Happy Father's Day

Another Father's Day has come and gone. Like any other Sunday where Fred Meyer doesn't claim me, I spend the morning at church. Most of these Sundays find me joining with the music team on stage, playing trumpet or percussion as a part of leading the congregation in worship through music. As I always say, it's a great priviledge to take a gift that God has given that I love to do and turn it back to him! This Sunday, my son Joe joined us on stage with his guitar. I think it's only the second time we've been on the team together, and the first time in a long time. He has been playing for a few years, and was able to join in with no problem.

When I'm playing, I'm usually focused on the music - watching the leader, glancing at the music, and trying to sing along and keep the percussion going at the same time. As we played and worshipped that morning, I found myself stealing an occasional glance over at Joe. He was doing the same as I was, focused on doing his best for the Lord.

Later on during the sermon, the topic of fathers and Father's Day came up, and my mind drifted back to the music. I thought of how proud I was of Joe; for the skills he was using in praising God, and the joy of playing together as a team. At that point, it struck me: Are there times when God looks over at me, and is proud of his child? Times when he looks down and says, "That's my boy!"?

On a day when we honor fathers, I left church with an even stronger desire to please my heavenly Father. I know that when it comes to being a good kid, I fail in many ways, and that it's only through the sacrifice of his Son that we have a relationship with him. I think the best fathers' day present I can give Him is to give him the opportunity to glance my way and say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!". Or, to put it in simpler terms, "That's my boy!"