Blessings!

I am preparing a sermon for this week on blessings. We have been going through a stewardship series and even though sometimes I hate "talking money" at church, it has been good and I am really looking forward to shining some light on how blessed we are as "middle-class" australians. It is amazing how God will often times put me through things throughout the week that gives me a better understanding of the sermon that He is preparing in my heart and mind. If I am preaching on anger, I will have a very trying week; if I am preaching on money, the temptation to buy things will be great, and so on... As I am preparing to talk about blessings this week, it gives me an opportunity to thank God for the things that He gives us and the things that He blesses us with.

To make a long story short, I got an e-mail this morning that the house that we own in Indiana (USA) will have renters in it starting next week. We have had renters in it but they moved out a week ago and we were worried that the house was going to set empty for a few months before we found someone to rent. What a blessing. A great weight is lifted off our shoulders when there is someone in the house (paying the mortgage with their rent).

I also think about my family. I have a wonderful wife who is the greatest helper both in life and in the ministry and couldn't ask for anyone better. God truly blessed me with a wonderful partner. I have two beautiful kids that are growing and learning every day. My daughter will be turning 5 on 08-08-08 (isn't that cool?) and is an outgoing girl that I love to be around. My son is a 2 year old miniature me. He is growing up so fast and just last week started stringing full sentences together. He is so good with a ball that I am sure he will make us millions someday.

I don't know about you, but I am a blessed man!

Side note... The other day I had a conversation with Makayla that worries me to great lengths. It went a bit like this...:

Mak: "Daddy, I am having a princess party for my birthday."

Dad: "Oh yeh, well that means that I can be your prince!"

Mak: "No, Ethan is my prince" (boy from school)

Dad: "You don't want daddy to be your prince?"

Mak: "No, I don't need you."

I may be in trouble... any advise from the "dad pool" out there.