new favorite band (or flavor of the week) Ocean is Theory

Here is the lyrics to one of their songs:
are these the pictures you want lost
when your house burns to the ground?
all those battles that you fought:
why are you keeping them around?
forgive but not forget it
why do we live like this?
'cause i'll always regret it
God i can't resist

tear down those pages of your book (woah)
so why write them anyway?
don't regret, embrace the day
this life has so much more to live for
it's something i would die for
just keep your conscience clean

must we force this grace to increase?
by no means!
lives are changed from these mistakes
but mercy covers sin
we owe you everything!

you're teaching me about this love
you're showing me there is enough
you're teaching about this grace
you're showing me your holy face
you're teaching me how to dance
you're showing me this is a romance
you're teaching me that as i am
i can do great things when i'm in your hands

must we force this grace to increase?
by no means!
lives are changed from these mistakes
but mercy covers sin
we owe you everything! (x2) 

a family man?

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

 - 1 Timothy 5:8

Worse than an unbeliever, oh my gosh, that is serious.

I don't know how to take it. I want to love my family and take care of them so what does it mean though? Am I to provide monetarily or safety? 

I guess the answer is yes.

I see the world and it is a travesty, children growing up without fathers and dads; I hurt for them. I want to be a good dad, a Christian dad. I want to imitate God and perfect Fatherhood(in context I'm a dude so Motherhood wouldn't quite work, God doesn't have "gender", (post Candler edit) but alas I can't because I am a mere sinful man. So should I give up trying? No stinking way!

I want to provide for my family monetarily but not in a way that means my family lives in excess and believes that it is owed to them. I want to provide for our needs and teach my children about generosity (granted I want to give them their "I wants" too, what dad wouldn't). I don't want the pursuit of money to "provide" to become a stumbling block in having relationships with my family as we see so often in our society. Thank God I have gotten out of college and remain debt free, and I see that maybe God already had in mind for me able to provide for that future family.

To provide safety, now this one I kind of struggle with but let me explain before you go off and think bad thoughts of me).  I have recently come in conflict with past thoughts about war, killing and harm to others.  I was brought up in a society where "we are the good guys and we kill the bad guys." Now with the help of God's Word and other spiritual leaders I see Jesus teaching a new strategy in the NT. He says love your enemy, in fact pray for them, turn the other cheek, give them your tunic, walk another mile. So it seems do harm to someone does quite line up with the Gospel message, because Christ died for those despicable things which we would say "derserved to be punished, killed, or hurt." Where am I going with this? Here we go! How do I provide safety and protection for my family? I am at a standstill. Anybody's help would greatly be appreciated because I don't want to have a family someday and be unprepared or seem like an unbeliever.  (I guess the big question is do I keep my guns for protection for them or not?)

Oh well comment if you like, any pointers or point of views would greatly be appreciated.

(blank)

Dear Daddy,

In the words of Crowder, "You make everything glorious, what does that make me?" 

Thank you for inspiring him God I really need that sometimes.  Especially when I mess up and feel everything but glorious.  Help me to see others as glorious too because they are Your creation.  They have that image deo within them no matter who they are or what they do and often I forget that.  Many times I want to see the image deo in just Christians (or at the very least the ones that don't get on my nerves).  I guess that is why you say "do unto the least of these" because they are Your image bearers.  Help me to bear Your Image well and share that with others. So God you are a wonderful Creator! 

Comfort me and give me peace in the areas of my life that I am unaware of because that is what worries me most. Thank you for all of my friends even though they are scattered throughout the state or even in Kentucky. Be with them, teach them, and make them strong. Help me make new friends in a place where I am unfamiliar.  Give my old friends more friends wherever they are in life.  Keep me going, help me see life as an adventure, help me in ministry, sharing Your Word in speech and actions. Give me courage where I am timid and wisdom when I am foolish. God send me that Proverbs 31 woman to pursue (granted she may not be there yet but that is her goal). Help me to depend on You instead of thinking I can do things on my own (I know this is risky to say God but it is an area which I am weak).  Help me God to forgive those who have done me wrong because I am reminded of how much stinking forgiveness you have to have to forgive me. In all things help me to love you more and let that love overflow into the lives of other people. 

                                                                                                   Your Prodigal Son,

                                                                                                    Jonathan Brown