To be a father….

•To be a father is to hold hands with your past, present, and future all at the same time.

•To be a father is to be brave and to be afraid.  To have answers and to know nothing.  To be proud and to be disappointed.  To be full of joy and to be filled with sadness. 

•To be a father is to be exited about the future and it is being fearful of the future.  It is being certain and it is being confused.  It is being hopeful and it is being discouraged.

•But all the fear, ignorance, disappointment, sadness, confusion, and discouragement dim in comparison to the greatest blessing of being a father – to love and to be loved.

•“If you don’t make time today, you won’t make time tomorrow.”

•“Someday is now!”

•“When it comes time to let go of your children will there be anything to let go of?”

When I was young my dad would say,
“Come on son let’s go out and play.”

Sometimes it seems like yesterday.

Then I’d climb up the closet shelf
When I was all by myself

Grab his hat and fix the brim
Pretending I was him

No matter how hard I try
No matter how many tears I cry

No matter how many years go by
I still can’t say good-bye.

He always took care of mom and me
We all cut down a Christmas tree

He always had some time for me

Wind blows through the trees
Street lights they still shine bright
Most things are the same

But I miss my dad tonight.

I walk by a Salvation Army store
Saw a hat like my daddy wore

Tried it on when I walked in
Still trying to be like him

No matter how hard I try
No matter how many years go by

No matter how many tears I cry
I still can’t say good-bye.   (Song by Scott Turner)

[For a touching version of this song, sung by Chet Atkins, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7OgO0oFf1I&feature=related ]