I have spent the last week with my family in Las Vegas Nevada, attending the Kolbalt 400 NASCAR Race. Many of my fondest times as a child were spent at the local race track with my dad. For as long as I can remember Dad has wanted to attend a NASCAR race with his kids, I never thought that this was possible when he got sick.  As I  watched my dad’s eyes light up when the cars revved their engines and stand as the race began I found myself immersed in a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of my dad in these moments. The sights and sounds were filled with a million prayers and the sound of the engines sounded like the trumpets of Heaven. In these moments I closed my eyes and was reminded of all the good in life.

I came away from my time there with many thoughts but as I was flying over the Nevada desert on my way to the forests of Oregon one thing kept playing over and over in my mind, it was the Blessing my dad gave Eric and I on the day of our wedding. While I may not believe in the “Christianity” of my childhood there is a spiritual truth to the words that he wrote 23 years ago. He worded it from where he was then but the Christianity in it doesn’t undo the very truth in his words. We were made to be more than meat sticks walking around, we are bound to each other, by coming to this world we agreed to do the work, by honoring the commitments we make, we honor our essence. As I reread it when I got home I read it more as a family credo, then something that was written for Eric and I all those years ago.

You are part of the fellowship of the unashamed, covered by the BLOOD COVENANT. You have HOLY SPIRIT power. The die has been cast, you’ve stepped over the line, and the love of God controls you. The decision has been made. You are a disciple of His. You will not look back, let up, slow down or back away. Your past is redeemed, your present makes sense, your future and your hope is secure in Him. Do not involve yourself with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, cheap giving, or cheap claiming of what was given to you by Christ.

You no longer need Pre-Eminenace. You have hope, peace, love, prosperity, health, position, promotions plaudits, popularity, forgiveness, righteousness, Gods’ Grace, and Gods Love. Always be on God’s side and no evil or anything of this world can stand against you. You don’t have to be right, first, the tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded by the worlds system. Serve God first and know all things will be added to you. Endeavor to live by the measure of faith given to you, lean on His presence, listen for His Spirit, live by prayer and labor with the power He has given you.

Your path is set, your pace will be fast, your promise is the Kingdom of God, your road is narrow, your way is easy, your companions few, your Guide reliable, your mission and ministry are clear. You cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, retreat in the face of evil, flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversaries, negotiate at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. You must not give up, or let up until you have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the Blessing of God.

Thank you dad putting such wisdom to paper it; will be handed down for generations to come.

I truly believe that it is because of the faithfulness of this man (my father) and his wife (my mother) and their commitment to their family and their belief that life was meant to be lived for more than ourselves that we were able to spend this amazing week living and loving.

When the world and the doctors said he wouldn’t live, he wouldn’t walk; he would never be able to be more than he was in that moment. We knew how to FIGHT! We knew if he couldn’t fight for himself we would do it for him because we had a lifetime of watching my parents do the “right” thing. We knew that we could not be detoured; we would not retreat in the face of evil, flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversaries, negotiate at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. We knew we would NEVER give up, or let up until we had stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up. This weekend, this miracle wasn’t given freely we fought for it, is a testament of the power of family and the healing power of love.