"The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise." Proverbs 23:24 NLT I am a lot of things:
A son, a brother, a pastor, an ex-(expired & exhausted) rugby player, a nuisance, a honyak and a husband. I also am a dad. And I love it. My kids are gifts, I can't believe God would grace me with having four of them living in my home for the past 18 years. I understand that fatherhood is not something that is heralded or exalted much these days; dads often are portrayed as the leading fools in sitcoms and "persona-non-grata" in political dialogue. "Dad" is fast becoming a cultural byword, a fuzzy memory in America's distant past. But in my opinion - - being a dad is one of the greatest honors a man could ever receive. It is fun to watch your son run fast. Or to hear that your oldest son works hard. I smile when my youngest daughter runs through the halls of the house chasing the dog with a water sprayer. But last night, watching my oldest daughter be rewarded by her teachers for her 12 years of solid work in academics, friendship and community building left me humbled and speechless. There are no words for the joy I felt and still feel. Dad's are famous for bragging - - taking credit for the accomplishments that their children acheive. Acting as if they deserve all the credit. But last night, I realized that my daughter is God's jewel. He has poured an enormous amount of grace into her life and she responded to it. It is not about me, it is God at work in the life of a willing heart. And there is nothing more enjoyable to watch. Being a dad is like sitting in the front row of a great show. I know that I have had a part to play in her growth; but looking back on her twelve years, I really can't take the credit. It is amazing to watch how God blesses a child that responds to him. Ginger is God's daughter, and he does the transformation. Why do we discredit fatherhood? Sure it is hard. Oh I know that you can go broke doing it. But c'mon, you are able to know first-hand some of the greatest people in the world. For 18 to 24 (it might be 30 for my boys) years, human beings fashioned in the image of God, get to live under your roof and they are more than eager to learn from you. Don't you understand the overwhileming opportunity given to you? What did Joseph feel as Jesus grew up in his home? Can you imagine? I got to have a small taste of that for 18 years with my daughter - - I got to know personally someone I respect, admire and love. Sure, I am just a dad. But that is more than enough for me!!
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