Happy Father's Day, J!
I cannot imagine a better daddy for our girls than you. It is your third Father's Day now and I can't believe all the ways God has grown you in this time to lead our ladies towards God in all things. Here are some of my favorite ways you do this at this moment in time, but I know by tomorrow there will be new ways.
1. You are truly a picture of God's tenderness towards his kids. One of my favorite things about you is the amount of affection you lavish on our girls. You are the most comfortable person in the world. There is hardly a time when your are sitting on our couch and one of us isn't curled up with you. You know how to be still and just take the time to sit and cuddle.
2. The way you truly listen to understand. Whatever random request Annie has pulled out of her hat, a box of "ray-rays" (raisins), nudder song? (another song, aka- change the music in the car) or any other indeterminable toddler phrase- you truly strive to understand her and build her trust in you to listen. You don't ignore even the simplest requests and strive to understand how she understands the world.
(Annie telling you a story.)
3. My most favorite quality about you is and will always be your humility. It is what drew me to you so long ago (10 years ago!). You have every reason, in a worldly sense, to be prideful (at least by my book- because you are soooo good-looking, talented, ect.), but you carry yourself just the opposite. One of the ways I see this is that you are always so quick to forgive and repent. Even if it means apologizing to Annie for something she hasn't even noticed. Another way is your unselfishness. If there is any way you are able to take a burden off of me- you always try to think of a way- even nursing. (Sadly, there is no solution to that one.)
4. You are someone they can truly admire. You have the privilege of embodying compassion and mercy as your full time job. Not only will they admire you because of the work you do- the passion you have to transform the city, give hope where there is none, and seek justice- they will admire you because you are a picture of God's mercy and compassion to all people with or without the job you have. You have always cared about people- really cared. You care how they hurt, care about what they need, and do your best to help them. Our girls will get to see first hand how to love all people and it is of prime importance to you that they do, by the grace of God.
5. You love to be really into their lives. You always want real time updates on what we are doing while you are at work. I always think this would annoy you, but you really want to know. You can't wait for them to learn new things and will so patiently and joyfully teach them new things. Even after a long day, you beg me to let you wake them up if you get home late. We have learned our lesson on that recently, but you still ask. :) Only now, I say "no way, honey."
There is no man in this world that I would rather our girls look up to than you. God giving Lucy and Annie you as a dad is God's absolute grace to them. I cannot wait to see the impact you have on their lives. God giving me you as a partner in parenting is God's grace to me. Thanks for making it such a joy and honor to be with you. I love you so much more than I even did 5-10 years ago. :)
