Daniel's Notes

This is a place for all the random thoughts and ideas I have.

[mdhowell]

What Was I Thinking?

The question that I'm about to ask you is one that I have personally found to be very convicting:

How much time to you spend "vegging out?" "Checked out?" In "Lala land?" Call it what you will. I'm referring to the time that you spend not focusing on anything of any real value or importance.

We do this in a lot of different areas in our lives, and with varying effects. Sometimes we "veg out" to decompress from a hard day at work. Of course there's a certain amount of that which is healthy, and even necessary.

But then what about the time your mind spends chewing on the mental candy that is social media? Those days that you draw the blinds and binge watch a whole season of some television show on Netflix? That time your eyes spend glued to your iPhone (or Android phone) scrolling through your Twitter feed, or checking out the latest pics on Instagram?

And it doesn't have to be social media. There are times that we just shut down our brains, even when we aren't in front of a screen. How about long car rides? What do you spend that time thinking about? Or how about those hours you spend sitting under a tree in the yard, absorbed in a book? That hobby you just can't quit?

Let's not even get started on the amount of money that we spend on diversions...

Now my goal is not to make you feel guilty. As I wrote before, there's a certain amount of recharging that must take place for us all to be healthy and mentally well adjusted. At the same time, are we sometimes guilty of purposefully diverting our minds to much less important thoughts, simply so we don't have to deal with the ones we know we should be dealing with? Worse, do we become dependent on these diversions to find happiness? To wrest ourselves from depression? To hide from responsibilities, and the things that make us feel uncomfortable?

This has become real and convicting to me over the last several weeks. I've been mentally absorbed in the process of building an electric guitar from a kit. I know, I know—I'm a little geeky. Some of you may have even seen pictures of it on my social media accounts. Now in reality, I don't get to spend very much time actually working on the thing. I get to steal a half hour to work on it about once every three or four days. But that doesn't stop my mind from obsessing about it.

Couple that with all that's going on in my life right now: Two jobs, a new baby on the way, a wife who hasn't felt well for several months because of said baby, two small children, a lot of changes going on in one of those jobs, a start to a new school year, my weekly responsibilities for the church in Sweetwater... and it's just a whole lot easier (and more instantly gratifying) to think and dream about building a guitar than it is to focus on all the responsibilities I have. Sometimes I struggle mightily to rip my mind away from the comfort of ruminating on that guitar (or a handful of other things I mentally chew on) to focus it on the tasks, or even the people that are at hand.

I know I can't be the only person who has that struggle.

Then guilt sets in when I think about all the other things I could have done with that time: I could have thought a little more about my sermons or Bible classes; I could have read my Bible; I could have focused on my kids a little more; I could have focused on my wife a little more; I could have focused on my Savior a little more; I could have prayed; I could have praised; I could have encouraged; I could have written something for my blog or the bulletin; I could have...

Really... I can't be the only person who has that kind of struggle! There are hours, even days where my mind wants to be elsewhere, thinking about something besides what it should be thinking about. I will long for a diversion, for some mental bubble gum to chew on rather than the hard work I need to deal with.

But that's where the Spirit's words, recorded by Paul, enter the picture:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

There's more to these words than a recipe for dealing with discouragement or depression (although that's when we are most likely to pull them out). These are "every day" words. This is an "every day" command. These are the things we should set our minds on whether our days are full of joy or full of despair. These are the thoughts that should shape us, to make us more like Christ, every single day.

These are also the things that we will likely forget to think about when we seek to divert our minds for the sake of temporary peace and joy, rather than intentionally seeking the peace and joy which come from being in Christ.

Paul finishes the entire section of text (vv. 1-9) with this admonition:

"What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:9, ESV)

So be careful what you choose to think. Be careful that you aren't diverting your mind away from the peace of God (v. 7), and the God of peace (v. 9). Be careful that you aren't robbing yourself of the joy that comes from being "in the Lord."

Think about it.

—Daniel

[mdhowell]

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If you were going to choose someone to raise your children instead of yourself, who would you choose? What characteristics would that person have? In this lesson, we look at the characteristics of Joseph, the “supposed father” of Jesus. What was he like?

[mdhowell]

Four Observations From Fatherhood

I can remember someone once saying to me, “Fatherhood will change you. You will look at your life in a completely different way.” While I can’t say that I argued with them then, I can definitely say that I didn’t fully understand the lengths to which my outlook on life would change.

Since becoming a father four years ago, I have experienced a range of emotions that I have never felt before, or at least have never felt to the degree to which I feel now. Some of them are terrifying: fear, no control, helplessness—especially in those times where you want to “fix” something for your child, but can’t. At the same time, some of them have been amazing: unconditional love, great big belly laughs, and a warmth in my heart that I have never experienced before in the same way. Being a father is both exhausting and amazing.

1) It hurts to see your child hurting. There are few things as pitiful as a sick child. The fevers, coughing, sneezing, belly-aching, and runny noses of my children cast a shadow over my day. I want for them to be well. I want for them to be happy. I want for them to be enjoying life. When they can’t, because something is hurting them, I’m miserable, too.

I’m reminded of how God takes notice of our suffering. David wrote that, “You have put my tears in your bottle” (cf. Psalm 56:8). And although there are times when my child is suffering, and I can do nothing about it, God the Father can (cf. Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 7:25). Paul refers to him as “The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

2) There are few thrills greater than the obedience of your child. I remember how excited I was to be able to tell Jenaleigh to do something, and for the first time, she actually understood and did what I said. Now I’m proudest when I find out that she has been a “good girl” whenever she goes to someone’s house, or has to sit with someone else during worship.

I take great joy simply in the fact that she is doing what is right. She’s doing what I have asked. She has love and respect enough for me to do what I desire for her to do. I wonder if God feels the same way, when he looks at us and sees us choose to do what is right instead of what is wrong (cf. 1 John 5:3). I can’t help but think he does.

3) A child teaches you the true meaning of unconditional love. While the love you feel for your spouse or significant other may now be “unconditional,” chances are it didn’t start that way. There was something about that person that attracted you to them—there were conditions that caused you to love that person in a way in which you don’t love anyone else in the world.

But when it comes to the love you express toward your child, the only condition attached to loving them is… that this person is your child. A child doesn’t have to earn your love. They (should) inherently have it from the very beginning—even before they are able to love you back in any significant way.

The parallel to God’s love for his children should be obvious. God loved his children, even while they were still sinners (Romans 5:6-8). Part of our motivation for loving God is that he first loved us (cf. 1 John 4:19). Certainly, God’s love of his children serves as the perfect example of unconditional love—especially considering what he was willing to do to keep us safe.

4) There is nothing you wouldn’t do to keep your child safe. If it ever came down some horrible situation where I had to choose between my own life and any of my children’s lives, there is no choice to make—it was made the day they were born. I would face death for the safety of my children.

How fitting, then, that God did exactly the same thing through his Son? Though we were dead in our sins, he sent his Son, God in the flesh, as a sacrifice to save us from certain death (cf. Ephesians 2:1-4). God, and Jesus, were willing to save both you and I at great personal cost—only the love of a Father does such a thing.

There are probably many, many more things I could add to this list, but these are the few that first stood out in my mind. These are the ones that make me appreciate God’s love and concern for me as his child on a much deeper, more meaningful level.

> “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)

[mdhowell]

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I Can Work with That...

I've read three different blog posts in the last few days that I have made me think, and think a lot. I've been enlightened, discouraged, and encouraged to varying degrees as I read them.

Of course all of them center on a certain family in Louisiana who make duck calls and television shows. 

I guess what made me the most distraught was not the disagreement, but the way in which many people disagreed with each other. I pray that many will reconsider their harsh or rash words, and seek to mend any fences they might have broken. 

I see that people do still care about things. They haven't become apathetic like we may sometimes think. We can work with that.

I see that people do still want to do what's right, even if they don't always agree about what that is. But we can study, think, and find out. We can work with that.

I see that people do love the Lord's church, and want the best for it's people, even if they don't always agree on what that is. We can work with that.

I see that there are still those who are brave enough to say what they think people need to hear for their own good. Yes, we can work with that.

May we all try to see the strengths and good in each other, and encourage one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). -Daniel