Psalm 84:1-4

How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah

This Dove and Me.

This dove gives me pause for reflection.  Well, much of life gives me pause for reflection.    A friend asked yesterday, “Phil, what are you doing for a living?”  Whew.  Surviving was the answer in my heart.  My answer surprised me.  Quick gut answers in the middle of a challenge reveal a lot.  I’ll get to the answer in a minute.

Back to This Dove.  This Dove showed up in a flower pot on our front porch.  My wife and I took a few days away at the lake cabin.  When we came back, This Dove had build a nest, laid an egg (now two), and taken possession of the front porch.  Being the kind soul that she is, my wife has blocked the front walk and given the entrance to the house to This Dove.  I get the back door and walk around the house.  This Dove has disrupted my life.  How dare she be who she is.

She is just This Dove being a dove bringing more doves into this world.  I like that. She is purposeful without having a little goals card in her wallet.  She is purposeful without going to twenty seminars.  She is purposeful in just being who she is, This Dove.

Now, my answer to my millionaire business friend was this.  “I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do.  I’m helping fatherless fathers be good fathers.  I’m helping unfathered kids get a better dad.   That is my heart and my passion and that is what I am doing.  I believe people will see that and support as I need.”  Silence.

Maybe he wanted me to come back with some sideline business proposition to reduce his credit card charges or shipping improvement or business development or marketing proposal.  Many do. They want me to sell them some service in order to support.  When I sell the service, I quit being This Dove.  I can do that, but then I’m not This Dove, I’m This Dove with a dark suit.  My light grey beautiful feathers become sullied and indistinguishable. That means leaving the flower pot and the two eggs and hoping they will survive on their own.

Some days we need to just be This Dove.  Take up residence in a flower pot on a porch.  Nestle in the arms of a loving God, who created me to be me.  Be who I am and trust that He will let me rest on His most holy altar just like I let This Dove take over my porch and my front door.  He will comfort me.  He will provide.  He will let me be This Dove.

So, This Dove is going to work on bringing healthy, dedicated men into two elementary schools where the kids are 95% unfathered.  This Dove is going to work on having a catalyst weekend in a community of 80% fatherless homes in June.   This Dove is just going to build the nest in the most unlikely places and trust a good God will let me have some space on His altar at His temple of love and helping others.

Psalm 84:1-4

How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

 Even This Dove, me in who I am, has found a home,
And This Dove, me in who I am,  a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young and fulfill her life’s purpose simply—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house of acceptance and allowance and support;
They will still be praising You. Selah