The nice thing about being in Heaven is, I'm sure you've met so many great friends you know will last forever. I remember on church visitation 10-12 years ago there were some young teen girls out riding their bikes and one of them whom we were visiting had just gotten saved, but one of the two friends hadn't. We led her to Christ & my visitation partner said, "Now you'll really be friends forever."
It's harder here on earth. As I've said, I have a bit of Asperger's, or at least PDD-NOS, and I go from not being able to read between lines to getting so worried because some things I read are just like what happens with kids who are adopted out of very rough homes. I'm sorry to say I don't know how much help I could have given as you navigated that friendship stuff.
Okay, I'm being too hard on myself. We'd have talked and I'd have discussed how we're supposed to be nice, loving, caring, etc. all the time. One friend who talked about some mean stuff becuase of what his cousins went through scared me at times, because he didn't talk about gentleness, self-control, etc., and even seemed to mock me for doing so. That kind of stuff, I couldn't have helped you with.
Or, maybe I would have. He's a wonderful, Godly man now and improved so much in his 20s. It's a testimony to how God works. I'm sure he was so traumatized by just seeing what his cousisn went through. But, I didn't know how to read between the lines back then to know that's why he talked like he did, and also didn't know how to ask.
Then there was another one who was really nice, came from a really good family, yet changed when he went to college. And, not right away, either - if he had that might have made sense, though he wasn't the kind to fall for peer pressure. I totally bungled that, I was so clumsy. Now, i think something traumatized him that my mom said not to mention to him so I didn't. But, I would have told you it's soemtimes good to get people to talk about their feelings, but I would hope you could read those nonverbal things better.
BUt, your Daddy isn't that bad. By the time I'd have adopted you, I got to wear I could tell people easily I was having trouble reading nonverbal cues or that I needed to have thigns explained to me a bit more. I would say how I'd say things like, "I'm guessing that this attitude is because of 'x' or maybe 'y?'" Things like that. You'd have possibly heard me saying, "Hearing that is kind of traumatic because of what I'm picturing," since I have a very photographic thought process.
Of course, I imagine you'd have had no handicap like that, but I think you'd easily learn not to take advantage of such things because you'd see it just like my visual and hearing handicaps. I have special needs, and one of those needs is friends who just stay away from a couple things, like really raunchy stuff, lots of really bad cursing, etc. - such stuff scares me and reminds me of some trauma from Junior High that I need to be away from so I don't have flashbacks.
But - and this is something I would have been able to teach you easily - true friends are the ones who love and care for others and accept when something is traumatizing someone and they don't do it. It's just like I tried to do for these 2 friends I mentioned. I did it very clumsily, then went way overboard trying to help, but that's just my somewhat awkward social skills as I try to make up for that handicap.
I heard of a woman in our church - you may have met her by now :-) - who was an alcoholic. She got saved out of that and God wonderfully changed her and she never drank again the last 44 years of her life. However, she struggled, unlike her friends. She never again went into a restaurant with a bar in it, because she knew she could be tempted to start drinking again. Her friends loved her - they never went to one either if they were together, but when by themselves of coruse they could. They just cared for this woman. But, they also obeyed God's command in 1 Corinthians 8 where it says don't tempt a weaker brother or sister in Christ. But, they'd have been kind and considerate like that no matter what.
I have many friends like that when it comes to the little things that can torment me. They stay away from it - but really, they're not vulgar or raunchy ever, not just around me.
That's the kind of loving friend I know you'd have become down here on Earth. I know I'd have been so proud of you. That's one of those little thigns I don't get to enjoy, but my family members and their kids are like that. I can be proud of them. But, ultimately, I praise God for such love. And, I'm glad you experience that love up there in Heaven.
Till we meet.
Love,
Daddy
Monday, September 29, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
On being Christlike, telling others, problems with this world
Hi, Sweetheart.
Yes, it’s Daddy again. Your silly Daddy has just been thinking about you, I’m so thankful the Lord has given me peace about you, because you’re up there safe from any problems.
You don’t need to hear about the evils that have been in the news lately. There’s so many good people, and one would think in sports one could avoid all the evils that I avoid by not watching the news otherwise and getting my info on some Christian message boards. The images are just so gruesome. If it wasn’t for sports I couldn’t have cable TV, and only get maybe 15 channels as it is.
I hear more and more people talk about possible persecution here, though, and I’ll be honest, I worry about being able to homeschool you if you were around; of coruse, I felt I’d have had to a decade ago when I thought about it a bit before I went and got my Masters in ministry. Adoption was possible then, but I was just so concerned because of all the problems people said might come, and the anti-Christian eveil the devil is spreading.
But, again, there are som many nice people, and I will make myself get off of worries about the eviel ones. I know it’s likely you wouldn’t have been hurt had you been born and I adopted you. But, this just shows how concerned I’d have been over you, how protective.
The fruits of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness(power under control)and temperance(self control), against such there is no law.(Gal.5:22-23) The problem is that the people in the news I’ve seenact like they can do whatever they want against these fruits – but that’s what always bugged me before, I thought the world should act like Christians, and there’s a reason they don’t. They’re not filled with the Spirit. Sometiems Christians aren’t controlled by the Spirit, and we need to be, but the point is, the Lord has established that these are things we should be, and we should let Him make us like that to be more like Him. Sure, we each have our individual interests, but He wants us to learn to be Christ-like. That’s why He says “against such there is no law.”
In other words, there is no exception, we must be gentle, patient, etc.; kindness(Eph4:32) and tenderheartedness(same verse) are also crucial.
I’d have tried so hard to be a Godly example. Not all have that background or upbringing I did, but even those who haven’t that I’ve met have become Godly people because of Jesus’ love.
I’d told others – high school friends – about you in a letter, though only that I have faith you’re waiting for me and not about my blogging to you. I recently verbally told some friends as we watched football a few Thursdays ago during the Packer game.
The response was interesting – saying that God had other plans. I think they didn’t really grasp that I was saying I consider myself a father to you now, but that’s okay. My brain focuses in weird ways sometimes, and I was speaking with a much more eternal, spiritual perspective than they were thinking. It also makes sense that they’d say this because it is a proven way to comfort someone, pointing out that God is still there for me and His ways are perfect, even if we don’t understand them.
I wasn’t grieving that night – partly because I have this and have slowed quite a bit in my posting, as you can tell, so I have gotten to that acceptance stage. However, if I had been, it would have been a totally logical thing to say, one that would be expected when comforting one, although one I emply more is remarking that there’s a big hole in one’s heart that Jesus can fill.
He has filled that hole in my heart. It’s a hole I realize I had for years till I stepped out in faith and begged the Lord to give me a child so I could shower on them the same tgreat love I always felt. And, it’s a hole the Lord has filled by allowing me to “know you” in this small way and to be confident that you are up there waiting for me and that He truly did work it out well because I would have struggled, not only financially but because of the fallen state of this world. Too many people who refuse to see the need to let the Lord guide them and to show Christlike love. Because He is not only the Lord of the universe, He is also the gentle Saviour who is always so kind and gentle toward us. Yes, I’d have enforced limits with you in a loving fashion, but just having a daddy who has handicaps like I do would have taught you that. Just like the boys who did so well at the game our youth group went to showing me where the concessions were and how to get back.
There are such nice people out there. And, they come because someone was Christlike toward them and they chose to follow that modelt hey were shown, out of devotion, not because they had to, but because they wanted to.
So, this world has its problems, but we can be sure that that God’s love is there for us. I know that He’d have protected you, and only let you go through what you could handle – my main worry is that it would be more than I could handle. Seriously, though. You don’t have to be concerned about that now. You are celebrating in God’s perfect heaven, where nobody has seen, heard, or even imagined the wonders that await us.
And, until we meet, I will continue to share with others God’s love, so they, too, can join us.
With much love,
Daddy
Yes, it’s Daddy again. Your silly Daddy has just been thinking about you, I’m so thankful the Lord has given me peace about you, because you’re up there safe from any problems.
You don’t need to hear about the evils that have been in the news lately. There’s so many good people, and one would think in sports one could avoid all the evils that I avoid by not watching the news otherwise and getting my info on some Christian message boards. The images are just so gruesome. If it wasn’t for sports I couldn’t have cable TV, and only get maybe 15 channels as it is.
I hear more and more people talk about possible persecution here, though, and I’ll be honest, I worry about being able to homeschool you if you were around; of coruse, I felt I’d have had to a decade ago when I thought about it a bit before I went and got my Masters in ministry. Adoption was possible then, but I was just so concerned because of all the problems people said might come, and the anti-Christian eveil the devil is spreading.
But, again, there are som many nice people, and I will make myself get off of worries about the eviel ones. I know it’s likely you wouldn’t have been hurt had you been born and I adopted you. But, this just shows how concerned I’d have been over you, how protective.
The fruits of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness(power under control)and temperance(self control), against such there is no law.(Gal.5:22-23) The problem is that the people in the news I’ve seenact like they can do whatever they want against these fruits – but that’s what always bugged me before, I thought the world should act like Christians, and there’s a reason they don’t. They’re not filled with the Spirit. Sometiems Christians aren’t controlled by the Spirit, and we need to be, but the point is, the Lord has established that these are things we should be, and we should let Him make us like that to be more like Him. Sure, we each have our individual interests, but He wants us to learn to be Christ-like. That’s why He says “against such there is no law.”
In other words, there is no exception, we must be gentle, patient, etc.; kindness(Eph4:32) and tenderheartedness(same verse) are also crucial.
I’d have tried so hard to be a Godly example. Not all have that background or upbringing I did, but even those who haven’t that I’ve met have become Godly people because of Jesus’ love.
I’d told others – high school friends – about you in a letter, though only that I have faith you’re waiting for me and not about my blogging to you. I recently verbally told some friends as we watched football a few Thursdays ago during the Packer game.
The response was interesting – saying that God had other plans. I think they didn’t really grasp that I was saying I consider myself a father to you now, but that’s okay. My brain focuses in weird ways sometimes, and I was speaking with a much more eternal, spiritual perspective than they were thinking. It also makes sense that they’d say this because it is a proven way to comfort someone, pointing out that God is still there for me and His ways are perfect, even if we don’t understand them.
I wasn’t grieving that night – partly because I have this and have slowed quite a bit in my posting, as you can tell, so I have gotten to that acceptance stage. However, if I had been, it would have been a totally logical thing to say, one that would be expected when comforting one, although one I emply more is remarking that there’s a big hole in one’s heart that Jesus can fill.
He has filled that hole in my heart. It’s a hole I realize I had for years till I stepped out in faith and begged the Lord to give me a child so I could shower on them the same tgreat love I always felt. And, it’s a hole the Lord has filled by allowing me to “know you” in this small way and to be confident that you are up there waiting for me and that He truly did work it out well because I would have struggled, not only financially but because of the fallen state of this world. Too many people who refuse to see the need to let the Lord guide them and to show Christlike love. Because He is not only the Lord of the universe, He is also the gentle Saviour who is always so kind and gentle toward us. Yes, I’d have enforced limits with you in a loving fashion, but just having a daddy who has handicaps like I do would have taught you that. Just like the boys who did so well at the game our youth group went to showing me where the concessions were and how to get back.
There are such nice people out there. And, they come because someone was Christlike toward them and they chose to follow that modelt hey were shown, out of devotion, not because they had to, but because they wanted to.
So, this world has its problems, but we can be sure that that God’s love is there for us. I know that He’d have protected you, and only let you go through what you could handle – my main worry is that it would be more than I could handle. Seriously, though. You don’t have to be concerned about that now. You are celebrating in God’s perfect heaven, where nobody has seen, heard, or even imagined the wonders that await us.
And, until we meet, I will continue to share with others God’s love, so they, too, can join us.
With much love,
Daddy
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