shed brings me that much closer to You.

As You know, for Christmas I got both my boys new Children’s Bibles.  These are lovely books Lord, which tell Your story and give Your Word to them in a way that they’re excited to read each night.  Most evenings I’ve been reading with Aidan, but he’s also taken to reading some of it on his own and has just been devouring the stories.  We’re almost completely through Genesis, and both my boys are amazed and filled with wonder at Your Power and Love for Your Children.  I’ve been thrilled to see them so enthralled with learning about You, and I pray it continues to interest and excite them.  Jonathan has taken to reading our daily conversations as well, and it warms my heart that he wants to know You so much more.  I so want to raise these boys to be God-Loving, compassionate and righteous men.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

Heavenly Father, please help me continue to bring Your Loving Presence into my childrens’ lives.  Fill them with the Holy Spirit, and make Your Heavenly Light shine through them so all may see Your Influence.  I pray that You grant me the wisdom, the strength and the resolve to help them be the men I know they can be.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

Looking Forward…

Dear Lord; Good morning Father!  Yesterday, our conversation focused on the events of the year we’re about to leave behind, and what I’ve learned from it.  Therefore, today I thought we’d talk about moving forward, and some of the things I’d like to focus on for the upcoming year.

In holding with the last few Holiday posts I’ve made, I’d like to let my boys send their thoughts to You as well.  To that end, I asked them this morning what they were hoping 2011 would bring and what they were going to focus on to help make a positive change in their lives.

Here’s what they said :

Jonathan ( Age 11 ) – “I’d like to be able to spend more time with my family.  I want to learn how to do karate.  I want to spend more time with our friends and relatives, and have them over more often.  I’m going to be more involved in taking care of our animals.  I want to finish the new Bible I got for Christmas and learn more about God.  I’m going to work to be more thankful for the things that I have.”

Aidan ( Age 8 ) – “I’d like to see less crashes happen (car crashes) because I don’t want people to get hurt.  I want me and my friends to have a fun time in school.  I’d like my family to spend more time together.  I want less animals to get abandoned.  I’m going to finish reading my new Action Bible with Daddy and really want to learn about God.  I’m going to work to get better at reading so I can read bigger books.  I want to spend more time exercising.  And I want to wish God a Happy New Year.”

They’re still one of my biggest inspirations Lord, and I see so much of You in them each day.

As for myself, well I’m not big on New Years Resolutions but there are some things I’m planning on focusing on this coming year.

• As I mentioned yesterday, it’s been a rough year for my business.  I’m very much dedicated to it’s success, and I’m going to work diligently to get it back to the stability it once had.
• Although we are Blessed to have a very stable and wonderful home life, there’s always room for me to improve my contribution.  I’m going to continue to work to be a better husband and father, and set as positive an example for my boys as I can.
• 2010 was an amazing year for my personal growth in You Lord, and I want very much to expand on that in the coming year as well.  The closer I work to walk in Christ’s footsteps, the more I find the rest of my life gains meaning and direction.  I’m also dedicated to bringing Your Light into my children’s lives, and teaching them the Love and Guidance You provide us every day.

Heavenly Father, I humbly pray that over the coming year Your Amazing Gift of Grace is felt by all Your Children.  May we all experience the Joy in Serving Your Will, and walk the Path that Jesus has set for us in Your Holy Name.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

Another Thank You, and I’m Sorry

Dear Lord; Well Father, the wedding on Saturday went very well.  Thank You so much for being there and Blessing the joyful proceedings.  It was an amazing honor for me to be a conduit for Your Love, and I absolutely felt Your Presence throughout.  Please continue to Bless the happy couple’s marriage, and fill their lives with Your Love for the rest of their days.

This morning Lord, I did something I very seldom do… I lost my temper.  It was over a verbal personal attack that was made against me behind my back by someone I’ve known for a long time, and it absolutely incensed me.  Father, with Your help I do what I consider a very good job at maintaining my composure and “turning the other cheek”, but I’m ashamed to say that this morning I failed in that capacity.  Searching for my center in Your Book today, I found :

Proverbs 16:32 – Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

So true Lord.  Please Father, help me purge those feelings from my spirit and focus my energies on serving Your Will.  Fill my heart with Your Love and Kindness, and please help me be an effective agent of Your Disposition to those in need.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil

Sharing the Journey

Dear Lord; Well Father, tomorrow’s the big day and I’m actually quite excited.  Tonight I go to rehearse with the wedding party, and go over the Ceremony I’ve prepared.  While the nerves are still there, I know that You’re with me, and I’m extremely Honored to be representing You by joining these two people in Holy Matrimony.

Today though Lord, I’d like to talk with You about something I’m extremely thankful for.  Over the last several months as I’ve been making this blog a daily part of my life, I’ve spent quite a bit of time searching for inspiration and seeking Your wisdom in a number of ways.  Some of it’s come from just looking at the events that unfold around me with different eyes, and some has come through deliberate searching through the Bible, and a variety of Internet sites created by like-minded individuals.  These people Lord, are a true Blessing to me.  I haven’t actually met any of them, and yet their posts and comments have provided me with amazing inspiration, encouragement and wisdom.  On top of that Lord, they’ve made me feel a part of their journey of faith, and I feel very Blessed to have them a part of mine as well.  Please continue to hold these amazing people in Your Embrace Father, and fill their hearts with Your infinite Love so that they may continue to Glorify You, and bring Your Light to many others.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil

P.S. While some the sites I frequent are in my Blogroll, it’s by no means all-inclusive.  Therefore, please hear my special prayers for Jenifer, Lisa, Bryan, Elaine, Allison, Jean, Kelli and Christopher.  These are Blessed Souls indeed, and make my journey to You much more full.  Amen.