May 18, 2007

Permit Me a Father's Moment, Will You?

Eighteen years and seven months ago, my wife and I were in a maternity ward hospital room, overwhelmed with emotion. We were too awestruck to speak. There in my wife's arms rested the smallest baby I had ever seen, a little girl. She wasn't crying at all; she just seemed to stare at us, first at my wife and then at me. My imagination could almost hear her say to us, "So this is what you both look like. I've heard your voices for the past nine months. It's so good to finally see you."

Tell me something, would you please? Where did those eighteen years and seven months go?

This Saturday, May 19, that "smallest baby I had ever seen," pictured here, will graduate from high school. And just a few weeks down the road, she will pack up her things and move on to establish her life for the next four years on a college campus. Wow! My heart is thrilled to see that the Lord has grown her into a young woman of God ... not perfect, to be sure, but still growing, as are we all.

"Congratulations, Punkin'. Of all the 'titles' I've ever had, being your dad is one of the best and most important ones of all. Congratulations on a job well done. With much love ... Dad."

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ADDENDUM, Monday, May 21, 2007: As this picture will testify, it happened! And it went well!
"Thank you, Lord, for so much."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday U.Steve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-luke

jc said...

Wow. How sweet is the bond between father and daughter!

I look forward to having a daughter of my own, too.

Anonymous said...

Well, having had the priviledge to meet this beautiful young lady, and to work for her father at Banner, I can tell you all, he is surely a very proud father. Now he only has two more beautiful daughters to go!!