Re-connecting...

Laura is an amazing friend. She has huge leadership gifts, is dialed into the Spirit, and walks with amazing integrity. I love it when she spends time hanging with the Furrs.

But life has been crazy for her and for us. It's been a long time since we've gotten to just sit and share some life together. And there is a whole lot of life going on these days.

Last night was one of those moments. We met at our favorite eats joint (Bennihana's in Wheeling and laughed, cried, shared, prayed, and ate great food.

Those kinds of things just fill me up. Yup...those kinds of friendships are a gift.

Peace,

Matt

sorry fetz...

My friend "Fetz" is in the Republican party in Michigan. So he's going to hate this observation.

But I don't think the Republican party has a shot at the White House in 2008. I know, a lot can happen in the next couple years. And I am sure that a lot will happen in that time.

But I think that America is poised to break the trend of electing white men as President. For the entire history of our country, there has been a "glass ceiling" in government. I think I see cracks in the glass. And for that, I'm glad. It's past time.

Unless John McCain dons a dress...not a pretty sight!

I've been reading The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. It's a good read. I certainly don't agree with all his policies, but I am inspired by his thoughts on government and how our unique brand of representation can work most effectively. I'm not sure Washington is ready for them, but I hope his voice is heard and undistorted. Should be fun!

Peace,

M@

a boy needs his dad...

Sometime, a boy just needs his dad...

the other day, Izak just seemed out of sorts to me. He was just pushing and pushing - not always unusual for a 4 year old, I know. But it just didn't seem right. Then, as were upstairs getting ready for bed, he saw me standing down the long hallway in my room. He looked at me with steel in his eyes...and ran for all he was worth. Not to hug. Not to jump on. He just ran straight into me with all he was worth. Then he backed up and did it again.

Ahh...that's what he needs...time to wrestle!!

So I grabbed him, tossed him on the bed and tickled him like crazy. He tickled me. We laughed and rolled and wrestled. We got back down on the floor and I looked at him with crazy eyes, crouched down in a 3-point stance (like the front line of a football team) and ran right into him, pulling him to the floor.

He liked the looks of that. He got up, crouched in a 3-point stance. And plowed into me as hard as he could.

I must confess, it did a dad's heart proud to see my boy looking like a defensive lineman!

Sometimes a boy just needs his dad.

I've processing some huge things these days. I sometimes feel alone and confused...not sure which end is up. I have great mentors and advisors.

But today, I talked with my dad. He shared his wisdom and heart. He asked hard questions. He pushed on my ideas with grace and strength. He got in the trenches with me.

Sometimes, a man just needs his dad.

Thanks, Dad...

Daddy Day...

Well, the kids lived through a day with Daddy at the helm. Barely...

They all were apparently excited about the prospect of being home with Daddy, because they started talking together about 5am...

"LIBBY!!" - coming from Izak's room.
"EINSKEIN" - coming from Libby's (that's what she calls him).

Back and forth several times. Then laughing and more yelling.

Let me set the stage. I'm not a morning person. Never have been (maybe a couple of Christmas mornings about 25 years ago, but certainly not on any regular on-going basis). I'm pretty convinced that Jesus doesn't even want to see me at 5 am.

I told them to keep it down, which they did, thankfully. That gave me time to shower to begin my day so that I could possibly smile at them at six-two-zero (the time we tell Izak he's allowed to come out of his room in the morning).

We played a lot today. We went to the store. For some reason, people just stop and look at the bearded man with two kids in one cart, stuff in another cart, and a walkie-talkie tagging along beside. I got both looks of sympathy, concern, and support. But no matter the look, they all gave me a wide berth to move through!

Here's the kicker...none of them made it to 6 pm. by 5, they were all melting. Izak was the worst! He stood outside the tub crying..."I can't move." I got him to his room and jammied up for the night, telling him to wait for me to get Lib down. By the time I got her down and went back to him, he was crashed in bed with the lights on full. Poor kid...

So I had the evening to myself. My dad recommended the show 24 to me last year, but I missed most of it before starting to watch...I got lost. So this year, I wanted to watch it from the beginning. I may be a simple man (may, nothing...), but this show grabbed me from the first tick of the very loud clock. I'm hooked. Thanks, Dad...

I heard from Heidi who is getting filled up by the love of good friends. She heads home tomorrow. I should see her before heading into a marathon elders' meeting in the evening.

In all, it's been a good Daddy day. I didn't lose my cool. I didn't lose any kids. And the house is at peace.

I'm guessing they're going to be excited about another day with Daddy, so I'd better get to bed...

I'm learning...

...mostly.

I've said it before on this blog and anyone who knows me knows that I like to drive. In another life, I'll be a trucker or something. But for now, I'm a pastor, who works weekends. So when I get the chance to take a long drive, I usually take it...even if it means a little chaos for others.

Heidi took off to visit some friends for a couple days, so I'm on duty with the kids. I love my time with them and thought it would be fun to visit the cousins in Michigan. So after church today, I scrambled (with the amazing help of 3...count them 3 people) to pack the suitcase, get some food, hook up the dvd player in the van, find the pack-n-play, and get everyone in the van. I could only get that far because Heidi was long gone already.

The kids were stoked. I was ready for a challenge and a drive. Izak was ready to be my helping hands on the road. And we were off!

Then there was that feeling in the pit of my stomach. Not the one that told me Heidi would frown on such an adventure (I had already dispatched that voice an hour earlier when I even considered making the trip). But this was the voice that said, "Hey, Furr...these kinds of trips are great for you, but do you really need to drag your kids into your vortex of nuts?"

Yeah...you're right little voice. Maybe it was God...or maybe He just let "common sense" handle this one. Either way, on the south side of Chicago, after about an hour on the road, I took the exit and turned around.

I felt stupid even being in that situation. But hey, I listened to that voice much sooner than I ever would have earlier in the my life. Hey, look at me...I'm growing!!

So the kids and I had a nice drive to and from the big city. They got to watch a couple videos in the car, which they thought was great. And we got McDonalds for dinner. That's a good time!

We're at home. Where we all belong...

clarity

I've always been comfortable with ambiguity and a certain amount of chaos. As a matter of fact, Heidi is always reminding me to "let sleeping dogs lie." I'm not sure what they feel they need to lie about...they can't even talk, for crying out loud! But I'm not one to let things setting in too much.

But much of my prayer energy this past several months has been for clarity. God's funny that way...take the kid who likes change and ambiguity and put him in a position that he needs clarity.

Leadership requires clarity. It's one thing for me to muddle around on roads I don't recognize...it's totally another to bring others along with me. To lead requires clarity.

And so I pray for clarity to lead well. It doesn't always come in the way that I expect it...but it always comes. God's little tip of the hat to the kid who likes to be surprised...I'll show you the picture, but I won't tell you how we get there.

As long as I can be surprised a little, I'm all good with clarity...

Not much there...just something I'm stirring on as I sit in the library wrapping up my message, praying, and journaling.

Peace,

Matt

According to Jim...

There really isn't much good on tv most nights. I look, but you know, most of it is brain garbage. One of my peeves with much of tv is that it portrays men as idiots, sexual dogs, or feminized in some way. Raymond, 31/2 Men, Friends, Seinfeld, etc.

But there is a show that caught my attention as I was surfing during the Sugar Bowl. I consider it one of my duties to surf during commercials (don't even get me going about the commercials during "family hours" while football is on...). I came across According to Jim. I've seen it before and it's funny. But tonight, Jim was teaching his son to be a man...and Mom wasn't having it. I love the way that the show captured the tension of boys becoming men and how Mommies don't always like it.

While discussing this, Jim says to his wife, "God gave boys dads to teach them how to be men." Bullseye!!!! I'm not saying I agree with the vision of manhood that Jim was putting out there, but he nailed it in that one line.

God made us dads in order to teach our boys how to be men. How true it is...

Peace,

M@