I stepped out of the house through the screen door on to the front steps. “Daddy do you want to play ball with us?” asked one of my twin 6-year-olds, Evie. I answered, “Of course!” I walked on to the lawn. It was the first time we’d all been outside playing together. Evie jumped jubilantly. She cried out, “Hooray! We’re having family time!!!”
The girls are at an age where they can start interacting like real people when they’re not talking about poop. It’s fun. It’s rewarding. Too often I miss it. I’m not there enough.
A friend of mine sent me a text this morning. He encouraged me to love on my kids today. Tell them what they mean to me. My friend is on business halfway around the globe. He is a dear and precious friend who God placed in my life. He prays for me. He encourages me. He follows up with me even when I’m being a crappy friend who isn’t doing the best job of responding or keeping in touch. I can always count on him to speak into my life in a way that leads me to be a better man, husband, and father.
Later in the day, I got an email from the same friend. He found out about the death of the daughter of one of his friends, a 14-year-old girl. My friend and his family knew this girl since she was 4. He coached her in sports. Their families spent time together. His friend’s family and his family were distraught. He was 15,000 miles away comforting them as best as he can from that distance.
My friend wrote the email letting his friends know about the situation. He explained the importance of being a father. He described how critical it is to be present for our kids. He challenged us to reflect on our priorities. What are we putting first? Career? Self? Sports? He expressed responsibility and regret for not being there for his family and his friend while he was working away from home.
This morning he encouraged me to love on my kids. His email gave an idea of why. Our time is fleeting. We have a limited number of opportunities to connect with our kids and show them what they mean to us. He implored in his email, “Our kids need their dad’s to be their hero by our actions.”
I don’t know that I was a hero tonight. I was home. I was present. We had family time.
Post Script
We can be immensely powerful in the lives of others. Persistent positivity. Grace. Strength. Encouragement. Love. Who is there who is not uplifted by these things?
I am so deeply grateful for the faithful friendship God placed in my life with this man. I don’t deserve it. But I accept it.
