Our Fathers Day

This was our second Fathers Day. It started for Aaron at 12:01 am Sunday morning as do many of our celebrations. I suffer from C.M.S (Christmas Morning Syndrome) so I seldom sleep the night before fun. Fathers Day was no exception. I laid in bed, wide awake as Aaron sat quietly reading next to me. I couldn't put it off any longer so when our clock read 12:00, I pulled his gifts out and eagerly waited while he opened them. There were two cards, one from me, the other from Ava (Ava's card was much more cute than mine, she even drew a picture of her and daddy inside of it). He got two books, one from me (a Weber's charcoal grilling book) and one from Ava (once again, hers was much cuter, it's called: Daddy's Girl, need I say more?). And finally, a daddy coffee cup that coordinates with the mommy mug I got for Valentines Day.

At church we have been going through the characteristics of a church leader and how they are qualified by scripture. The timing of this study has been wholly providential. It is so beautiful to see how stark the realities of scripture are as compared to the realities of "modern life". It's scary to realize that there are men teaching, leading and pastoring churches when the life they lead and their character are contradictory to the qualifications of scripture. During the month of May, the church had been seeking Congregational nominations for Elders. Aaron and I had discussed at length whom we wanted to submit for Eldership. However, being very new to our church, we didn't think we ought to. God never ceases to amaze. I have been seeing his hand in everything that has unfolded over the past several months. So, on Sunday when our Pastor announced there were two men who were put forward for this most amazing and important office set forth in scripture and established in every New Testament church; it did not surprise me those two men where the men whom we had wanted to recommend for the office. Over the last week, they had been asked, prayed, sought God's will and on Fathers Day, the leaders in our church laid hands on them and prayed over them. I believe that Shane and Miguel are such a blessing and am continually thankful to have them as our Elders.

After service, it was a koinonia (potluck) day, we have them the first and third Sunday of every month. I had made a raspberry and vanilla cake for Fathers Day. I meant to take photos of the very pink cake, however, I hadn't gotten to it while and after I made the cake. I thought that it would be alright to take the pictures of the inside after lunch; since the stripes of alternating vanilla cake, red raspberry filling and creamy light raspberry frosting were so beautiful. At our old church, when I'd make a cake, there was always so much cake left. But my goodness! Even with slicing the cake into one inch wide, two to three inch long slices; Not even a crumb was left! Our Pastor was the fortunate one to get the last piece. He had waited until everyone had eaten. My waist and thighs are very happy to not have any cake left over!

On our way home, I called my daddy to tell him how much I love him. He was all by himself on Fathers Day, so we visited him and he got to play with Ava. He said it was the best Fathers Day present ever, I even noticed he put his Fathers Day card we sent him on the mantel. Ava had a long day at this point so our visit was cut a little short and we took her home to put her down for a nap, or at least tried too. Sunday was a very long day for all of us! For dinner we grilled rib eye, corn and rosemary potatoes. I love our family time, sitting on our balcony, talking and watching Ava explore the outside world, and her bouncy. After we ate and put Ava to bed for the night, I told Aaron to put on any movie he wanted and I pulled out the last of his surprises: Vanilla and Fudge Drumsticks! If you were wondering, the movie he selected was Jaws. Jaws is my all time favorite movie, actually, it is in fact the best movie ever made. I was confused at his movie pick, since it was his day, why had he chosen my movie? He just simply said: What movie do you most associate with fatherhood? Of course, this was a rhetorical question.

You might be a little confused at this point. How on earth could anyone see Jaws and immediately think daddy? Well, it's the same story behind the tattoo I have on my back of the last scene in the movie. You see, it was the movie Jaws that my dad and I bonded over. It was almost fourteen years ago, we were living in a mobile home and it was Saturday. Jaws was on T.V and my dad was in his rocking chair. With nothing to do, I sat down. From that moment on, whenever it's on T.V, no matter where we are, we are both watching. When I was living at home, countless times I'd be jerked awake at four am, by some unseen urge only to go out to the front room and find my dad sitting and watching, I think even waiting. We haven't had a lot of Fathers Days together, I think that's why everyday I am reminded of the love I have for my dad, everyday I wonder what he's doing, how his day was and what his plans are. The strong tie I have with my dad is such a big part of who I am as an adult and as a parent. I continually pray that my daughter will have the same deep, strong and enduring relationship with her daddy as I have with mine...I have a feeling she will.