Fine Young Man

Today at Holley’s last softball game, I told Kristy that I needed to run to the restroom. I left Drew with her while I went. I was doing what you do at the restroom, not thinking that Drew was anywhere around. Then, I heard the voice.

“Daddy…daddy…daddy…,” came the voice. It was coming from the sidewalk outside the concrete building and it was coming closer. I knew his voice instantly. It was the voice of my son. I don’t know why but I was amazed that the voice was so familiar to me that I could recognize it above all the other noises of the ballpark. I suppose the familiarity comes out of hours of relationship that have been built up over the last 4 years.

I felt close to Father in that moment. Surely, if I could recognize my son’s voice, He can recognize mine! I bet He feels the way I felt, too, in a way that blows me away!

Me baptizing my daughter, Holley, with Kristy in the background

Today was a very special day and one that we have been discussing for a week. Holley made the decision to take the next step in her faith journey and be baptized. I had the awesome privilege as her father to do it. It was so moving and amazing!

Eleven years ago, our Father gave us a beautiful little girl. She is growing up so fast. Sometimes it’s hard to watch everything happening so quickly right before our eyes.  Yet, Kristy and I are so proud of Holley and thrilled about her decision.

Today she gave herself back to her Father. It was the right thing to do. He is the best!

I have begun to catch up on the podcast from Rob Bell. Yesterday, I was listening to him work through John 1. In the sermon he was talking about affirming the powerful life force (logos & zoe) that we see at work around us everyday. He specifically implicated parents.

Kids have a very sensitive zoe-meter. They know when “life” abounds and when it doesn’t. His conclusion was to affirm zoe in our kids’ lives wherever we see. He said we should be saying “yes” so much to everything that is good that when we have to say “no”, it means something.

I am thinking about my interactions with Holley. They are “no” most of the time. It is killing her life force and I don’t want to do that anymore.