In humor I asked my son Nathaniel: Why are you such a baboon?
He sweetly answered me: I am sorry dad; I couldn’t help it; it is in my genes.(a unity in Heredity)

I greeted my daughter Keila; good morning little geek.
She too sweetly answered me: Hello chubby cheeks.

I say to my son Caleb, Hi humongous Arab (the tallest of the family).
He answered me saying: Hi shorty.

I say to Osman hello “Terminator” (his nickname in the Army),
he answers, Hi Papa.

My children did not have a choice to have me as their Father. But they have a choice to be my friends. I long to make a friend out of my children.

Abraham was not only a chosen servant of God, but also a friend of God.

Jesus also wants his servants to be his friend. “I will no longer call you Servants but friends” John 15:15

My wife had many choices, but she chose me as her husband and friend. No earthly allegiance is more important for us than one another; only second to God; closely followed by our love for our children after that the elect and the rest of the world, in that order.

Much of what I write to you is to remind my self what I believe and keep myself honest to my own words before you as my witness. I need the self-imposed pressure to get involved with my own words as if painting myself against the corner. It is my way to give you power to confront me when needed and be the guardian of my soul and be not like Cain but like Jesus “Your brother’s keeper”. (I am always in need of grace and help)

If you are thinking “too much familiarity; and familiarity breeds contempt”, then I respectfully challenge you to share with me your ways to be close friends with your children and others.

I did not know my father, because he died before I was born. But God himself has been my father and I have learned some thins along this lines that I want to share with you.

Sometimes it seems that I find myself in a name calling game with our heavenly father.

He calls me Sheep
I call him Shepherd

He calls me Clay
I call him Potter

He calls me Fish
I call him Fisher

He calls me Sinner
I call him Friend of Sinners

He calls me Branch
I call him Vine

He calls me Lost
I call him Savior

He calls me Servant
I call him Lord

He calls me Depraved
I call him Holy

He calls me Weeper
I call him Comforter

He calls me full of Spots
I call him Launderer’s Soap (Mal 3:2)

Then he calls me Friend

And I melt all over in ecstasy’s, overwhelmed, in a trance full of delight beyond words.

Unless we become like little children we cannot enter the Kingdom of God “Our Abba Father”. Who said: I will call you friend …and you will know my business John 15:15

“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plans, to his servants the Prophets” Amos 3:7

“He made known his ways to Moses, his deed to the people of Israel” Psalm 103:7

Though His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts, he makes them known to us who love, trust and fear in a childlike manner.

I pray and hope that you read this letter in childlikeness and find no stumbling block in it. “For the pure all things are pure”.

Lovingly remembering you and keeping in touch and fellowshipping in his name.

Gerry Gutierrez

PS. By the way, you can call your friends knucklehead sometimes if they deserve it and if you love them. But if you do not love them, you have no right to call them knucklehead. “Love and do whatever you want” Saint Augustine.