Monday Morning Musings ...

Happy Father's Day! It was, my oldest daughter showed up at church to suprise me ( I suppose she came to see my wife as well, but it was Father's Day so allow me this moment)! We had a good service in spite of missing a lot of people who were scheduled to be serving, so there were many substitutes (we knew many of these would be missing ahead of time but it was quite the day for filling in). We didn't do our "Manly BBQ" for the first time in 4 years and our attendance reflected it.

Our time of singing went well in spite of the pared down worship band. There was a good spirit in the service and people seemed fairly well engaged throughout the service. We had a family come back after visiting for the first time last Sunday, that is always encouraging.

This was the last of 6 messages on relationships and the theme of this one was that relationships are dependent on our choices therefore "Choose Wisely". I especially focused on fathers and the importance of their choices and how they impact their family. We need to choose wisely in our faith, our family and our friends. We need to reassure our families that we are continuing to choose them. We need to not just make a casual choice for God, but make a committed choice for a personal, growing relationships with Jesus Christ. I used some pictures of my Dad and family from my son's ordination to talk about the importance of fathers. I shared a few fathering words of wisdom from Dad as well.

I gave all of the Father's, and actually all of the teenage and older men, a balloon as they left. The balloon was not blown up. My instructions were that they were take the balloon home and blow it up themselves. Play with for a while and sit on it. The sitting should casue the balloon to burst and then there was a message inside the balloon for them. At least on Dad couldn't wait and blew the balloon up and burst it right there in worship center. (Any guesses as to who that was?)

Went home and grilled some steaks as we enjoyed a leisurely meal together. Then sat around and talked until we all fell asleep. Then my daughter headed home and my wife and I went to a little suprise anniversary party for a couple in our church. Talked with my youngest daughter, got a message from my son and talked with my Dad. It was a very good day.