Letters to Him

So as a young adult, you start out and let's say you have a stern Dad. We could use the analogy of your dad being like Clint Eastwood in the movie, "Grand Torino". And you get calls from your priest, Father Janovich, he tells you as a good adult child, you would be advised to contact your dad - how often - daily, weekly, bi-weekly? No, you are informed by Father Janovich, that you are to be in constant contact.

That's a tall order, but Father Janovich says, constant contact is required. That's going to be uphill work. Why? Walt Kowalski is opinionated. His opinions are brought about by years of living. His cantankerous set ways work for him. And he's not going to let you take the t-bird out for a spin. Because basically, it's not fun, fun, fun and Daddy's never going to let you take the t-bird. Because having Walt Kowalkski as a dad, your dad is always gettin' wise to you now.

Conversations are going to not be for exchanging the soft, warm portions of the heart often, because the heart is set in stone.

Jesus told us, when we understand Jesus, we see the Father. Our Father runs to us returning prodigals. He literally runs to welcome us back. Jesus gave us prime examples of this when He was perfectly willing to help out a Roman Centurion.

Matthew 8
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.


This just isn't very Walt Kowalkski oriented. This Father is ALL about seeing Him with confidence.

Hi Dad! You are Wonderful! I know You love to help me and You are always there for me. I can remember a few times. Right. Like that time. Right, that was... well, You know. When You help me, things seem to turn out better when we talk and work together. You know what I like about talking with You, it's rarely Your way or the lowway. You reach out to me when my faith sinks. You sit with me when I'm surrounded by people who want to accuse me. You forgive me, when I'm not there for You. And You give me chances to make up that mistake. Thanks, Dad. So much.

You tell me when to flee, you tell me when to be silent, you tell me - get over yourself. Let it go. Forgive. The best air we can gulp down is that breathe of forgiveness. Sometimes, Dad, I need Your wisdom and help to decide if flight is best. I need Your salvation to really get away.

Dad, I know You have all the insight and wisdom to give me. And, Dad, you do that because I'm Your's. I share Your name and You have that covered. Thank You, Dad, for being mine and making me Yours. Amen.

Praying the Lord's Prayer is not about kneeling on the cold, hard floor of a Cathedral. To a God with all the answers carved in a Stone Book of Life, unwilling to walk the hardships of life. The people who walked beside Jesus, the Man, in wonder, saw Him put His hands in mud to heal. They saw Him reach out and touch leprosy. Jesus even healed the mother-in-law's of a male friend.

Now, let's return to the Book the Bible tells us in Psalm 139, and other places too, called His Book of Life.

I Timothy tells us Scripture is created as He breathes out. The Commandments - those are written in stone. His Book of Life, is firm but He is the Father who runs to us.

Prayer is just not about ~ oh please, please, but He won't listen. He's too Big. When we say to Him - please Speak the Word, we really also say - but You are Dad. And I'm going to let You help me with this prayer.

Cmon. Why the Heck would we think He wants to hear ~ oh please, please. Whether we dress That up in austerity. Or if we just wallow in whimpy, whiney woo. He Wants US to have FAITH in HIM.

Remember when 2011 January opened to all the weird animal and bird die offs? Google went WILD from people asking if this was the end of the world. God tells us about people willing to scream about, "This is the Big One!" The truth is, we don't know for sure. Except Jesus told us when He returns He is questioning whether there is faith on the earth. Today, an extraordinary amount of people believe Jesus is the Son of God and HE wants to hear our prayers. That...is a very good sign He is still wanting to Save the Entire World.

Letters from Him

Just as the story of Kings of Israel is our story, so is the Book of Revelation. Individually, we all have an invitation to leave the planet. And meet our Maker. The idea of prayer revolves around this and this ~ are you going to meet the cold Judge? Our Living God says families live on Heaven and Earth. We are going to meet our Father - who runs to meet us - to have conversation in the Garden. He tells us this, as His Story opens, in Genesis.


John 14 ~ Conversation in the Garden with HIM, Jesus tells us

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

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