LDS material for kids

I just came across two resources for kids that I thought I'd file away for future reference.  The first are illustrated scripture stories and the second is the Friend web site.  Here is another web site that my wife used the other day.

The Mormons in India

Just read an interesting article regarding Mormons in India.  There are about 7,500 Mormons in the country - a very small minority of the population but continuing to grow.  I was also surprised to hear of statements that there will be a temple in New Delhi at some point in the future.

More Holiness Give Me

Hymn #131 in the LDS Hymn Book is called "More Holiness Give Me".  Here are the lyrics:

More holiness give me, More strivings within,

More patience in suff'ring, More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior, More sense of his care,

More joy in his service, More purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me, More trust in the Lord,

More pride in his glory, More hope in his word,

More tears for his sorrows, More pain at his grief,

More meekness in trial, More praise for relief.

More purity give me, More strength to o'ercome,

More freedom from earthstains, More longing for home.

More fit for the kingdom, More used would I be,

More blessed and holy--More, Savior, like thee.

I was just reminded of this hymn by an old church program that I found in a stack of papers.  I had marked the closing hymn on the program since the lyrics accurately captured what I often long for these days.

Hope: The Misunderstood Sister

In the June 2009 issue of the Ensign, there was a good article entitled "Hope: The Misunderstood Sister". The by-line for the article is "Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience." Here are some excerpts:

I think of them as three famous sisters whose names are frequently linked, always in the same order: Faith, Hope, and Charity. They are mentioned several times in the New Testament and with remarkable frequency in the Book of Mormon.

Of the three, Faith may be the most well known and popular, the one whose companionship is sought most often. She’s active and energetic, definitely the can-do type. Faith can move mountains, if necessary.

I picture Charity as being modest and refined, beautiful and gracious. In her presence you feel genuinely loved and accepted. She’s unfailingly kind and generous, patient, empathetic, aware of every need, and responsive without being asked. How could you not want the companionship of someone like Charity?

Then there’s Hope, who seems to have a problem with the way people perceive her. It may be her name and the way it’s commonly used: “I hope the car passes inspection.” Or, “I hope the weather will be nice for the wedding.” Used this way, the word hope is the verbal equivalent of keeping your fingers crossed. Consequently, many seem to think Hope is unsure, even fickle—she may or may not grace you with her companionship. But surely that’s not the kind of hope our Father in Heaven commands us to have. Nor would it be the kind of hope our Savior offers...

When we endure tribulation with faith and patience, what we experience is the Savior’s awareness of us and His love for us. We experience them through the ministrations of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. We receive this witness after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6).

In my own life, when I patiently endure trials, the Savior, who took upon Himself all of our ills and sorrows (see Alma 7:11–12), ministers to me through the Spirit. I experience the Savior’s tender mercies. My trials may continue, but having taken upon me the yoke of Christ, I find Him sharing my yoke, making my burdens bearable, and giving me hope. I then have strength to endure. I have assurance that all will be made right, not just in eternity but also for eternity. Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience.

I see Hope more clearly now. She is serene. Her eyes have the deep, knowing look of someone well acquainted with sorrow, the luminosity of recently being wet with tears. Hope has the confidence of one who clearly sees a bright future even when the next hours seem fog shrouded. Hope is steady and strong, a friend I am glad to have beside me during my own trials.

Run and Not Be Weary

In the June 2009 issue of the Ensign, there was a good article containing testimonies of the Word of Wisdom.

Home-teaching - June 2009

For June, the home-teaching message in the Ensign was entitled "Prayer and the Blue Horizon" (link). Here are the excerpts that I circled:

In order to get an airplane off the ground, you must create lift. In aerodynamics, lift happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane in such a way that the pressure underneath the wing is greater than the pressure above the wing. When the upward lift exceeds the downward pull of gravity, the plane rises from the ground and achieves flight.

In a similar way, we can create lift in our spiritual life. When the force that is pushing us heavenward is greater than the temptations and distress that drag us downward, we can ascend and soar into the realm of the Spirit...

Prayer is one of the principles of the gospel that provides lift. Prayer has the power to elevate us from our worldly cares, to lift us up through clouds of despair and darkness into a bright and clear horizon...

Prayers that ascend beyond the ceiling are those that are heartfelt and avoid trite repetitions or words spoken with little thought. Our prayers should spring from our deepest yearning to be one with our Father in Heaven ... If you ever feel you cannot pray, that is the time you definitely need to pray, exercising faith...

Are prayers answered? I testify that they are. Can we receive divine help, wisdom, and support from heavenly realms? Again, I testify with certainty that such is the case ... The answers to our prayers come in the Lord’s due time...

Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him, confess weaknesses, petition needs, and express deep devotion to our Heavenly Father. As we make this spiritual effort in the name of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, we are endowed with increased inspiration, revelation, and righteousness, which bring the brightness of heaven into our lives...

In the same way that aerodynamic lift can transport us above the outer storms of the world, I know that the principles of spiritual lift can take us above the inner storms of life.

Home-teaching

In the LDS Church, every family is assigned a pair of "home teachers" who are responsible for their temporal and spirtual welfare - more on this topic here. It's a responsibility that I try to take very seriously. Writing about it briefly here mostly to archive that link.

Home-teaching - May 2009

For May, I selected this General Conference talk as my home-teaching message (link).  Here are the excerpts that I highligted:

True faith must be centered in Jesus Christ. “Faith is a principle of action and of power” (Bible Dictionary, 670). It requires us to do, not merely to believe. Faith is a spiritual gift from God that comes through the Holy Ghost. It requires a correct understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ, His divine attributes and perfect character, His teachings, Atonement, Resurrection, and priesthood power. Obedience to these principles develops complete trust in Him and His ordained servants and assurance of His promised blessings ...

“Strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Bible Dictionary, 669). Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws the greater will be the endowment of faith” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 264). If we desire more faith, we must be more obedient ...

Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power ... Faith and fear cannot coexist. One gives way to the other ...

We do have a choice. We get what we focus on consistently. Because there is an opposition in all things, there are forces that erode our faith. Some are the result of Satan’s direct influence. But for others, we have no one but ourselves to blame. These stem from personal tendencies, attitudes, and habits we can learn to change. I will refer to these influences as the “Six Destructive Ds.” As I do, consider their influence on you or your children.

First is doubt. Doubt is not a principle of the gospel. It does not come from the Light of Christ or the influence of the Holy Ghost. Doubt is a negative emotion related to fear. It comes from a lack of confidence in one’s self or abilities. It is inconsistent with our divine identity as children of God.

Doubt leads to discouragement. Discouragement comes from missed expectations. Chronic discouragement leads to lower expectations, decreased effort, weakened desire, and greater difficulty feeling and following the Spirit (see Preach My Gospel [2004], 10). Discouragement and despair are the very antithesis of faith.

Discouragement leads to distraction, a lack of focus. Distraction eliminates the very focus the eye of faith requires. Discouragement and distraction are two of Satan’s most effective tools, but they are also bad habits.

Distraction leads to a lack of diligence, a reduced commitment to remain true and faithful and to carry on through despite hardship and disappointment. Disappointment is an inevitable part of life, but it need not lead to doubt, discouragement, distraction, or lack of diligence.

If not reversed, this path ultimately leads to disobedience, which undermines the very basis of faith. So often the result is disbelief, the conscious or unconscious refusal to believe.

The scriptures describe disbelief as the state of having chosen to harden one’s heart. It is to be past feeling.

These Six Destructive Ds—doubt, discouragement, distraction, lack of diligence, disobedience, and disbelief—all erode and destroy our faith. We can choose to avoid and overcome them.

Challenging times require greater spiritual power. Consider carefully the Savior’s promise: “If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me” (Moroni 7:33).

Home-teaching - April 2009

Each month, I print out the home-teaching message from the Ensign and mark the parts of the article (or talk) that I think are the most pertinent. It occurred to me that it might be useful to capture those excerpts on my blog so I'm going to do it from here forward. The home-teaching message for April was from President Henry B. Eyring and it's called "Teaching True Doctrine" (link).  The portions that I highlighted are:

There has been a war between light and darkness, between good and evil, since before the world was created. The battle still rages, and the casualties seem to be increasing. All of us have family members we love who are being buffeted by the forces of the destroyer, who would make all of God’s children miserable. For many of us, there have been sleepless nights. We have tried to add every force for good we can to the powers swirling around the people who are at risk. We have loved them. We have set the best example we could. We have pled in prayer for them. A wise prophet long ago gave us counsel about another force which we may at times underestimate and thus use too little ...

Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5). The word of God is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and by His prophets ...

The need to open eyes and hearts tells us how we must teach doctrine. Doctrine gains its power as the Holy Ghost confirms that it is true. We prepare those we teach, as best we can, to receive the quiet promptings of the still, small voice. That takes at least some faith in Jesus Christ. It takes at least some humility, some willingness to surrender to the Savior’s will for us. The person you would help may have little of either, but you can urge that he or she desire to believe. More than that, you can take confidence from another of the powers of doctrine. Truth can prepare its own way. Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit ...

Because we need the Holy Ghost, we must be cautious and careful not to go beyond teaching true doctrine ... One of the surest ways to avoid even getting near false doctrine is to choose to be simple in our teaching ... We can teach even a child to understand the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is therefore possible, with God’s help, to teach the saving doctrine simply.

We have the greatest opportunity with the young. The best time to teach is early, while children are still immune to the temptations of their mortal enemy and long before the words of truth may be harder for them to hear in the noise of their personal struggles ...

The question should not be whether we are too tired to prepare to teach doctrine or whether it would be better to draw a child closer by just having fun or whether the child is beginning to think that we preach too much. The question must be, “With so little time and so few opportunities, what words of doctrine from me will fortify them against the attacks on their faith which are sure to come?” The words you speak today may be the ones they remember. And today will soon be gone ...

Two doubts may creep into your mind. You may wonder if you know the doctrine well enough to teach it. And if you have already tried to teach it, you may wonder why you can’t see much of good effect.

Seldom right but never in doubt

Our CEO at work has a great saying. He says that there are some people who are "seldom right but never in doubt". Certainly, self-confidence is important. But sometimes it can hold us back from approaching situations with an open-mind, listening attentively, and being willing to say "I don't know" or "I trust your opinion on this more than mine".

What does $1 trillion look like?

A little while ago, my brother-in-law DE posted me to this interesting analysis that helps put into perspective what $1 trillion (i.e., the rough size of our stimulus package) looks like. Scary stuff.

Made simple

I love presentations or videos that can take a subject that is complicated or intimidating and blow it down into terms that are easy to understand and approachable. Here is one such video that my brother-in-law DE sent me awhile back regarding the credit crisis.



Here is a different video that explains what to expect when attending a Mormon church service.

In general, I'm trying to get better at simplifying what I say and presenting in a way that gets to the essence of the topic but doesn't overwhelm people with additional information that they don't need.

I shouldn't find this so funny

Every time I see this Dilbert comic, it makes me laugh.  It was originally published on February 27, 2009.  I really love the fact that my wife is able (and willing) to be home right now with the kids.  I wish I could do it too but I'm just not cut out for it.  Perhaps that will change over time.

The Functional Family

On a flight today, I read through this article from the February 2009 issue of Ensign magazine.  Examples abound of dysfunctional families.  This author tried to lay out some principles of functional families based on his experience as a professional counselor.  He was also trying to provide some specificity regarding how to implement what the Lord has commanded us to do in D&C 93:40: "I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth."  Here are relevant excerpts from the article:

In the functional family, parents focus their energy on teaching their children correct principles and allowing them to exercise their agency ... Sometimes as parents we slip into the role of a manager seeking to control our children because we expect a desired result. The problem with this approach is that children resist coercion or compulsion, especially as they get older. We will be more effective the less we act as managers and the more we act as coaches, consultants, and guides. That means that we teach our children correct principles and, as their maturity and experience allow, continue to grant them greater latitude to make choices and reap the consequences.

In the functional family, parents intentionally strengthen their families. This means that you regularly and privately ponder each child’s needs and assess them against the overall needs of the family ... Intentionally focusing on your family also means you think about the impact of what you say or do not say to your children. As parents, you begin sending messages about how you feel about your children from the minute they are born. These messages include your words, actions, and attitudes, whether you mean to or not. All of these messages shape how children come to view themselves.

In the functional family, relationships are of supreme importance. It is a good idea to regularly examine the condition of each relationship in the family ... One thing I’ve learned is that relationships usually don’t get better accidentally; rather, they improve when we make that result a priority.

Try to invest time in the relationship in obvious ways. Here are some things I’ve tried that may work for you: talk together; play together; spend one-on-one time together; send letters, cards, or notes sharing your affection; give compliments; do something fun and unexpected; say, “I love you”; listen to the other person; ask him or her to help you on a project; share personal feelings. All of these require that you personally get engaged in things the other person is doing. Afterward, talk about your efforts with your spouse during your family discussion time. You might be surprised at how far-reaching your positive influence can be.

In the functional family, parents are active teachers ... We need to consider what we teach and how we teach. For example, when holding family discussion time, you might ask, “What do we want to teach in our family in the next few months? How, when, and where do we want to teach it?” Consider writing the answers down as family goals and posting them prominently so you remember them. Then follow through with your goals.

What else might you teach? Anything you think your family needs to learn. Some topics include courtesy, honesty, prayer, scripture study, finances and getting out of debt, mutual respect in the family, how to use time effectively, how to manage angry feelings, the importance of education, and the need for all family members to do their share within the home.

In the functional family, parents lead by example. Children are always watching and observing our behavior, whether we know it or not ... Remember, our children want their parents to set an example of a person who has a clear sense of direction on personal as well as spiritual matters. We as parents need to live worthy of the guidance of the Holy Ghost at all times, especially when things get tough.

Finally, in the functional family, parents teach their children faith in our Heavenly Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ ... “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states, “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Remember to be patient with yourself and your family members. Relationships usually improve in stages, not overnight. Strengthening them requires time and effort. However, as you strive to have a functional family based on the teachings of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, you will provide your family the best opportunity you can to grow closer together and to face challenges with a greater sense of harmony and happiness.

As a family, I think we're doing a reasonable job on these fronts but there is plenty of room for improvement - particularly by me.

You will succeed if you keep trying

A friend of mine sent this yesterday via email.  It's exactly what I needed to hear.  I've noticed that I've been getting really impatient with things (myself, others, and God) recently - when, in reality, I just need to keep at it and give things more time to come to fruition.  RF, thanks again for sending!

Keep Watering Your Bamboo Tree - Eric Aronson

In the Far East, there is a tree called the Chinese bamboo tree. This remarkable tree is different from most trees in that it doesn't grow in the usual fashion. While most trees grow steadily over a period of years, the Chinese bamboo tree doesn't break through the ground for the first four years. Then, in the fifth year, an amazing thing happens - the tree begins to grow at an astonishing rate. In fact, in a period of just five weeks, a Chinese bamboo tree can grow to a height of 90 feet. It's almost as if you can actually see the tree growing before your very eyes.

Well, I'm convinced that life often works in a similar way. You can work for weeks, months and even years on your dream with no visible signs of progress and then, all of the sudden, things take off. Your business becomes profitable beyond your wildest dreams. Your marriage becomes more vibrant and passionate than you ever thought it could be. Your contribution to your church, social organization and community becomes more significant than you have ever imagined.

Yet, all of this requires one thing - faith. The growers of the Chinese bamboo tree have faith that if they keep watering and fertilizing the ground, the tree will break through. Well, you must have the same kind of faith in your bamboo tree, whether it is to run a successful business, win a Pulitzer Prize, raise well-adjusted children, or what have you. You must have faith that if you keep making the calls, honing your craft, reading to your children, reaching out to your spouse or asking for donations, that you too will see rapid growth in the future.

This is the hard part for most of us. We get so excited about the idea that's been planted inside of us that we simply can't wait for it to blossom. Therefore, within days or weeks of the initial planting, we become discouraged and begin to second guess ourselves.

Sometimes, in our doubt, we dig up our seed and plant it elsewhere, in hopes that it will quickly rise in more fertile ground. We see this very often in people who change jobs every year or so. We also see it in people who change churches, organizations and even spouses in the pursuit of greener pastures. More often than not, these people are greatly disappointed when their tree doesn't grow any faster in the new location.

Other times, people will water the ground for a time but then, quickly become discouraged. They start to wonder if it's worth all of the effort. This is particularly true when they see their neighbors having success with other trees. They start to think, "What am I doing trying to grow a bamboo tree? If I had planted a lemon tree, I'd have a few lemons by now." These are the people who return to their old jobs and their old ways. They walk away from their dream in exchange for a "sure thing."

Sadly, what they fail to realize is that pursuing your dream is a sure thing if you just don't give up. So long as you keep watering and fertilizing your dream, it will come to fruition. It may take weeks. It may take months. It may even take years, but eventually, the roots will take hold and your tree will grow. And when it does, it will grow in remarkable ways.

We've seen this happen so many times. Henry Ford had to water his bamboo tree through five business failures before he finally succeeded with the Ford Motor Company. Richard Hooker had to water his bamboo tree for seven years and through 21 rejections by publishers until his humorous war novel, M*A*S*H became a runaway bestseller, spawning a movie and one of the longest-running television series of all-time. Another great bamboo grower was the legendary jockey Eddie Arcaro. Arcaro lost his first 250 races as a jockey before going on to win 17 Triple Crown races and 554 stakes races for total purse earnings of more than $30 million.

Well, you have a bamboo tree inside of you just waiting to break through. So keep watering and believing and you too will be flying high before you know it.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

This is probably my favorite gospel hymn right now.  I can't get it out of my head.

The words of this song bear a powerful testimony that Jesus Christ lives and blesses our lives in so many ways - both in this life and the life to come.

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need...

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart...

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there...

He lives!  All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance above is great.  I also really like this individual recording - and disagree with the person who put it together and thought her singing was bad. 

Lou Holtz Quotes

I just discovered this quote by Lou Holtz: "When all is said and done, more is said than done." So very true.

The lovable sevens

I just got this email update from Babycenter as part of their age-tailored newsletter:

The lovable sevens
Congrats! You're entering one of the most rewarding phases of parenthood. Now your child requires less hands-on supervision and care, but he still looks up to you for guidance and support. His curiosity, excitement, and eagerness to learn make him a charming companion in the year ahead. His academic interests begin to take shape, too. Growing exposure to science, writing, math, and other subjects will give you a sense of where his natural interests lie.

So true. I remember talking to a guy on a plane once. He had a 9 year old and a 7 year old if I remember correctly. He said it was a great set of ages since the boys were old enough that they could do lots of interesting things but still young enough that it was cool to do stuff with their parents. Something to look forward to over the next couple of years before the pre-teen and teen years hit.

Old Testament

With a lot of trepidation, I've decided to try to tackle the Old Testament. I've read the New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. So, all I'm missing is the Old Testament to have made it through all the scriptures (for a first time). That being said, the Old Testament is about as long as all the rest of those scriptures put together. I've also heard that it has some parts that are ... well .. slow ... and sometimes a bit confusing. That's where the trepidation comes in. But, if you're going to claim to believe in something (such as the Holy Bible), I think it's important to be familiar with everything in there and have actually read it.

I have a slight twist on this. About two and a half years ago, I signed up for a Hebrew Scriptures class (see prior post). The text book for that course was The Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. I'm planning to read that book as I'm going along to help me understand the material. And, rather than read the whole Old Testament, I'm planning to listen to most of it in the car while driving to and from work. I figure that will put my 90 minutes of commuting each day to better use than it is right now. As part of that, I just downloaded 64 hours, 44 minutes, and 36 seconds of audio from the LDS MP3 site (link) and I bought a portable MP3 player (link) that I can plug into my new car stereo (link) through the auxillary jack.

We'll see how it all goes. I've listened to books on tape before but not scriptures. I'm curious to see how much of the material I can retain that way. Assuming 90 minutes of commuting per day, in theory, I could get through the entire Old Testament in 43 working days (or about two months). I suspect it will take longer than that but hopefully I can get it done by my birthday in June. If nothing else, it will be an interesting experiment.

Wish me luck. And let me know if you have any favorite parts of the Old Testament or if you want to do this with me. I'll understand if I don't get any volunteers. =)

The Fourth Watch

I recently rediscovered this CD: "The Fourth Watch: Receiving Divine Help When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered" (buy, sample/download). One of the missionaries let me borrow it about a year and a half ago and I made a copy.  I just listened to it in my car.  It's only about 74 minutes so it goes pretty quickly.  If you've ever wondered why God hasn't answered your prayers and why He isn't listening, I would wholeheartedly suggest you listening to this talk.  There are plenty of LDS-specific examples but the core material is taken from the New Testament and the messages are universal.

Here is one excerpt that I just transcribed since I think it will be meaningful to someone that I love very much.

Sometimes  I think the answers don’t come or the blessings we desire don’t come or the trials don’t end because there is no place for God to put the answer yet. I call it a “holding place”. There isn’t a holding place for the answer. And life and experience has to carve the holding place so He can put it. But He hears our prayers …

When I was just a baby, my father – because of concerns in his own life and challenges that he was having – left our family.  And I was therefore raised by my mother alone – my sisters and I.  As I was growing up, my father had very little to do with us as children. I know he was working with things in his own life, but his decisions created certain challenges and hardships for my mother, my sisters, and for myself.

At age 14 or 15, if you were in my situation and knelt down and said “Father in heaven, help me be at peace concerning my father leaving us and really having nothing to do with us, help me forgive my father”.  No answer at age 14 or 15. 20, 21 comes.  Same prayers, no answer.  25, 26.  Same prayers, no answer.  30, 31, 33, 34 … One day I was asked to prepare a talk on families and I thought "well, I will speak about my mother". My mother was a saint. In my eyes, she could do no wrong. So I would talk about my mother and how she raised us. But the Spirit seemed to whisper “speak about your father”. And I thought “what am I going to speak about my father?” I had hardly anything to do with my father growing up. But the Spirit seemed to urge that I think about him. 

Just at that moment, my two sons – I have three but only had two at the time.  I was married, I had two daughters and then two boys.  Just at that moment, my two sons walked into the room. One was about six, the other was around two. And they stood in front of me – just stood there staring at me.  And I looked at those two boys and all at once the Spirit just flooded my mind with wonderful memories of things that I had shared with those boys.  We’re told that your life passes before you just before you die and you see it all at once.  It was that kind of experience.  All the simple little experiences – none of them were major – carving Halloween pumpkins, trick-or-treating, Christmas morning, listening to their prayers, first Primary talks, the puppy, walks by the pond to see the turtles, piggy-back rides, reading them stories at night, catching a fish out of the same hole I caught my first fish at the ranch, taking them on a horseback ride.  All these little simple, tiny little everyday memories that I shared in those years with my sons.  And then the Spirit said, “I am now ready to answer your question. Now that you are a father, now that you know a father’s love, would you be the son who lost his father or the father who lost his son?”

Now, when I heard that, I just began to weep. I just sobbed.  My wife came into the room. I hugged those two boys. Just hugged them and cried. Not for me, for my father. Because I knew what he missed. He doesn’t know what he missed – there’s a mercy in that. I knew what he missed. And I knew it was a greater tragedy to be the father who lost the son than the son who lost the father …

Now, why didn’t God give me that answer at 15? Or 21? Or 25? Or when my daughters were born? He needed to wait until I was a father of sons and had enough experiences with my boys to understand what a sweet thing it was to be a father and share things with sons. The holding place was carved in my heart. And as soon as I could hold the answer, He gave it to me.

 

I know that many of us struggle with the question of whether our prayers are being heard and whether God cares about us.  Without equivocation, I will testify that God cares about each of His children deeply, that He hears each and every one of our prayers, and gives us the best set of experiences - at precisely the right time - to help us grow and develop (even though we might not always appreciate or agree with His plan or timing).