David Whiting Live

A Highlight of My Life

Sunday night was a huge ministry highlight of my life. After not leading worship for several months, I came out of "retirement." But what made it special was that I led a couple of songs with my daughter, Morgan. We postponed Vertical Worship one week because of last Sunday's weather - so we lost our female vocalist (who went back to Cedarville). So I asked Morgan to step in for two songs. And my heart was filled with joy to share that experience with her. She has a great voice, but I'm more moved by her desire to please God and use the gifts she has been given by Him.

Yet, public serving is a scary thing. Jesus said that the only way to be sure of your reward is to serve privately; when you serve privately, your motives are more likely pure (Matthew 6). But there are some areas of service that are impossible to do completely privately, and many of them are VERY public. Jesus' point was always about motive.

Here are the four things I talked to the girls about:

ON THE POSITIVE SIDE:

• Using the gifts God has given for His glory is among the most fulfilling moments of life. There are very few things that compare to living for God's glory, using your gifts to impact others. There is great joy in that.
• There is nothing like doing what you love with people that you love. Last night I led worship with a group of friends (Mark, Gary, Jim, Willie, and Harlan). I serve on staff with a group of friends. For all 18 years of my pastoral ministry, I've had the unbelievable joy of doing what I love with people I love. So to do what I love (lead people in worshiping God) with one of my daughters - - - it is hard to describe. There is nothing better in ministry.

ON THE "HARD SIDE":

• People's approval can be addictive. Fight against living for pleasing people (Gal. 1:10). This is a constant battle for those who serve in front of a group of people. Public serving can mess people up.
• Fight pride. Just because you have gifts that others do not have doesn't make you better than them. It just makes you different, and you have to live with the burden of having a gift that gets occasional attention. My wife would never want to stand in front of a group of people, yet she is equally as gifted as those who have "public" gifts.

What a great highlight for me; what a teachable moment for my family!

Why Not Santa Claus?

My wife and I never pretended with our children that Santa Claus was real, and we don't recommend it for others. There are a few reasons that I would encourage young parents NOT to teach the Santa myth to their children:

• You will simultaneously be teaching them two stories... the story of Jesus and the story of Santa. Eventually, they will figure out that Santa isn't real, and eventually they will be told by people in their culture that the story of Jesus isn't either. We wanted everything we told our children about Christmas to be true. We didn't want them to eventually know that some things WEREN'T true and wonder which ones really are true and which ones are just made up.
• It seems to me that the worst thing could be a child who says, "If my parents pretended there was a Santa, I wonder what else they tell me that they are pretending about."
• Also, Christmas is SO important theologically. It is the story of EMMANUEL (God with us). There is so much REAL excitement, joy, and content with the real Christmas story - why "clog" it up with fake stories of coming down the chimney, the north pole, reindeer, etc... We wanted to spend our teaching time with the kids on what really matters and on what really happened. 

We weren't legalistic about it. We didn't refuse to allow them to sing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" when on came on the CD player, or refuse to allow them to watch a TV movie that uses a Santa character. We just always openly told them that Santa is pretend and Jesus is REAL. 

Many would say that teaching their children the "Santa myth" is harmless. Maybe so, but I wouldn't risk it.

One more thought - we also always told them it wasn't their responsibility to tell other children that Santa wasn't real. They didn't need to be the "Santa police." 

I Was Wrong (about What My Wife Would Think)...

Sunday I mentioned that 2 Kings 2:23-24 would bother my wife.  For a reminder, here is the story...

(23) From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!"  (24) He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

In church, I mentioned that I LOVE this story, but my wife would be bothered by it.  Well, she informed me I was off base.  Her basic reasoning was that nothing annoys her more than disrespectful and disobedient children.  So it didn't phase her one bit... Wow, that is pretty big pet peeve if bears mauling 42 kids doesn't bother her.  Maybe my wife isn't as merciful as I thought!  I know this... I don't want to be disrespectful to her - she might want to have me mauled by wild animals!!!

 

Buying Ali a Riding Lawn Mower

Ali's summer "chore" is to mow our grass. Someone sent me a picture of a riding lawn mower recently - so I sent it to Ali offering to get her one of these riding lawn mowers.  She was excited when she saw the email, but less than thrilled when she saw the actual picture...  (see picture below)

She said "self-propelled" is better...  She actually prays that our mower breaks so I have to buy a self-propelled mower.  I think if we got one of these riding lawn mowers - she would be the coolest kid on the block.  For some reason, she doesn't think so.

 

Our View Every Morning This Week

This week we've been staying at a friend's vacation home in the mountains of North Carolina.  It is a four-bedroom, three and a half bath house.  It is been very relaxing and beautiful!

Here is the view we've had each morning.  This is taken from the back deck that I spend some quiet time on each morning:

I took that picture Tuesday morning.  Here is the living room view that I took Friday morning:

 

One last shot... I played the country club here on site with my friend, Kyle. I struggled to pay attention to the golf.  I was enjoying the views too much.  WOW - is it beautiful.  This picture was taken with my phone right next to the tee box of hole #5.

This week has been very relaxing, but we look forward to heading home this weekend.

My Father's Day Gift

Sunday morning in church - the girls (all four) showed up to surprise me with T-shirts they bought and wore for Father's Day.  Here they are:

In case you can't read them - here is what they say:

I know there may come a few years when my daughters wouldn't be caught dead wearing these shirts in public, but I'm thankful that they were excited to  participate in my father's day gift.

It Isn't Possible - Is It?

I just noticed the other day that "my little girl" isn't so little anymore.  Ali (14) is now taller than her mom!!  When did that happen?  Actually - - - I know the answer...

It happened sometime in the last two weeks.  I had them get back-to-back a couple of weeks ago and it was close... but not quite.  But now it is official.

Is it okay if I'm a bit sad about it?

Mother's Day

For Mother's Day, Emily (our ten-year old) gave Sue a jar with several pieces of paper in it.  It included a massage, a dusting of the first floor, vacuuming upstairs, vacuuming downstairs, making mom's bed, folding laundry, sweep the garage, playing a game, etc...  Sue is allowed to turn one in at any time.

Not surprisingly (if you know Sue), the first one she "turned in" was "make cookies."  So - Emily put on her apron and chef's hat and went right to work on Mother's Day evening.

Valentine's Day Cards... Don't Forget Guys...

Saturday is Valentine's Day.  I think I created a small problem with my "Valentine's Day Card" illustration a couple of weeks ago.  Remember? I showed all the women four or five options for Valentine's Day cards and have them pick which one they would want to receive?  Almost all of them wanted the hand made card (except for a few strong environmentalists in the first service) :)

BUT - I want to make a disclaimer here. First, I rarely have ever made a homemade Valentine's Day card. Maybe twice... that's it.  And I made the one pictured here for the purpose of the illustration.  And she loves any card that I've given her... homemade, fun, or serious.

So - it really isn't about the handmade card.  Guys, whether you buy a card from Hallmark or make you yourself, just make sure you show your wife she is the love of your life.  Do it in some special way...  the card won't matter...  Do the dishes... Cook her dinner... Tell her the reasons you'd marry her all over again... The type of card doesn't matter... Making sure she KNOWS you love her - that's what matters.

I also think if I give my wife the handmade card that I made for the sermon - I'd be in trouble... So I need to go shopping for a card.

It's Time for the Sports Illustrated SWIMSUIT Issue!!!

Every February, Sports Illustrated publishes its swimsuit edition. I don't know what women in swimsuits have to do with sports - other than the assumption that fanatic sports fans are also lusting perverts. 

I also can't understand how in our day of fights against racism and sexism - that this type of issue continues to be published, promoted, and purchased (it seems like blatant sexism to me), but that is a side-issue.

One of the things I appreciate about Sports Illustrated is that after years of angry letters from fans of legitimate sports and thousands of canceled subscriptions - several years ago they began offering an alternative.  If you have a Sports Illustrated subscription and call 1-866-228-1175, you can request NOT to receive that week's issue. And you will have your subscription extended by one issue.

I've received Sports Illustrated for a few years by trading in some reward miles (from a seldom used credit card) and once you call - it stays on their records year to year.

If you call - be sure to thank SI for giving families this option!