Monday, April 19, 2010

Three D

I've been asked to speak at a father/daughter bar-b-que this Wednesday. The girls are second through sixth grade. The theme is "Three D's" Daughters, Dads and Dogs.

As a dad we posses two very distinct aspects. At once we are a father and a daddy.

The father role is to protect, guide and shape the lives of the precious girls God has entrusted to us.

The daddy role is to play, laugh and forgive.

The distinctly different roles can be difficult to amalgamate. It can also be difficult to know when which is required. Sometimes we're daddys when we should be fathers and fathers when we should be daddys. It's a complex dynamic, a man trying to do right by a little girl. A little girl he loves more than he ever thought he could. A precious life he would die for without a second of hesitation.

As I work through the theme and the dynamics of communicating to this diverse group I'm developing a comparison.

Puppies are happy. Dogs are excited to greet you. They love you, they are forgiving. They are like a daddy.

Seeing-eye dogs are faithful. They are responsible to see what can't be seen. They lead through the dark, confusing times. They are like a father.

As a dad, we are two things.

I pray I can communicate these pictures well.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sink or swim

I apologize for taking so long to post anything - I've been on a bit of a "walkabout."

I'm drowning in a sea of images. After a fast paced trip through several cities in northern Africa, meeting people, riding trains and tasting the culture, I'm left with a lifetime of experiences. So much happened in such a short period that I'm not sure I have the skill to relay the stories with the richness they deserve.

Traversing the ancient cities was fascinating. Old and new rubbing together nonchalantly. A new Mercedez waiting at a stop light next to a donkey cart.

I'll continue later, but I need to flesh this out, before I drown.