Parenting Doubts

Being a parent is the most challenging role in the world.

Persistant doubting questions:

"How much is too much discipline?"
"When do I show grace?"
"Boundaries are good, arent they?"
"God can use poor past choices for His glory right?"
"High expectations for achievement in school and extra-curricular is healthy, right?"
"Expected participation in a sport is good for the body, mind and spirit, correct?"
"How much money is too much money for those sport participation expectations?"
"I am just a steward of what I have, I mean, its not really mine anyway?"
"A lack of a healthy relationship with an earthly father will impact how I father?"
"Do I have what it takes to be a dad?"

I once started to read a book by John Eldridge where he stated that God wants those of us considered "fatherless" to run to Him with His arms wide open and jump into them and call Him "daddy". I couldnt finish that book.

When I try to picture this in my mind it grinds to a halt. I have trouble conceiving God as dad.

(Another post sometime about my Dads could be healing, but not now.)

I confess.

I have prayed the following more than once.

"Oh Lord, as a fatherless father I am clueless. I am a mess and have no idea what I am doing. Help. I need you."

All this as my Amy is away on a church winter retreat and I am repeatedly asking God to care for her and that I dont wanna mess up His work in her life. To be her Father in each and everyway in which I fall short. To meet the needs in her life of which I am not even remotely aware. Even the ones I am aware of, I feel inadequate.

Isnt this the essence of living by faith?

We were challenged this weekend at our church to live by faith like Gideon. To walk into battle against 135,000 midianites not with 32,000 fighting men but 300. To live like this is illogical and to some, foolish. Read it here for yourselves.

Being a parent is the most challenging role in the world.

It requires "Gideon-like" faith.


Joe

Quote

I found this quote today. I love Corrie Ten Boom, what an inspiration.

Every experience God gives us
Every person He puts in our lives
is the perfect preparation for a future
only He can see.
--Corrie Ten Boom

So long tree...

This is what we came home to after the swim meet on wednesday. The wind was just too much for this 30 year old white pine. Kind of sad, thirty years and its now fire wood. The kids were really sad, it was a great climbing tree. You could see the whole neighborhood from way up there, until mom would catch you.

It is really amazing how such a tall tree could have such shallow roots- there is a lesson for us. "Dig our roots in deep to withstand the winds of life." How profound, I sound like the guy on SNL.

Anyway, this is waht Joe gets to do today, use a chainsaw to cut up a pine tree and then figure out what to do with all that wood no one wants. Pray he has all 10 fingers when he is done!

Pictures.

Amy had her first 2 meets this week and she did great! She got to swim varsity and posted her best times. She has the most fun cheering on her friends, though.

Here is one picture of Andrew playing basketball, he is quite the player. I need to get better at my photography skills and the gym. I just can't quite get it together. He loves playing and we had to put a limit on his shooting this week, too many fast breaks. He could only shoot off the offensive rebound. Most of the kids on the team don't even know what an offensive rebound is yet, so he is a little ahead of the game. He will probably play up next year.

Robby Prenkert

Former opponent.

Former teammate.

Friend.

Brother in Christ.

Please read his incredible post about his Dad here.

One of the best blog posts I have ever read.

Joe

Favorite Memory of Kip Prenkert

Graduating from Bremen High School in 1988 means I am the exact age as Robby (Kip's son). So we played against each other in basketball and baseball during high school.

Then as choice would have it, He went on to play basketball at Bethel and I played at Grace. He was a very good shooter and typically I had the assignment of guarding him. That is for another post because it was not an easy task.

Then my first teaching job was at NorthWood High School from 1992 till 1998.

During those years I have lots of memories of 3 on 3 ball with Robby and Curt Flickinger(who i lived with before getting married) and our 4 th player was usually Greg Cripe. We even played in an adult basketball league in Nappanee held at the old middle school. Not that I am bragging but we rarely lost in that league and we won our fair share of 3 on 3 titles as well.... *SMILE*

Kip watched a lot and said very little.

Onto my favorite memory.

During either my first or second year, Kip, Tom Allen (another english teacher) and myself all shared a "prep" period together. At the time, due to lack of classroom space, we convened in a small office just off the South Surge area.

Anyway, during this time a popular comedian was Jeff Foxworthy. His, "you might be a redneck if..." act was true hilarity. Mostly clean and sometimes it "hit too close to home" as he would say.

You remember the kind, "you might be a redneck if.... "
"you mow your yard and find a car"
"you go to family reunions to pick up women"
etc..

So, one day, the three of us begin talking about this.... and the conversation leads to:
"you might be a redneck teacher if"....

Well I literally was crying from laughing so hard. Kip and Tom just had me rolling on the floor. They were so clever and witty. We even came up with our top "25" redneck teacher jokes... I wrote them down. I am sure I dont have them anymore but when I think about that day it makes me smile.

I enjoyed working with Kip. But I REALLY enjoyed that time with him. I definitely saw and appreciated a side of him like I never had before.

I have many other fond memories of Kip, from helping us out with "coat check" at basketball games to his quiet humor to his grading papers/reading a book during basketball games.

But that day..... in a tiny small office just off of the south surge and north of the auditorium...... I laughed as hard as I have ever laughed.....that is my favorite memory of Kip Prenkert which I will have forever.

Joe

random

About my oldest child.....Amy

she has her first swim meet as a 7th grader today. she is very nervous...

she has some 8th grade boy named, "Austin" who she keeps texting and he keeps texting back.... and I am hoping they both get their phones run over by a car. I am very nervous...

she is an excellent student.

she has a fun, delightful personality.

she is very cute.

she is a hard-worker.

Geesh, what boy wouldnt want to text her????

I am very nervous...

Is it wrong to pray for time to go backwards?