Fathering - not for wimps

I took my daughter to the airport today. It is always bitter-sweet to do so: I am very proud that she takes her education so seriously, I think she has chosen a fine school (Southeastern University in Florida) and yet I am always amazed at her ability to cram so much life into her life. As a result, I love to be around her, even though I know she needs to get back to school. I also know she has a few books to read on the remaining break she has! Hope and Kristen surprised me by 'sneaking' her home for Spring break. What a wonderful surprise!

She and I share a special bond - and it is so very new and different for me. I have a good relationship with both of my kids, and it is very different between the two of them because they themselves are very different people from each other. I loved my dad, but we didn't get to be friends until late in life. It just happened that way, I guess. So when Hope and I decided we were ready to have kids - at least as ready as anyone ever is - I decided that I was going to not leave it to chance - I was going to work to cultivate a friendship, even in the midst of being the best dad I could be. It is a daunting task that can consume you, as any parent can attest to - and I gave myself to it. So, of course, even before we were expecting we began to pray. Very specific prayers. We prayed for things which our friends laughed at. Thinks like, "may our kids sleep through the night at an early age."

Of course we covered the basics that most praying parents pray for, such as, "May they be born healthy and whole. Cute little nose and all their fingers and toes. May they know God at an early age. May they serve God all of their lives." Basic stuff. But we wanted to have all the detail stuff in God's hands too, so we prayed for future mates, careers, hobbies, likes/dislikes, schooling and that they would look first to what God would want in their lives before what WE would want in their lives, or even what THEY would want in their lives. We prayed for the right influences, the right passions, holy lust for life instead of just lust - there was an amazing list and I don't know if I have prayed in such detail for anything else in our lives!

And now they are grown up and we are done with the parenting.

*** Contented, emotional sigh ***

And they have both turned out pretty well. Interesting then, that they still consume so much of my time before the Father... but it is precious time. Because in the midst of developing a loving relationship with my kids, I also developed a loving relationship with my heavenly Father as we shared the joys and sorrows. Thanks kids! You have given me a wonderful friend on earth, and helped me to draw close to our Father at the same time.