I met
a pretty cool father this week.
a pretty cool father this week.
He’s a
friend of my brother’s; they had worked together a few summers. At some point
he friended me on Facebook even though we had never met. At the time it seemed
like he was not really on Facebook that often since he never really posted
anything like status updates or pictures or the usual Facebook activities.
friend of my brother’s; they had worked together a few summers. At some point
he friended me on Facebook even though we had never met. At the time it seemed
like he was not really on Facebook that often since he never really posted
anything like status updates or pictures or the usual Facebook activities.
When
his daughter was born, however, his Facebook exploded. Every couple of days,
new pictures would pop up on my newsfeed, or new status updates about how she
was or some cool thing she learned how to do. All I knew about this guy was
that he had a daughter. I only knew about the places he liked to go or the
things he liked to do if he was doing them with his daughter. It was all about
her.
his daughter was born, however, his Facebook exploded. Every couple of days,
new pictures would pop up on my newsfeed, or new status updates about how she
was or some cool thing she learned how to do. All I knew about this guy was
that he had a daughter. I only knew about the places he liked to go or the
things he liked to do if he was doing them with his daughter. It was all about
her.
This
week I finally got to meet this father. My brother and I went to visit so my
brother could write him a reference letter. We got there and they started
talking but not much time went by before he went to the neighbor’s to get–guess
who–his daughter. He could not stop talking about her and showed us the tattoo
on his arm of her name in a heart. When I asked if she knew any words yet he
smiled and answered: “Pretty much only one. Papa.”
week I finally got to meet this father. My brother and I went to visit so my
brother could write him a reference letter. We got there and they started
talking but not much time went by before he went to the neighbor’s to get–guess
who–his daughter. He could not stop talking about her and showed us the tattoo
on his arm of her name in a heart. When I asked if she knew any words yet he
smiled and answered: “Pretty much only one. Papa.”
While
the guys were figuring out the letter, I got to play with the little girl. She
was so adorable and endlessly amused by her little plastic Hello Kitty toy. It
was so easy to make her smile and I had a lot of fun entertaining her while I
could. She was totally enamored with our little game, but eventually we had to
leave.
the guys were figuring out the letter, I got to play with the little girl. She
was so adorable and endlessly amused by her little plastic Hello Kitty toy. It
was so easy to make her smile and I had a lot of fun entertaining her while I
could. She was totally enamored with our little game, but eventually we had to
leave.
(my brother and our new friend)
The
daughter started crying. She wanted us to stay. She tried to follow us out to
our car. Even though she had such a devoted father waiting on her, she would
have jumped in with us if she could. I wish I could have explained to her what
she was missing out on, what she was taking for granted. I wish I could have
explained to her that her father had actually left his country for her, that
her father was giving his life for her. Of course she was much too young to understand…
daughter started crying. She wanted us to stay. She tried to follow us out to
our car. Even though she had such a devoted father waiting on her, she would
have jumped in with us if she could. I wish I could have explained to her what
she was missing out on, what she was taking for granted. I wish I could have
explained to her that her father had actually left his country for her, that
her father was giving his life for her. Of course she was much too young to understand…
Are we
too young to understand?
too young to understand?
How
often do we take for granted the devotion of the Father when something new and
exciting comes along? How often do we chase after something as our Father waits
patiently for us to return? How often does He have to drag us kicking and
screaming back to His house where we belong?
often do we take for granted the devotion of the Father when something new and
exciting comes along? How often do we chase after something as our Father waits
patiently for us to return? How often does He have to drag us kicking and
screaming back to His house where we belong?
I met
a pretty cool father this week, but it reminded me that I have a really cool Father
all the time. A Father that gave everything so that I can have eternal life
with Him. I think it’s time I stopped running after distractions and started
making my way back to be with Him.
a pretty cool father this week, but it reminded me that I have a really cool Father
all the time. A Father that gave everything so that I can have eternal life
with Him. I think it’s time I stopped running after distractions and started
making my way back to be with Him.
