It is Father’s Day.  It is another Sunday.  It is another night that this TBi-guy (traumatic brain injury) cannot sleep anymore because my brain processes the day like a 286, no, there’s been healing, perhaps now up to a Pentiun II speed; and, i hear “anyways”.

Me and my knowledge recognize that sleep is vitally important to healing and functioning optimally the next day, TBi or not.  Can’t sleep? So, get up and share anyways…

My heart is overly sensitive to seeing young dads and their kids.  It reminds me of the gifts of children God has blessed me with in my life. It brings back the most amazing feelings one receives when your child looks up to you, runs to you, calls your name, holds on tight, copies exactly what you just did, sleeps in your arms.  I miss those feelings.  It hurts.  It brings JOY.  I have every excuse to stay home, rest, and do brain therapies.  Yet, i am called to go out in the world, see this, and be reminded of this, anyways…

My own Dad has been discovered to have Alzheimers.  Our Superman.  Hizzoner.  The guy would have me pitch and hit the glove til it was too dark to safely see the ball.  He set an example i thought i could never attain (and never really have).  I rebelled while trying to cone out from under his name and have my own identity.  Young.  Foolish.  Prideful. And he has loved me through it all, anyeays…

Watched our first Orlando City soccer game tonight (on TV) with the gift of my Bride. More than just a soccer game this week after the murder of a young singer, murders of 49 at a dance club, and a family’s loss of a 2 yeat old to nature.  It was visual stimuli of people continuing to share & hurt & give & grieve & deal with how their life has been affected by these tragedies (and yes, some were probably just there for the game).  And, as our community continues to stand together with love and unity, against easily justified fears, anger, blame, hatred, and “feel good fixes”, we continue to love one another because our heart, (versus our mind, pain, justifications, and the media) is directing our actions. Because of love, whether we know it or not, we are obeying the example and teachings of Jesus, by loving and encouraging one another, to mourn with one another, to generously give, to forgive, to do things such as these despite our differences and pain, doing these things, anyways…

As we choose to allow the Lord to transform our heart and mind into who He created each of us to uniquely be, it is only then do we begin to see what God sees.  That i am made with a purpose.  That i am not that lie that i’ve been believing.  That with Christ i can miraculously join the earthly army of new men.  To be an example, a teacher, a friend, a leader, a dad, a servant, a man.  Joining other new men, created by God, to live through this life and all it has to throw at us.  New men impacting others for God’s Kingdom, and giving Him all the glory. New men learning who our Father in heaven is, how outrageously courageous and humble Jesus is, how powerful Holy Spirit reigning in our life is.  All to become the new men He planned for us, before we were in our mother’s womb, even though life and our poor choices (sin) can do their best to thwart, distract, hurt, discourage, and blind us.   We all have what we think are good reasons, justifications, for who and why we are the way we are.  Yet, Jesus calls to us and says to come and follow Him. Jesus showed us that love triumphs and wins, conquers anything & anyone in the eternal picture. And, He came to live as a man, work, suffer, teach, be flogged and crucified, then conquering death to rise again for all of us.  He did all this for us, while we are yet still sinners, anyways…

Growing, learning, practicing, recognizing, remembering, loving, forgiving, working, confessing, persevering, trusting, obeying what the Lord has demonstrated and told us to do, is crazy impossible without asking and allowing Holy Spirit to help us, show us, comfort us, direct us, yeah?  Yet, do we not yet believe that our God is a good, good Father?  That He loves us so much as to send His only Son, Jesus, to be a living sacrifice for all our sins. Paying the ultimate price so we may truly live. Isn’t it time to start saying & showing our Father in heaven, the Lord God Almighty, “Happy Father’s Day”?  That whether or not we know our dad, have a dad, have good or bad memories of our dad…  whether life has been easy or tough, fun or work, peaceful or tragic… that we start to take the steps to believe, love, and practice trusting and obeying the only One who loves us enough to want us to have a room in His house for eternity…  no more sorrow, no more pain… becoming the man He created us to be?  Isn’t it time to get off the treadmill of whatever we’ve been doing that is not working, and join the mishmash of guys whose hearts are being restored and transformed by the love of Jesus?   Yup, not comfortable.  We have to GU (get uncomfortable)… and practice & learn & wait & listen & trust & obey Jesus.  Simple? Perhaps.  Easy?  Not for most of us.  Want JOY & peace, wisdom & life… to hear, “I AM proud of you”… then take the steps to do these things, anyways…

We CAN, with Jesus.  No matter where we are, what we’ve done, what we think we’re hiding, who we think we are, how we think God failed us, what we deserve but don’t have… when we take the step to confess our sins and believe, Jesus answers… anyways.