Just recently, me and one of my awesome friends on the race had a little hang out night together… We went to San Pedro and got some of the best street food I’ve ever had in my life, and then we came back and watched “How to Train Your Dragon”, and “How to Train Your Dragon 2.”… It’s crazy how God works, but God used those movies to put something on my heart that I’ve shoved away.
My dad. Rocky Farmer.
Actually, as I’m typing this, I’m pretty emotional right now because that movie really got me thinking about my dad. Now, before I start typing about my heart and my dad, I’m going to explain a little bit about Stoick. Stoick is the chief of his people, the leader of his land, and the father of Hiccup: the greatest dragon rider in history!
If you havent watched, “How to Train Your Dragon”, I highly encourage you to watch it. If you have, then you might able to recall some parts of the movie and characteristics of Stoick. Now, I’m not going to summarize the whole movie because I really don’t feel like typing out a book. So go ahead and watch both movies (they’re super good), and you’ll get more of what I’m about to say.
Stoick, just at first glance, is this super tough guy. He’s got some crazy hair, and a rad beard, along with some pretty big arms. As the movie plays out, you see a man that is firm and unshakable in his beliefs and leadership. He’s a man that can’t be moved. He fights with his heart, he shouts with everything he’s got, and he will not be defeated or brought down. The people he leads look up to him, and follow/obey his commands. His heart is for his people, and his obedience and loyalty is unshakable to those he leads and loves…
Now, as you watch the movie, you see a man that is kind of stuck in his ways of doing things. Even though his intentions are good and from his heart, sometimes it would’ve been better if he would’ve listened, because his plans didnt always succeed. But even though he couldve listened better and gone about things differently, he never backed down and always stayed loyal to his people. And as you see him leading his people in the best way he knows how, you see his relationship with his son grow through triumphs and failures. Stoick loves his son so much, he just wants the best for him. And from the beginning of the first movie to the end of the second movie, you’ll see that Hiccup (Stoicks son), can’t be held back from his dad.
His dad thinks he knows best for his son, and out of wisdom and love, he tries to guide his son.. But when he tries to guide him into safety and the “known”, Hiccup truly needs to run into danger and the unknown. And as Hiccup does that, the movie plays out, and the relationship between father and son, blossom. Yes, right off the bat, you can see all the differences between father and son. You see heads butting, and disagrement being had. But as both movies are played out, you can’t help but actually see so many similarities. You can’t help but see this love and appreciation that both father and son have for each other. Yes, they have differences. Yes, they have similarities. But through their differences and similarities, through their ups and downs, and through war and celebration, you see a power between the two of them that cannot, and will not ever be taken away nor destroyed. You see a father and son, that once had different ways of going about the same thing, coming together in their differences and similarities, and fighting a war together. They fought together and through their love for each other, they ultimately won the war… However… One of the most emotional scenes in the movie, is the father laying down his life for his son. As Hiccup was fighting against the “bad guy”, he was about to get blasted from his own dragon that was being controled by the bad guys Alpha dragon. And as this was happening, Stoick saw it and came bolting down to defend his son. Stoick came running down with a heart to protect and save his son, and therefore dove in front of the dragon and Hiccup… Stoick laid there… dead.
The chief, the leader, the husband, the father, the protecter, the defender, the unshakable, was killed… All because he had this immovable foundation of love, he defended the one he probably loved the most… his son.
After watching these movies, I don’t think you can’t help but see that Stoick loved his son with a love that was in continual growth, and that was ultimately quite Christ-like. Throughout the movie, you’ll see Stoick allowing his son to spread his wings (even though in certain situations he was sort of forced, but nonetheless he allowed without restriction). And as you see this independence being announced into Hiccups life, you’ll also very clearly see how Stoick, in all of his power, will not let anything happen to his son. He will fight for his son. He will defend and protect his son. And he does this out of a deep rooted, unshakable, immovable, God given, unstoppable, pure, genuine love that, from what we can tell, is just natural for him to have.
Congratulations, you’ve just seen Rocky Farmer in an animated dragon movie…
No, my dad isnt a Viking, and no I didnt train any dragon. But if there’s one thing that I’m sure of, it’s that my dad loves me. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that my dad will fight for everthing he stands for. And if there’s one thing I truly believe, it’s that my dad would do anything and everthing in his power to do what is right and what is just… for me, and for everyone in this world.
For some reason, It’s been hard to show my dad true love and appreciation that a son should… But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to grow in more love and appreciation for my dad. And I can honestly say that right now in this very moment, I’ve never loved or appreciated my dad more… There’s so much more for me to grow in, in the fact of loving and appreciating my dad in the way Christ is calling me to, but I’ve finally accepted the reality that that needs to happen. I was content in where I was in my relationship with my dad, and I knew God would probably call me out to pursue an even better Christ like father and son relationship. But I didnt want to, and I shoved that possibility and reality deep down and covered it up. I knew that if I would want to be super close to God and be open to everthing He’s calling me to do and to be, I would need to face this reality (which isnt even a bad thing, It’s just my stubborn, prideful, sinful, and distorted heart)… But guess what… God’s pulling that reality out of me. And even though I’m hundreds and hundreds of miles away, I’ve never loved my dad more…
God has shown me an area in my heart that I didnt want to face, and so I didnt even look at it… But God is growing me in so many ways at such a fast pace, that this literally came out of nowhere… And apparently, I’m finally at the right place to face this reality and grow in an area that I refused to grow in… I don’t know why, but I did. However, I want absolutely nothing in my way of being the man and disciple God is calling me to be, and I don’t want to love any less than the way Christ desires me to love.
So, as God is pulling this out of me, let me just address my dad real quick…
Dad, if there’s anything you’ve taught me, it’s how to love and fight for what’s right. You are the craziest most persistent prayer warrior I’ve ever seen, and you never give up or stop fighting in the battle that you’re in… You love your wife in a way that I can’t explain, and there’s no doubt that you love all 4 of your kids… Yes dad, you are slightly stubborn, slightly stuck in your ways, and slightly apt to stay close to home (all the time). And yes, you desire the best for everyone around you, you desire justice to be served for the poor and the less fortunate, and you desire your family to prosper in every good way possible… You have a heart that longs for others to feel Christs love and to be comforted in times of distress. You have a hope that cannot and will not ever be shaken out of the reality that Christ is calling his children home after being a part of spreading his kingdom here on earth. You have a faith that Satan himself cannot touch. And you have an inner fight within you that will continue to fight until you take your last breath… No, you are not perfect, and yes, there are many differences between you and me. But, does that really matter? Because I’m farther from perfection, and have differences that maybe I wish I didn’t have… Because here’s the reality… We are different people; we think differently, we act differently, we talk differently, we address things differently, and we’re just different (however, also quite similar). But your my dad, and I’m your son, and I wouldnt want it any other way. I love my mom, I love my brother I’ll get to meet one day, and I love both of my awesome siblings here on earth… I love our family, and I’m grateful for a dad that has always been present in his families life and desires for nothing but the best within the family… So I don’t care that we’re different. Because even though we’re different people, I’m loved by you, your loved by me, and we’re both equally loved by Christ, all the while fighting in a war that’s already been won by the one who defeated death itself!
This is just one area in my life that God is working on (and He literally just started to bring up)… But I wanted to write this for God to be able to use in growing other father and son relationships, to show how God has currently just rocked my heart, and to tell my dad how much God is growing me in loving and apprecitating him… And it’s cool to know that this is just the beginning in stepping in the right direction in continuing to grow closer to God and becoming more Christ like…
So, if you take anything out of this blog, take the fact that God speaks to you about random things in crazy unexpected ways… and that my dad is one cool dude.
And if you’re wanting to become a better Christ like father, I’d encourage you to open up to the Gospels.. And if you’re wanting to be the son you’re called to be, I’d also encourage you to open up to the Gospels. (Also, watch How to Train Your Dragons… It’s a pretty cool movie)
PS- Dad, you rock! (I know, it’s punny…..)
