I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day and a truly awesome week coming to a close for you!
You know, every Friday when I write these I share what is on my heart or what has really spoken to my heart that week. What I can't stop thinking about this week is how honored and blessed I am to be married to my Beautiful Bride and to be the Dad of three incredible sons. With this, I would like to share some thoughts with you today about the honor, the unspeakable privilege, of being a husband and Dad.
My Beautiful Bride Kathy is the greatest gift I have ever received. It is my responsibility to love, honor and protect her. Some view this as a burden or somehow how try to twist this to make it demeaning to or of her. That is not the case at all. She is the most valuable, prized gift I have ever received and the challenge of becoming the man she wants and needs me to become truly inspires me every day. As for demeaning? No. I truly value, cherish & adore her, her thoughts, her hopes and her dreams. I sometimes find myself wondering how or why God blessed me with such an undeserved gift that blesses my life so richly. It is at those times and in those moments that I come closest to truly understanding the definition of love, mercy, grace & forgiveness.
As for the blessing of being a Dad to three incredible boys...I hardly know where to begin. The first thing that strikes me is the responsibility, the awesome responsibility, of teaching them to be real men. In our house we refer to this as being Tender Warriors. The term is taken from the book "Tender Warrior: Every Man's Purpose, Every Woman's Dream, Every Child's Hope" by Stu Weber...men, I would strongly encourage you to read it. To teach them to be responsible, accountable, to love, value, cherish and care for their wives and children, to serve others, to pursue the God given passions that cry out from their hearts, etc. Again, I do not view this as a burden rather it challenges me - and sometimes convicts my spirit tremendously as I am constantly reminded that the sermons we live mean so much more than the sermons we speak - to be the man they need me to be. Wanna talk conviction? Their wives and children - my future daughter's-in-law and grand kids...who will be extremely spoiled by the way!!! - are counting on me. Wow!!!
So at this point you are saying, "Kev, this is all about you serving and doing things for your wife and sons. I thought this was about the honor of being a husband and Dad." Exactly!!! For me, the honor in any form of leadership is found in serving. Do you have any idea the things I would have missed, the things that have blessed my life richly, if I was trying to "make" my wife and sons "honor" me?
- Just last night I had my 15-year old son look into my eyes with brokenness, trying to make sense out of the football game he just played where he just threw 3 interceptions. Devastated and embarrassed he turned to me for love, encouragement, support...that's honor.
- Walking along with my 11-year old son - 11 turning 12 next week!!! - and his hand still sliding into mine or, how he comes close to me when he sees someone or something that scares him. That is honor.
- My 6-year old son wanting me to sit down and read him a book every night...regardless of the day he has had, we have had or if he just got in trouble. That is honor. By the way, I have mastered speaking like Scoobey Doo...just put an "R" in front of everything. Ro Rou Runderstand Rhat RI Rean?
- My Beautiful Bride looking into my eyes, drawing close and asking without saying a word, "Is everything going to be o.k.?" To feel the gentle peace come over her body as I place her head in my chest and hold her. That is honor.
Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for any of you or your families. I would be happy to do so.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please value, cherish & enjoy your precious families.
Kevin
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