Seven plus Seven plus Seven Equals......

   I guess there is a certain amount of pressure this morning. I have put down seven prayers for my eldest son and my only daughter, and now I need to do the same for my youngest son. The pressure is not to pray for each one of them, I do that often anyway, the pressure is to be relevant in their lives without being "preachy". My aim is not to tell each what I think they should be doing, but to pass on the words that I hear from God Himself. Can I be misunderstood? Sure, but I want them to know my heart and to listen for God's voice in the words that I write. In short, I hope that these are not just my words alone.

   I read this morning in the Gospel reading:

   "What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” 

   So, with some sense of fear and trembling, I sit down this morning to finish the task. I woke up earlier than usual today, knowing that I needed help in this completion. I read the Psalms and the Gospel, then set out to walk a mile or so in the approaching dawn, to try to hear what words would come to me to speak. The sky was still filled with stars, the air still, the noises not yet apparent in the world around me, only the sound of a rooster signaling the new day and an owl in the distance. In short, a good time to listen and hear.

   Now, my kids are all smart, taken from their mother, of course, they are successful, they are great parents, and I guess they all fit the "Lake Wobegon" model, "the men are strong, the women good looking and the kids, above average". They also fit the "American Dream model". They have succeeded beyond what their parents achieved. God has blessed each one in unique ways and their parents are proud of them all.

   So, Doug, what do I pray for you this morning?

   I pray that God will continue to bless you in your work, your church and your family.

   I pray that your influence with those around you, in all those venues, will be filled with Godly wisdom and caring.

   I pray that your kids and wife will see in you, the attitude of a servant-leader, one who is not afraid to lead, but does it in a caring and loving manner.

   I pray that God will give you the time to be with Him, to hear His voice, so that your life will be filled with Him and not you.

   I pray that you will find that balance in your life, that will allow you to be a father, husband, church leader, teacher, and friend. A balance that helps you to take care of all these aspects of your life, without shorting any of them.

   I pray that you and your wife will raise up kids that will know Whose they are, and where they are headed.

   I pray that, each day, you would realize how much God loves you and how much your parents do also.

   Stopping at seven, to be equal with the others, but realizing that there are more I could and should pray for each one, I leave it at that, but need to add one more for me.

   Dear God, I thank you for my sons and my daughter. May they continue to bless the lives of their parents.  May they live lives that are pleasing to you in every way. Amen