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Just a little perspective change…
Yesterday evening I was watching a T.V. show with my wife while my dog was laying under a blanket sleeping peacefully. The only difference was the 9 pounds of fresh, vibrant life I was holding so close to my chest! My son. Today, April 15th, he is 4 weeks old and on Monday he will be one month old! It’s hard to believe how fast this time is flying bye. As we sat there, I began to look at my life and the things that have changed in me these last 4 weeks! Let me tell you that this change is an unequivocal change, a change that has made me look at life with a new passion! Here are 10 things that are completely different in my life now!!
1. I’ve never loved the sound of a burp as much!
- Of course, the statement above may hint that I love to hear that deafening sound of a burp. But it’s different now, because when you hear that burp that means that the chance of a projectile vomit has dramatically decreased! So every time we hear that burp after feeding him an ounce, we have a rejoicing session! 
2. I’ve realized that I don’t need nearly as much sleep as I thought to operate!
- Before Graham I needed as much sleep as I could get! If I didn’t get a “sufficient” amount, I was done for the next day. But those 3 days in the hospital, and every day since then has shattered that philosophy!
3. Our house will never be clean for more than 2 days!
- This is not for the lack of trying to keep it clean! I have no explanation for this one. We clean and then a couple of days later it looks like we didn’t spend the time picking bottles up, throwing dirty onesies into the hamper and a myriad of other things that inexplicably end up on the floor!
4. Never under appreciate the power of the wipe!
- There is no more deflating feeling than that of when you are changing a diaper and you reach for another wipe, and POOF, there are no more! Now you are looking at a scary situation!
5. My love for mechanical swings is unrivaled!
- Although I love holding my son, it’s nice to get a break from this robot nanny! But even when we put him down, it’s difficult to not just stand there and watch him sleep!
6. Being on time…at this point, not really an option!
- Just a week and a half after he was born, it was Pastor Appreciation Day at The Potter’s House. Naturally, I wanted to have my wife and son present when they called us up on stage. Just being new to “baby time”, we missed the beginning of service by 15 minutes! Close…so close!
7. Mornings with Graham and Netflix!
- Erin and I have forged an unspoken schedule. She stays up all night, and I get up early with Graham and let her catch up on some sleep! During this time, I make a bottle, get set up on the couch and watch movies on Netflix that I would’ve never watched before. Like Batman: The Movie with Adam West and Burt Ward, stupid movie, but it’s Batman…I’ll let it slide! During these times it’s just me, Graham and the T.V. remote. So American of us right?
8. One of my favorite things in life right now is singing to my boy.
- There are times when he is really fussy, and we’re not exactly sure what to do with him. So I have started to carry him around our house and just sing praise and worship songs to and over him! This is THE most special time to me now! He will just stare at me while I try my best to sing him to ease, and most of the time it works!
These last two are the most important to me…
9. Watching Erin with Graham.
- There is honestly no more beautiful sight on this Earth to me. Sometimes I just sit in awe as my wife grows into an incredible mom. There are times where I just can’t stop thanking the Lord for all that He has given me. Riches don’t always come in silver or gold, but what I get to watch everyday, makes me the richest man on this planet. I’m truly thankful!
10. Having my family in church.
- At this point, we have only been able to have Graham at church twice, but when we are all there together, I am as happy as a fat kid in a chocolate shop! I want Graham to experience God like I do, and I love going to a church that encourages and is led by the Holy Spirit.
Most of these points only parents will TRULY understand. But there is one thing that is certain, I am not the same man that I was a month ago! I’m not sure that you can ever be fully ready to become parents, but you just kind of grow into it! You love your child so much that it doesn’t matter what they need you have it for them! Another thing I should’ve added to the list was something about changing diapers! Other babies…no no, my baby I’ll do what I need to! Lol! Having a baby is as exhausting as they say it is, but it holds a reward like no other!
I found this interesting…
Here is a video that explains why Tax Day is April 18th and not April 15th this year! This is from Yahoo!.
So, go out and get your free cinnabon Monday night!
What’s this life all about?
What’s this life all about?
Destination. The lives we lead all end somewhere. The choices that we make culminate in a grand or grim finale. Paul said in Philippians 3:12-16..
“12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
From the beginning of time we have seen man trying to figure out one seemingly impossible question, “What is this life all about?” Tucked away in the four verses above, Paul gave us a hint to what the answer might be. In verses 13 and 14, he said “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I PRESS on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Pressing towards the goal. Rather you want to believe it or not, there is a Heaven and there is a Hell. Popular “doctrinal” movements would lead us to believe that there is no such thing as Hell, and that we will not have to answer for the way we live our lives. This is a blatant lie, and a seducing doctrine meant to lure “believers” away from the truth. We find in Revelations 20:11-15 that there is no way of escaping the fact that we will all have to answer for the way we have lived our lives.
With all that being said, I want to focus now on my original questions, what’s this life all about? Our singular purpose in life should be focused on spending eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven, and bringing as many others with us as we can. Once you make this your “prize”, you can then begin to structure the rest of your life. What do I mean? Well, everyday we make thousands of decisions, some big and life changing and some small and seemingly insignificant, but the point is that everyday we shape our lives into something that glorifies the King of Kings or something that strays further and further away from Him. If you focus has been set on the “prize”, then you will want every choice you make and every step you take covered in prayer. If this is on your focus, then you will live a life that is empty and devoid of meaning. Sure, you might have a great job, lots of money, the nicest car, the biggest house but none of that will last for eternity. Being in the profession that I am in, I have seen more times than you would believe, people digging themselves deeper and deeper in a hole constructed of bad decisions. People who have tried to fill that void with alcohol, drugs, sex and a myriad of other things. These things breed nothing but destruction, you will not find peace you will not find hope. The only thing you will find are sleepless nights, and an endless circle of depression. It’s easy to look at someone who is living that life and say, “well, they look happy”, but underneath they are dying. Romans 6:20-24 says…
“20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The good news is that there is HOPE! The Bible tells us in Psalm 103:12 that “12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” If you are reading this, that means you are a living, breathing person and God still has a purpose and a plan for your life! Please don’t take one more second for granted. Make Jesus Lord of you life today! I promise you that you will experience hope, joy and peace like never before!
What’s this life all about? Destination. Where would you end up if you died today?
Graham Rhys Oldfield
This is the best thing that has ever happened to my wife and I! He’s amazing!
