When God Laughs

 "For I know the thoughts and plans I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

     It's my ninth Father's Day and I must say if I thought the life I'm currently living was God's plan I would have laughed about it 20 years ago. My plans were nothing like this but if you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans. Most pastors and evangelist go to college and seminary somewhere. Well being a husband and a dad isn't for the weak of heart. We all live through the seminary of life. It has its ups and downs. My wife and I have been reminiscing about what I was dressed like when she first saw me. Looking back I think you actually thought I was cute even though I dressed like a goober doing improv skits at church during VBS. Come to find out my old Sunday School assistant told the associate pastor at the church of my ability to tell Bible stories to kids and make it entertaining and full of truth at the same time. If my old assistant hadn't told the pastor about me my now wife would have never met.

Why do I tell this story? God has a plan for all of us. We don't know what it is or understand what it is until God reveals it to us daily. This life is a daily walk (Luke 9:23). Pastors may go to seminary but life is often the best seminary. Moses spent 40 years in Sinai Seminary, The Apostles walked with Jesus for 3 1/2 years and one of them betrayed Him, David was a boy when he was anointed king but was chased and persecuted by King Saul until he died in battle, and Abraham was a idol worshipper that God chose and was willing to sacrifice his son upon the altar and because Abraham trusted God it was accounted to him as righteousness. Enoch walked with God for 300 years and he never saw death because God called him up to Heaven. God uses life to teach and transform us for the life He has purposed us for. I don't fully understand everything about God showing us His plans. I do know that the hardest job is being a husband and a dad. The only thing that's harder is being a step-dad.

When I met my wife she had a seven year old son. I told her on our first date that if things were to work out I would be willing to step in and be his dad and love him as my own son. She nearly cried when I said that because no one else had ever been willing to step up to plate to take on the role. It's not an easy role and the relationship between my son and I has had its share of struggles but deep down we love each other and I'm glad that I get to call him my son. Crazy thing I was actually married one other time and my ex-wife claimed that she was pregnant and had a miscarriage after she left me but she had a D and C done without telling me. The child she was carrying would be around the same age as my eldest son now. So God gave me a son to raise and I didn't know it yet. Through all my trials, failures, triumphs, and victories God has worked out everything in His perfect timing and will. 

God uses us to accomplish His will. He has a purpose and a plan for all of us and at the end of the day His will get done. The longer my wonderful bride and I are married the sweeter our love has become. Henceforth my in-laws now live with us and we help look after them and they babysit for us a lot. We have become a tight knit family. Being a husband and father is the highest of callings because the first institution God created was and is the family. 

We don't set out to be mediocre husbands and father's so this Father's day remember what God has called us to be. So love your wives and kids like Jesus loves us like we're commanded. To my wonderful bride I love you and thank you for loving me. To my kids I hope you realize how much your daddy loves you. May this remind us all of what we are called to be in Him.