When it becomes more important to express our opinion than to convey the heart of God, it says something about what truly matters to us.
If the mission is to help people forge a connection to the person of Jesus Christ, there is perhaps nothing more damaging to that cause than to misrepresent His heart and character to them.
Posted in Commentaries, Thought for the Day / Quotes | Tagged character of Jesus, heart of Jesus, personal connection to Jesus | Leave a Comment »
Jesus did not publicly shame, threaten, or otherwise coerce people to come to repentance, which is why our efforts to do so “in Jesus name” only serve to drive them away from Him. The good news of the gospel is not the judgement to come, it is that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and that this amazing grace is still available today.
Posted in Commentaries, Heart of "The Father", Thought for the Day / Quotes | Tagged amazing grace, good news, judgement to come, repentance, sinners | Leave a Comment »
Last Friday evening was Senior Night for the football team, and we parents were encouraged to write a letter to our Senior player. I’ve pasted a copy of that letter below. Though his mother is just as proud of him (and he knows it), we agreed that some things need to be said in a father’s voice, and so I wrote it from that perspective.
Dear Son
Well, here we are closing another chapter from your childhood. I feel like we’re going to do a lot of that this year. It seems like you’ve been playing football forever, but I remember the beginning as though it were yesterday. As much as I was surprised by your brother sticking with the game, it was a no-brainer that this would be a part of your journey. From your first day on this earth, you were long on passion and short on fear.
I remember you playing on the line during Pee-Wee ball. You were really undersized for your position, but that never stopped you from taking on the biggest guys on the opposing team. I specifically recall a Unioto scrimmage, where you got low and lifted a kid, who outweighed you by at least 50 pounds, off the ground. It was just one of those pictures that will forever be etched in my memory, because it helped me to understand who you are.
I remember the year when you decided not to play because some of your teammates made you feel like you didn’t belong; but when Coach Bonner called and said the team needed you, you stepped right up. I remember the year, when the team only had 13 players, and everyone had to play both ways. Somehow you guys still managed to have a winning season. And I remember last year, when your arm was shattered in the Clinton-Massie game. Though people on the sidelines and in the stands were horrified at the sight of it, you never made a sound, and wanted to stay until the game was over.
As much as I love football, your participation in the sport has never really been about the game itself. It was about getting stronger and pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do. It was about sticking to a commitment, even when it was hard, and overcoming adversity. It was about being a part of a team, and making sacrifices for something bigger than yourself. Ultimately, it was about preparing you for life, and from that standpoint it has been an unmitigated success.
Even though we place a huge emphasis on education, life isn’t much like a classroom. In truth, it’s a lot more like a football field. The classroom is a controlled environment, with a set script and a seat for every student. But life is not something we can control, and it cannot be scripted. It comes with bad field conditions, and injuries, and adversaries who hope to stand in the way of our victory. It comes with dropped passes, and interceptions, and blindside hits. In the end, it is our ability to deal with these hardships that sets the stage for our victory.
I know that in some ways the final chapter of your football career has been a disappointment. I know that you never envisioned spending your senior season on the sideline in a cast, but as I’ve watched you cheer on your teammates, and lift your younger brother up, I want you to know that I’m not disappointed. It takes a far bigger man to celebrate other people having the success they hoped would be their own than it does to make tackles or to catch passes. I can’t help but admire a man who can set aside his own disappointment and lift up the people around him. From where I sit, that is the sort of man that you’re becoming.
Tonight, as your mother and I walk across the field with you, I will surely shed a few tears (because that’s how I am), but I won’t be sad. I will be grateful for the years you’ve played, and the teammates and coaches you’ve played with, and the things you’ve learned, and the strength you’ve gained. I will be thankful for the injuries that never happened, for the care you received for the ones that did; for all the wins, and even for some of the losses. But most of all, I will be humbled by the privilege of being your dad, and for the man God made you to be. I love you son, and I couldn’t be more proud of you.
Love Always – Dad
Posted in Entertainment/Music/Sports, Heart of "The Father", Parenting / Family, Personal, Tributes | Tagged letter to son, senior night tribute | Leave a Comment »
- Ambrosia: People who’ve only heard their Top 40 hits have no idea what a brilliant and bizarre band this was. Their first album was engineered by Alan Parsons (of Dark Side of the Moon fame), who went on to produce their second LP (Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled) as well. After two records filled with symphonic pop opuses and medleys that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Broadway cast album, they turned to a sparkling jazz pop fusion for their most successful records Life Beyond LA and One-Eighty. The originality, musicianship and vocals on these four albums rank them amongst my favorites of all time.
- Steve Winwood: This talented singer has been around for decades and I’ve enjoyed his work through every phase of his career. Whether it was the blue eyed soul of the Spencer Davis Group (Gimme Some Lovin’), the eclectic improvisation of Traffic (Low Spark of High Heeled Boys), the rootsy blend of Blind Faith (Can’t Find My Way Home), or even the pop sheen of his solo work (Arc of the Diver), he’s proven himself to be one of rock music’s most enduring and talented vocalists.
- Ricki Lee Jones: Despite the popularity of her first hit, “Chuck E’s In Love”, it was really her appearance on Saturday Night Live, singing “Coolsville” that grabbed my attention. I don’t know too many other 15 year old boys who were mesmerized by her blues/jazz/funk/folk/beat poet blend, but something about her startling honesty resonated in my soul. All these years later, it still does.
- Dire Straits: Though Mark Knopfler and his band eventually became a hugely successful pop group, it was the rich textures and soundscapes of their non-radio songs (e.g. Water of Love, Follow Me Home, Romeo and Juliet, Telegraph Road, Brothers In Arms…) that really struck a chord with me. Perhaps their least commercially viable album, Love Over Gold was, for me, the pinnacle of their catalog.
- Crowded House: Born from the ashes of the successful 80’s band, The Split Enz, Neil Finn and his mates (occasionally including brother Tim) produced four memorable albums (Crowded House, Temple of Low Men, Woodface, Together Alone) of smartly written, skillfully performed pop music. Both witty and wistful, even twenty years removed, much of this music still sparkles.
- Peter Gabriel: After a sterling start with art rock pioneers Genesis, this multi-talented artist forged a highly successful career as a solo performer. His music was always original (Games Without Frontiers), sometimes peculiar (Shock the Monkey), frequently poignant (Biko, Don’t Give Up, The Book of Love) and consistently compelling (Solsbury Hill, San Jacinto, In Your Eyes, Blood of Eden).
- Til Tuesday: Though the band’s singer had the look of a punk rocker, and their first big hit Voices Carry was an MTV sensation, it was ultimately the unpretentious distinctiveness of lead singer Aimee Mann that made them memorable. After the stir caused by their debut release, their follow up albums Welcome Home and Everything’s Different Now were considered commercial failures. Yet, artistically they were both a giant leap in texture and tone. Upon the breakup of the band, Mann went on to have an admirable solo career.
- Tears for Fears: Though the band featured numerous talented musicians and collaborators, it was essentially the creative vehicle for singer/songwriter Roland Orzabal. Their 1982 debut The Hurting chronicled his painful childhood and largely featured a moody synthesizer sound, not unlike The Cure. Their second record, Songs from the Big Chair, featured a much less subdued tone and became a huge international pop hit. Orzabal continued his evolution with the soulful, and at times beatlesque, release Sowing the Seeds of Love, and a fourth release Elemental, which was essentially a solo album. Despite the changing styles, the music remained fresh and compelling.
- The Innocence Mission: This Pennsylvania based folk band featured husband and wife team Karen and Don Peris, who garnered a fair amount air time on Alternative radio stations in the early to mid-1990s. Though their records did not achieve platinum success, the hauntingly beautiful songs featured on their first three releases (The Innocence Mission, Umbrella, Glow) make them a standout amongst their contemporaries.
- Steely Dan: To call the musical musings of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker unique would be a vast understatement. Fagen’s distinctive vocal style, combined with wry lyrics, complex jazz influenced arrangements, virtuoso musicianship (e.g. Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Jeff Porcaro), and pristine production values resulted in a sound that could not be duplicated. Though they seemed an unlikely pair for pop radio success, they managed to create a string of successful and memorable records that spanned the 1970s and 80s.
Posted in Entertainment/Music/Sports, Lists, Opinions | Tagged Aimee Mann, Alan Parsons Project, Ambrosia, Blind Faith, Coolsville, Crowded House, Dire Straits, Donald Fagen, Genesis, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Mark Knopfler, Peter Gabriel, Ricki Lee Jones, Spencer Davis Group, Split Enz, Steely Dan, Steve Winwood, Tears for Fears, The Innocence Mission, Til Tuesday, Traffic, Voices Carry, Walter Becker | Leave a Comment »
- Every child is their own story. What works with one doesn’t necessarily work with another. Different things inspire them, motivate them, scare them, and hurt them. Though there may be some broad tenets that apply to all, each one requires a unique approach.
- Perfection cannot be the goal. No matter how hard we try, we will not be perfect parents; and demanding perfection from our kids simply makes them feel as though nothing they do is ever good enough.
- Boundaries are meant to keep kids safe, not to keep them from the “good stuff”. Though, as children, we all tested our limits; as parents, we cannot ignore the benefit of hindsight.
- Fear is a lousy teacher. Consistently playing on a child’s fear ultimately destroys their ability to function effectively.
- Our children’s perception of themselves is powerfully impacted by what we say to and about them. Giving voice to our fears, frustrations and disappointments can scar them for life.
- Consistently yelling at kids makes them hard of hearing. For survival sake, they simply begin to tune us out.
- “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t work. We cannot hope to hold our kids to a standard that we ourselves do not adhere to.
- Though we naturally want to protect our children, it is also our job to prepare them for life without us. Finding the balance between those two things is a long and demanding process.
- No matter how doting, diligent and devoted we are as parents, our kids will face adversity, and they will make mistakes. We cannot be shocked when it happens, and we need to prepare them for those moments.
- Love covers a multitude of sins (yours and theirs). When combined with faith, it forms the only wild card that we have in our parenting deck.
Posted in Commentaries, Lists, Opinions, Parenting / Family | Tagged boundaries, do as I say, doting, fear, parenting, perfection, prepare, yelling | Leave a Comment »
Bjcorbin's Blog 
The Parable of the Ungrateful Son
November 16, 2016 by bjcorbin
There was once a generous father, who yearned to create a wonderful life for his son. So when the boy came of age, the father gave him a beautiful house to live in, which sat on many acres of prime land. He told his son that he could live there all the days of his life and that the only cost would be that of caring for the place. Though the son was excited, he reminded his father that he knew nothing of caring for land, or a house, or even for himself. His father let him know that he could call on him at any time, and that he would always make himself available. But he also assured the son that he would not intrude on his new life, and that he would only come when he was invited. To help him, he gave his son a large book that contained guidance on many of the questions that he anticipated he might have. The son was greatly encouraged by these things and was quick to embrace his new life.
In those first days, the son called on his father frequently, sometimes on multiple occasions within the same day. But as time passed the increment between those calls grew longer. Soon after moving into the house, the son took a wife, and they started a family. But within a short time weeds began sprouting in the fields, and the house began to fall into disrepair. Whenever the son called, his father would come quickly; but the younger man’s wife was not comfortable having her father-in-law around. Though he’d never said anything disparaging, she felt sure that he was judging her and them. She shared this suspicion with her husband, and he soon felt the same. On occasion the son would refer to the book his father had left for him, and though it was sometimes helpful, he soon decided that it was too big and cumbersome to deal with.
As more time passed, the land was overrun with brush, and there was no lush grass for the animals to eat. Parts of the once beautiful house were collapsing and no longer inhabitable. The children were sick from the unsanitary conditions, and his wife complained bitterly about the low quality of their lives. Most days, the man sat idly on the porch, wondering how things had turned out this way.
One day, a traveler came down the road and approached the son. He said that he’d heard a grand tale about a generous father, who had bestowed a great and extravagant gift upon his son. He said that he wanted to see these things for himself. But the son said, that he didn’t know such a man, and that all his father had given him was this rundown shack, which sits on this unfruitful soil. When the traveler suggested that at least his father had given him something of an inheritance, the son harshly replied that if his father was indeed the kind and generous man that he sought, he would have never allowed his son’s life to deteriorate to this point. At that, the traveler bid the son good day and moved on.
I would like to suggest that this is a metaphor for the Creator, and His creation. He created the earth, and gave it to mankind to do with it as they pleased. He made a covenant with them, and promised that He would make Himself available to anyone who called. He even authored a book to help us. But as time has passed, this beautiful gift has deteriorated significantly and for the most part we stubbornly refuse to call on Him. Within the story, the wife represents the earthly things which hold our affection, and the children symbolize the natural outcome of those affinities. While we can generally accept the notion of a God who will provide for us, we struggle to receive One who might also judge us. As a result, we’ve tossed out His book, or at least stuck it on a shelf, and we blame Him for the poor condition of our world. We say things like, “If He’s really such a loving God, why is there so much evil, and sickness, and death in the world?” I would suggest that it is simply the result of reaping what we as the human race have sown. Like the son in the story, we have not because we ask not. In the book of Proverbs it says that there is a way that seems right to a man, but that it ultimately leads to death.
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Posted in Commentaries, Heart of "The Father", Opinions, Word Pictures | Tagged blaming God, condition of the world, evil in the world, God's covenant, mankind | Leave a Comment »