Carin, Ethan and I went to a wedding today. The young couple getting married are active in serving the community and the church and I'm excited to see what God has in store for them.
Near the end of the ceremony Ethan was getting antsy so I took him to the back. What I saw there surprised me. There were at least four dads caring for their children. No moms. Just the guys and their kids.
Now weddings aren't a guys favorite place to be so maybe that was the reason they volunteered to head up the noisy kid care. But I'd like to think better of my fellow dads and so I'll go with this for a reason: Maybe they understand that their wives have been caring for Billy and Becky all week long. Maybe they want their children to see what leadership through service looks like. Maybe, just maybe they want to look like Jesus to their respective families.
I like this concept.
There are more places this plays out than at a wedding.
Think about it. Over the course of the week your wife has likely made you somewhere between five and seven dinners. She probably packed a few lunches. She got up early, went to bed late. She wiped poopy bottoms,washed dishes and your underwear and socks (hopefully not at the same time as the dishes). She probably even got up in the middle of the night to care for a crying baby. And she is fully planning on getting up and doing the same thing again tomorrow.
One of my favorite memories growing up is sitting at the kitchen table, listening to Adventures in Odessey while my dad made us breakfast. That's a tradition that will carry on in our house. The reason being twofold. One, I love my son and want to spend time with him. Two, I love my wife and want to serve her. And you cannot love your children without loving their mother.
So, I encourage you dads, help take a load off your brides shoulders. Get up next Saturday before she does, take care of the kids, let her get up and tend to herself on her own schedule.
But that's just one example. Lets go back to my original revelation at the wedding. Church is another place to let your bride have a break. In our church there is no Sunday school class for the kids, just child care up to the age of three. This is by design, not for lack of flannel graph volunteers. Having the family together for worship puts the family man in the position to lead...or not lead properly. The opportunity is there for us guys to step up and serve. We get to serve. A very real way to serve in our situation is to take care of the fussy kid(s).
I really enjoyed seeing those dads, those MEN, taking on the responsibility of serving their families tonight. The family is in crisis in the world today because of a dearth of Godly men. Fighting against that starts with dads, husbands in the home.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hopefully I've expressed my thoughts well, and in a God honoring way.
And if you're a Dad reading this hopefully I'll see in you in the back of the church holding your little one soon.
Loved this.
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