Off to College: A Dad’s Perspective
Enjoyed the summer with Danielle.
Today Michelle and I are driving our oldest Danielle to her first year of college. She will be attending the University of Nothern Colorado looking to get a degree in Elementary Education. She also will be moving away from home and her family for the first time. It is one of those moments as a parent that you realize that all the times that other parents said, “Life moves way fast.” Were totally right. But I have to be honest as Danielle’s dad I am so excited and so proud of who she is and how she has become such and awesome woman of faith. I know that at some moment today I am going to look at her and remember the times that we played on the swing set in Montana. The day that she laid in bed with her Mom and said “Yes” to Jesus. That I will remember the little girl that liked to play dress up. That I will see the little soccer player. That I will remember the first time she went to a school dance. That I will remember the day I was proud to baptize her. That I will remember the days that she sat on my lap and cried her eyes out. That I will remember the times we shared her Christian crack addiction at Starbucks. But all of these memories will not wiegh me down. They will encourage the perspective that I already have about being a parent and the goal that I set a long time ago as Jesus laid it on my heart. That my job as a dad is that my kids “Leave Well.” Danielle is leaving well and I do not expect anything less. I am so proud and excited to see what the near future holds for her at UNC.
Danielle if you read this; I want you to know that I am one proud dad and that I am only a phone call, text, Skype, away. Oh yeah, continue to remind the guys around you that I still have the bow and they will not hear it coming. LOVE YOU.
Mother’s Day
I love hanging out with my family. They know how to have fun no matter what is going on. I had just finished barbecuing dinner for mother’s day, we ate, the dishes were clean. So I went to the back of the house to do a little reading. When I came out this is what I found going on in the living room. I want you all to know that yes I like sports and yes I like competition, but there is one person in the house that is way more competitive them me.
I am telling you don’t mess with my bride she will “Dominate”, notice she said, “Going for the kill”. I was scared for the kids. What fun, what a great woman, and I am so blessed to have this woman be the mother of our children. I love you Michelle.
What fun things do you do as a family in the house?
Easter @ Church with the Bloyers
Just wanted to share some of the fun that we have together at church. Yes that is right we had fun at church during the Easter services. Check out this video that my son put together.
Hope that you had this much fun on Easter at church. I love being a dad and I love being with my kids. More serious stuff to come!
Sleep Walking!
Ok, I have to talk about this because it is so freaking hilarious. Last night as I was working on the computer and watching a movie about 1:00AM I was surprised to have one of my kids get up. This does not happen to often and when it does it usually means someone is sick or bad dreams. But this one was different, the child that was up and walking around decided to take a shower. It was one in the freaking morning who takes a shower? So being the person I am I went and woke-up my wife and asked if this was normal behavior for a girl? You now know that it was not Tyler, edged out by the female comment. So Michelle got up and went in to ask the daughter what was going on. Much to Michelle’s surprise this person was getting ready to go to school. This is where it gets good. This girl then asked “Why was she asking?” Michelle informed her it was one in the morning. While still in the shower the person went dead silent, then began to laugh. “I thought that it was time to get up I was dreaming that I was getting ready to go to school.” With that Michelle started laughing of course coming straight out to me with the funny information. Obviously Michelle went back to bed but I waited to comfort, make fun of this person. Now this is where I hope you figure out which one of the girls this was, she came out and told me she was going to blow dry her hair at one in the morning so she could look good for school. (Morgan is not totally there yet, I say yet.) Danielle was so hilarious that I could not stop laughing, in fact at 2:00AM when I went to bed laying there I started to laugh again. You know that you are in a routine of getting ready for school when you get up and take a shower because you are dreaming about going to school.
I love my daughter she is truly a joy, and if I was in the South I would probably say to her, “Bless your little heart.”
It’s all about Perspective!
I really enjoy the way that as I walk through life that I am always challenged with a new perspective. Especially when it comes to leadership and becoming a a leader. This week I am finishing up a book called “Unleashing Courageous Faith” by Paul Coughlin. I am one of those people that really enjoys reading books especially ones on leadership and how I can become a better leader as a husband, father, and man. So in this book I read the following statement about leadership:
“When we have vision without wonder, it’s almost always mechanical, cold, and too “efficient” to include the work of God’s spirit” Unleashing Courageous Faith, page 217
This is one of those statements that just jump off the page for me. Because I really believe that there are times in my life that I just work on the vision and forget about the wonder. I believe that as I have read through the Psalms that is part of what is so awesome about David, that he truly lived with a perspective of wonder.
Psalm 22:22 (NLT) Then I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among all your people.
Why is it that we can so easily take the wonder out of leadership? I think because it then becomes more about us then it does God. I am blessed to have children that are constantly opening my eyes to the amazing wonder of God. When I listen to Danielle talk about the Quiet times that she has and how God is speaking to her, that through Morgan and her singing I experience that praise among the people, and through the eye of my son who see things through his camera that I don’t see. I pray that this week we all will take the time to see the wonder of God, that this wonder will effect how we lead and who we lead.
Where have you seen the wonder of an almighty God in your life?
Life’s Chain of Events
I don’t know why but today I have really been taking a mental inventory of the men and women that God has used to be influential in my life. These are people that through out my life that God has used to add another link in the chain of events that have made me who I am today. Some of them may or may not even know how God has used them but to me I really see them as the hands and feet of the Lord. They have either helped me along, pushed me, kicked me in the butt, or have been an ear to vent too. So for me I wanted to be able to take the time to name some of them, some are gone, some are living, some are near and some are far. All I know is that I thank God for each one of them and the amazing way that they have been a part of my life in word or in deed. So this is my list of names that have been used by God in my life:
Phil Bloyer, Nancy Bloyer, Pastor Fredrichs, Skinny Knapp, Harry Munson, Peter Fredrich, Jim Brooks, Meerle Steele, Mike Hiller, Jim Evans, Greg Meeker, Charles and Margie Kellim, James and Rachel Preston, The Boys at Union Hill Baptist Church, Nathan Lawson, The Staff at Riverside Hospital, Thelma Murray, Rick Richardson, Randy Sanders, Jerry and Becky Coon, Todd and Joe Stevenson, Matt Coon, Ted and Jody Herzog, Shawn and Candice Kelly, Josh Reinke, Chris Hallock, Phil Newby, The Elders at Grace Bible Church – Miles City, Bill Robbins, Ty Blaus, Marcus Boykins, Matt McMann, Dan and Joy Bethel, Nathan Maples, Joe Hunsaker, Kevin Carlson, Jason Olcott, Pastor Jay of I.C.M.C., Warren C. Bloyer (Your words from the past), Mike Yaconelli, Mark Batterson, Pete Wilson, Ric Small, Ken Jensen, Brian Logue, Kurt Baughn, Sammy Verbis, My awesome kids – Danielle Bloyer, Tyler Bloyer, Morgan Bloyer, With out a doubt my brothers and sister, I have to close with my wife Michelle L. Bloyer. (She is the best thing that the Lord has loaned to me)
Lord may I continue to remember the names of people that you have used to build into me ,I know that there are names that should be on here that either I have forgotten or have yet to be brought to this place.
Maybe this is something that you need to do is take an inventory of the men and women that have made a difference in your life. Maybe you need to contact them and let them know the difference that they have made. Maybe you need to realize that you are someone that God is going to use in the lives of those around you. Whose list will you show up on? Will you show up on anyone’s list? Take the time to thank the Lord for those that He has used to lead you closer to Him.
Who is on you list – make a short one today.
Danielle turns Sixteen
I never thought that I would come to the day where my first child was sixteen years of age. But today I stand the father of a sixteen year old daughter and I have to say that I have loved every minute of it. I am so blessed with the young lady that she has come to be she lead a group of girls at a Middle school camp, she is in leadership at the High school, setter on the JV Volleyball Team, and one of the most beautiful women I know. I just pray that as we walk through life that we always remember that are kids are just loaned to us and they are only with us for a short while and then they are out on their own. My mom and dad would always say “It is a blink and then they are gone.” They were not kidding but what a wonderful blink it has been. So with that I wrote for her a little poem and I wanted to share with you with just the few words that I could what she means to her mother and I.
Sixteen years: “What a start!”
The day you were born
Life changed all around
Your mothers face was so bright
Because of the little girl
That came that night
As I held you in my arms
And looked at your face
There was no way
To imagine who you were to become today
Your smile brightens a room
And melts your daddy’s heart
Your laugh echoes through the house
And gets me to giggle just a little start
The way that you’re quick with your wit
Gets me going crazy just a bit
The intensity at which you live your life
Makes me wonder what will happen
Later just tonight
The leadership you posses
Makes others think
And you bring out their best
The way that you walk like Christ is such a gift
Your mother and I knew that you were on loan
But it is so hard to think that we will have to let go
So today as we celebrate sixteen years all we can say:
“Is what a start!”
With all that you have already said and done
I know that what is to come is going to be
Second to none
So it is as a mom and dad we pray
It is our hope that you will never stray
From the road that the Lord has begun to pave for your life
It is with that we know you will be an incredible:
Student
Athlete
Leader
Daughter
Friend
Bride
Mother and
Wife
But most of all a child of Christ
May we in many more days
Celebrate just as much with a daughter or son of yours
In God we Trust.
Season Over
So let me ask you what does a Volleyball player do when the season is over and their team is Undefeated! They go home after school, take a nap with the left over halloween candy bowl, a bag of microwave popcorn, and a soda. Then to top it off end up in the kitchen half awake cleaning up the brownie mix. Well, I have to say that she has earned it. Nothing makes a Dad prouder then a daughter who loves the Lord, works hard, and then plays hard. Well and knows how to grub down! Way to go to the Benicia JV Volleyball team great season.
Way to go Danielle
Looking Good!
So I left the office to go and watch my daughter Danielle play volleyball. Let’s just say that the team that they were playing today was a little lacking. So what do you do when your team stomps the other team and you really don’t have to play. You stand there and you look good! That is what Danielle did and she did it well. What can I say I love this girl! Maybe the next time we can get some action shots.
"Psycho for Jesus" Scott Bloyer 