Wednesday, October 06, 2004

I Love My Dad

On Monday I changed the front brake pads on Lilly. We love to name things; my Palm Pilot is Sparky, our van is Bluebyrd and our white station wagon is Lilly. I went to auto parts store and bought the pads. Then I jacked up the car and pulled one of the front wheels off. I found the 11/16th socket, my grandpa’s ratchet and started to undo the bolts that hold the pad housing. They were stuck hard. I figured that a manic tightened those bolts. So I did what any good son should do I called my dad for help. He recommended that I spray some WD40 in there and wait. So I sprayed some WD40 between the bolt and housing and waited. It worked great!

I have lots of great memories of my father and I working on cars. We rotated tires, changed oil, changed spark plugs and did all kinds of things together on our family cars. A lot of my joy of doing things for myself with my kids comes from those experiences. Monday Austin helped me with the lug nuts on the wheel. Ashley and Sarah have helped me build and/or fix things in the past. I know Tyler will be there with me as well. I could almost start a handyman service with my kids and I as the handymen/women.

I also have lots of great memories of when my Father and heaven and I worked together. We didn’t rotate tires, change oil or spark plugs but we He allowed me to be a part of some great things. One of my favorite things that the Father does is allow me to be a part of someone’s salvation. Whether I am answering questions that a young person has or I am the one with the privilege of baptizing a young person. That is the Father at work. The Father also allows me to help teach teens and students every week. When I start a new lesson I pray that it will not be my message but the Father’s.

I am not the only person the Father works through here at Falls Church. Each one of you is an instrument in the Father’s hand. We are all like tools he uses to fix people whose lives are broken. You and I are the hands and feet of the Father. When we put our pride and selfishness aside He does great things through us. Not that we are great but He is great and in His greatness uses us to do great things. Great things are not always big and splashy sometimes they are small and intimate. So even if you are not an elder, deacon, ministry leader, preacher or youth minister, you are still and instrument in your Father’s hands.

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