December's Dirt Empires

One day a couple of weeks ago I got home and the weather was pretty nice so I decided to do something with my oldest daughter.  I love her so much.  She has the most amazing personality and a huge heart.  Whenever we get the opportunity I like to take her out on what we call Daddy Deci dates.  This day we decided to go down to the park for a little bit and then get some frozen yogurt on the way back home.  You should know that whenever I take my daughter to any playground she absolutely must play with every single thing at the playground at least once.  Her favorite stopping points at the playground close to the house are the slides, the swings, and the sandbox.  On the slides, I get to catch her.  On the swings, I get to push her.  But in the sandbox, I get to dream with her.  I love it.

I have a hope that me and my family will do ministry together for a long time, but as I watch my daughter build, design, and play I see the dreamer come alive.  I know part of my parents would love for me to still be at the same church they are and participating in the ministries God has for them, but in my stumbling chase of God he has taken me to different terrain that has at times put us thousands of miles a apart.  As my daughter builds I can just see that God is going to use her and one day it would be no surprise to me if she comes up with ministry ideas and dreams of changing the world that have her chasing God at speeds that are hard for me to keep up with.  It makes me a little sad.  But it also makes me proud and excited.

I love catching my daughter on the slide and in life I hope both my children know I will do all I can to catch them when they fall.  I enjoy pushing Deci as she sings songs she creates in an instant.  I am sure there will be times as a father where I will push her through hard times in life.  I pray I never push too hard.  But I can't wait to get in the sand and dream.  Yes we get dirty.  Yes some of the castles don't stand.  Yes some of our structures get stepped on by other people.  Yes you might have to take your shoes off so you can dig real deep.  But isn't that like dreaming and ministering with God.  We get dirty when we dream up ideas that can change communities.  We have to step in and lead from the front lines.  Some of the positions or organizations we lead don't last.  Some of the ideas we have to share the Gospel are laughed at and stepped all over by those around us.

But dreaming is worship for many of us.  We don't dream of riches or fame.  We dream of environments where people are meeting Jesus.  We dream of feeding the hungry and helping the homeless.  We dream of places of refuge.  We dream of hope, peace, and love.  We dream of the Gospel reaching all people.  Our dreaming becomes part of our worship, so we take off our shoes like Moses and we follow God and embark on journeys that we never knew existed.  We dig deep.

I love you December.  I can't wait to see where and what you pour your life out on.