In The Knight

Forgive This!

I was seven when something went wrong in my parent’s marriage. Shortly after, my father left my life. He just disappeared.  I remember him visiting a couple of times, but then those visits became less and less frequent, and then eventually stopped altogether.  We wouldn’t speak again until I was seventeen years old.

Growing up without my father was hard. I cannot even begin to explain the impact that not having him there had on my life. I loved my dad greatly, as many young boys do, and looked up to him. I still remember going to amusement parks with him, getting my hair cut, or riding in his GTO. Not surprisingly, I do not remember anything bad about my time with him. I also remember thinking very clearly that I had done something wrong to make him leave.

However, this story has a happy ending!  God truly worked a miracle in my life and today, I am reconciled to my father. It is a process that has taken years - trust had to be established and I had to allow him back in. Over a course of time, talks, visits and prayer on both our parts, things are better between us. Without God, this would never have been possible.  It’s clear to me now that God that used me and my stepbrothers to lead our father back to Christ. It was God who made it clear to my father that he was forgiven and it was God that gave me the strength to forgive!

In the book of Luke, Jesus tells us: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  (Luke 6:37). 

Many of us have had people in our lives that have wronged us. All too often, that person was a loved one, a close friend, or a trusted partner.  Even though the thought of forgiving them can seem impossible, it’s something that can be done with God’s help.

Hitting Pause on Life

When is the last time you stopped and watched your family?  We are sometimes are so busy running our life that we do not stop to enjoy those everyday moments. Distractions can come from multiple angles; it might be mowing the lawn, running your kids to soccer practice or even working extra hours on a project. In the fast-paced life that we all lead today, how often do we slow down? What potential once in a lifetime moments are we missing?

For the past couple weeks I have made a conscious effort to watch my kids.  It has been an amazing and thought provoking experiment.  My children are old enough to entertain themselves, but still young enough to want us involved. This last weekend I read a stories, poems, cards and paintings that my children created for me.  My children are creative and are constantly giving me new gifts and honestly sometimes, I have not taken the time recognize the thought and love that has gone into their work. 

This weekend especially inspired me as I paused and enjoyed the time I have with them. We spent time that did not rely on if we won the soccer game or completed a list of errands and tasks.  Just those moments when our family is watching a movie or playing a board game together, when it is just us.

My children are beautiful, gifted and we are truly blessed. I am glad I stopped if only for a moment to see my son intently drawing a picture, or my girls talking to each other as they watched a movie together. I challenge you all to do the same the near future. Take time to watch, listen and interact with your family, the payoff is immeasurable. You will be investing in the future.

Psalms 127:3(NLT)

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”

Wisdom From The Ages

It’s so cool how God brings people in and out of our lives. It’s especially cool when the people he brings can serve as a mentor - people whose wisdom and guidance ends up changing our whole world.

Mentors are not there to reveal all of life’s secrets or provide some magical answer. But they can make a huge difference in our lives, guiding and nudging us in the right direction, and even correcting us when needed.

My mentors have come in many forms - bosses, colleagues, sergeants, teachers and family that took an interest in me and provided bits of wisdom from their experiences.

Your mentors may have been your father, mother, bosses, coaches or a co-worker. What do they all have in common? What separates them in your memory from other capable and intelligent people you have met?

My guess is that they stand apart because of their desire for your success, coupled with your faith in their experience and wisdom.

One of the greatest gifts you can give is to pass on what you know to others. You leave a legacy by sharing your experiences with someone else - just like the “greats” that have gone before us. The Bible talks about an amazing king who had everything the world could offer, but he found something greater still: Wisdom. This man’s legacy is here for us to learn from today, even thousands of years later.  And the Bible makes it very clear that looking for wisdom is a great thing:

“If you accept my words…turning your ear to wisdom…then you will find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.”  Proverbs 2:1-6.