The Green Bottle

This is exciting. I've been a dad now for 19 months and this is the first time I get to post something like this here!

Yesterday my son, Micah, was cranky. Not like the "I'm a little boy and I'm tired" cranky but the "I'm a little boy and I want you to do what I want to do so I will be happy" kind of cranky.

I love my Micah. I want to do things that make him happy but I also know that I need to do things that are good for him. We all know that those two don't always go together.

We were playing downstairs. I needed to go upstairs. Micah wanted to come, but he was holding his blankie, his milk, and a bottle of aloe (because it was green). I asked if he wanted help, he said yes. I took the blankie and the milk but he wouldn't give up the aloe (did I mention it was green?). I went upstairs and he tried to follow. The problem was, though, he couldn't climb the stairs and hang onto the green bottle. I asked if he wanted help he said no. He sat on the bottom step and cried because he couldn't get to where daddy was without letting go of the green bottle (it really is a cool color of green).

After a few minutes of crying I went down and took the bottle out his hands. This did not make him happy.

Then he looked up and saw his blankie and milk. He took off up the stairs and never looked back.

Then God said to me, "Do you want help?"

"You need to give me your green bottle (which is a cool color)."

So I am letting go of the things I'm holding onto that prevent me from getting to where "daddy"is.

It sucks in the moment. But as soon as I look up and see my blankie and milk I know I will forget about my green bottle.

Do you need to let go of your green bottle?

I'm just askin'

I want to pray for you.

Do you have space?

It sounds like a simple question, but the answer is very important.

This post by Brad started a line of thought in my head about it. (If you're tempted to not read Brads post stop right here. Don't go on until you've read it!) Where is the space in my life? How is that affecting everything I do and everyone I interact with?

It's that space that says, "I need drums and guitars to worship."

It's that space that says, "I can only worship in quiet and solitude."

It's that space that says, "I don't like it when you challenge me."

It's that space that says, "If it doesn't look/sound/feel like I think it should it's not really worship."

It's that space that says, "I can read a few blog posts and watch a few videos and know another persons heart."

It's that space that keeps us from being honest with other people.

And most importantly, it's that space that keeps us from being honest with God. Even though he knows exactly how we feel and what we're thinking the space makes us think we can get away with it. The Bible (Jeremiah 17:9-10) is clear that it's difficult for us to have a clue about or own motives and desires.

I know I have that space. I know that I am disobedient. I know that my life doesn't look like it would if God REALLY owned all of it.

I want that to change. Do You?

Change isn't going comfortable or easy though. As I get closer to who God wants me to be the things that are in that space are going to get squished out. Disobedience and God cannot occupy the same space, and I want God to win that one!

So you pray for me as I squish the space and let God really own me and I want to pray for you. 

Post in the comments the thing I can pray for you and everyday this week I will pray for that. 

God wants all of us and I want to help you... 

Creativity on a....

And people worry about Twitter and iPhone in church services...

Who am I?

This post from Brad made me stop and think about how I live my life during the week. 

I wonder if it will help you think about your day-to-day experiences also?