Our pastor, Brad Shockley at Pleasant View First Baptist Church invited us to deliver the Father’s Day message. Here’s a link to the podcast. Please listen and pass it on to someone you think could benefit by it. Also…Pastor Brad is an awesome teacher/preacher. You’ll find his sermons on the site as well.

Thanks.

S&A

More than once I’ve done something and then said to myself, “That’s just what dad would’ve done.” It was one of those moments that the idea came for the song posted here. The examples used in the lyric are based on some good memories I have of my Dad. I know not everyone can say that their history with their father includes seeing him do something similar but if you have children, its never too late to create good memories they can recall as well as imitate.

Something My Dad Would Do

 

They were broke down on the highway

Had two little kids in the back seat

I thought about driving on by

But I couldn’t get passed the memory

Of being in the car with my father

A long time ago

When he saw a family in need of help

He pulled off the road

So I did too

It’s something my dad would do

 

Cho…

I get my chances now and then

To live life just like him

To help somebody with a heavy load

And get ‘em back on the road

And lend a hand

Do what I can

To be a man the light of the Lord can shine through

It’s just something my dad would do

 

I met her at the checkout

She was buying for her son near the front line.

I gave a thank you smile and started to leave

But the moment took me back in time

To the day in that same old store

In my teenage years

I saw my father pay a stranger’s bill

And left them standing there in tears

So I did too

It’s something my dad would do

 

Cho…

 

I can’t help but wonder

If there’ll come a day

When a child of mine will think of me

And have a reason to say

 

Cho…

 

Steve Chapman /Times & Seasons Music, Inc/BMI/ 2018

My sister, Jeannie, and her husband, Gene Martin, are blessing our sweet, 90 year-young widowed Mother, Lillian Chapman, with a room in their home. Jeannie is one of the people the scriptures calls “greatest among you” because she is such a servant, especially in her role as a caring daughter. Then the day came when Jeannie heard the dreaded cry from Mom’s room. She had fallen, broke four ribs and punctured her lung.

The trip to the ER was followed by a five day stay in a hospital and eventually an extended stay in a rehab facility. While in the hospital my sister had to feed Mom because of the lack of movement she faced due to the pain. It was a temporary necessity but as Jeannie so lovingly put the spoon to our Mother’s lips I thought of all the times our Mother had fed us. The roles, though only for a short time, had reversed.

There are many others whose situations are not temporary. In the long term they, as the child, have become the parent.  “Trading Places” was written to recognize this role reversal and we pray that God will bless those who are serving their mother or their father in such a way.

My thanks to Promise Keepers Canada for posting a recent interview featuring a discussion about “A Dad’s Guide to Praying For His Kids.” You can hear the entire interview at the following link. I hope you’ll listen and let others know about it.

https://www.promisekeepers.ca/podcast/steve-chapman-on-praying-for-your-kids/

An idea for Moms (and Dads, too!)

The sound of a passing train whistle has a wonderful meaning for me. Its a sweet reminder that my Mother promised to use the sound of the train that went through the town where our family lived as her cue to pray for her kids. Thankfully, it roared by twice a day!

If you’re a Mom and if you live close enough to some railroad tracks to hear the sound of a passing train, perhaps the song posted here will inspire you to adopt my Mother’s idea to use it as your reminder to pray for your family. Or, maybe there’s another daily sound in your area that you could use. If you do, you can be sure that your loved ones will deeply appreciate the prayers as we do those of our Mother.

Our granddaughters (Heidi’s girls) are staying with us this week. While I was working on a new song called “For You,” Josephine (in the middle) and Lily (violin) came in and began singing along. We did a quick rehearsal then did this quick video. T’was a sweet moment for Papa…thanks to DeDe for recording us and to four-year old Sylvia (off camera) for quietly watching.