Random Father's Day Reflections

A few random reflections, some relevant, some way off topic, on Father's Day:
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Today, I'm grateful for the way my father encouraged me to find my own faith walk, rather than ramming the relatively hard-core beliefs of our small faith community down my throat. I grew up in a somewhat conservative church, theologically, but my dad wasn't afraid to tell me where he disagreed with the prevailing beliefs. The same was true of my mom.

Equally important was this: even as they questioned the prevalent teachings, they also had the good sense to tell me that they - frankly - didn't have all the answers.

I'm starting to appreciate how important their courage has been in my spiritual development. It has paved the way for me to ask my own questions and to explore my own issues, particularly issues relating to the relationship between Christian spirituality and the emerging culture.
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A confession: it is hard to know what to pass on to my own kids. Their world will probably be much different from mine, and a light year's distance that of my parents and grandparents. Today, I'm struggling with how to go about preparing them for that world, when I'm not even sure about what they will face.

Part of the answer, I think, is to teach them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, regardless of the culture where you find yourself. But, the truth is I can only hope that the things they are seeing in me and hearing from me will be what they need.

God, help me to help them.
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Its great to have kids that are all different. Personality-wise, none of mine are much like the others. One is very analytical and gentle (for a boy, at least). One is very mature and motherly. One is a little fireball with a wild imagination. One is a sweet package of sunshine.

What a great blessing to have different kids. I would never want a cookie-cutter family where all of the children are the same.
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I think I'm ready.

About three years ago, I started playing the keyboard after a 20 year hiatus, mostly because I wanted to learn how to make modern worship music. Now, after practicing on and off for several months, I'm ready to go public, either with a group, or in combination with a single worship leader, or maybe in my living room with some friends.

I'm not worship leader material myself. I sing fairly well, but I don't have the upper range to sing most melodies. I think, however, that I could fit into a group pretty well as a keyboard/pads player and backup singer, and I love using soft pads to prayerfully bridge gaps between songs.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see whether any opportunities come along. But even if they don't, I'll still enjoy playing to an audience of One in the years to come.
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For anyone who is curious, here is a partial list of the songs that I can do as keyboard accompaniment:

1. A Shield About Me
2. Here I am to Worship
3. Salvation Belongs to Our God
4. Blessed Be the Name
5. I Love You Lord (Jason Morant's chord-rich arrangement)
6. I Can Only Imagine
7. Breathe
8. Before the Throne of God Above
9. All I Want (Jeff Deyo)
10. The Old Rugged Cross (Inspired by artists like Morant, I've put together my own chord-rich arrangement of this hymn).
11. More than Life (an incredibly powerful United Live ballad)
12. Jesus' Love chorus (Delerious?)

There are more, but if I had to do a set list tomorrow, it would probably come from these songs.


Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there!