Seventh Inning Stretch

Posted on June 10, 2015 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

Join us this Thursday night for our June Men’s Fellowship Night, with Pastor Don Meckley. Pastor Don serves as Senior Pastor at Emmanuel Church in Bayville, NJ. Call today for more information and to register. Dinner starts at 6:15 PM followed by the program. Call 800-453-7942.

Seventh Inning Stretch

(Today I am sharing something from my archives of Freedom Fighters. This was written back 6-2009. It is a privilege to share my journey in front of all of you)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”(this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  Ephesians 6: 1-4 (ESV)

Sometimes there are just too many days that are dedicated to the honoring or acknowledging of an event or a person and at times I think it is just a scam in order to sell cards, candy and flowers. Now Mothers Day is a given and should not even be questioned but Father’s Day is a bit different. It is looked at as a great excuse for Dad to eat BBQ or receive a new tool (sorry guy’s if you are getting ties) but for me this year it will be the first one I have without my father.

Dad was an easy buy. If you went to Phillies game, get him a hat. If you went near a Home Depot, get him a tool. If you had gone fishing…well you get the idea. My Dad was real cool about Fathers Day. Even if you just called him, he was fine with it. I don’t know how I’ll feel this Father’s Day without him but I’m sure I’ll manage. I’m a Dad now and my children have done with their short lives abundantly more than I could have ever hoped for. Just in that is Father’s Day gift enough. But there is a bit more.

My son just graduated from 8th grade with honors. My daughter played in the band during the ceremony. What a blessing!! And because of an unforeseen health problem, the dugout coach with my son’s baseball has had to take some time to recover and I have been asked to join the team. Now I have been sitting on the other side of the chain link for a part of the season but since that moment the team was won themselves a place in the playoffs. The head coach say’s I must be good luck but I know better. I think it is because Jesus is in the dugout and prayer is happening when these young men step up to the plate.

You see, to me Mother’s and Father’s Day is something to be viewed Biblically. We are told to honor our parent’s straight from the tablets God forged for Moses to take the nation of Israel. I tell my children that all they have to do is do it for God first and I’ll be honored for it, that I am taking care of God’s provision in my life. Then it is up to me to keep the encouragement up. I have to do that by living out the words of encouragement that I say to them. If I tell them to PRAY FIRST before you do first…they better see me do it. If I tell them not to be ashamed of the Gospel I better pray for the meal when we go out to eat, even if it is McDonalds. And if necessary wear my Americas Keswick T-shirt’s in public and not just on the grounds when I am spending time there.

Our children need to see us, as men, honoring our Heavenly Father. They need to hear us cry out “ABBA” when we are at our weakest so they know what to do when they are at their weakest. And if you can say it like you mean it, raise your voice and shout “SANTO” when you have been blessed. In all things show your children that “Our Father who art in Heaven” matters in your everyday coming and going.

Just as a side note….my daughter helped select the verse I have used for this Freedom Fighter as well as edited me for grammar and punctuation. She is not only Daddy’s only little girl she’s a chip off the ole’ block. We both send our regards to all the Freedom Fighter Brethren. – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and is a weekly Freedom Fighter blogger

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 15-17; Matthew 23:1-22

Think About This: “Communication not only disciplines, it also disciples. It shepherds your children your children in the ways of God. Like the teaching of Deuteronomy 6, this full-orbed communications occurs while lying down, walking, rising, walking, sitting. Parents are often too busy to talk unless something is wrong. A regular habit of talking together prepares the way for talking in strained situations. You will never have the hearts of your children if you talk with them only when something has gone wrong.”—Tedd Tripp

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Psalm 32:10