Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Psalm 127:3, The Message
Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him Father.
Lynda M Child, author
September 24, 1993. It seems like yesterday…and yet it was 16 years ago. It was the day that our family of three grew by one as we welcomed little Miss Grace Coleman Glaze into the world at the Women’s Hospital in Greensboro, NC.
Several years earlier our first child, Griffin, was one of those unexpected gifts that makes life wonderful but a little stressful too. Not long after she turned two, Anne and I were ready for another child to add to mix. Thankfully, Grace was born about ten months later - a healthy, happy (and very cold!) little girl.
I never gave too much thought to being a father until several weeks after Grace was born. Sure, I had enjoyed being a father to Griffin for several years, but the reality of it all did not sink in until Grace’s birth. Our family dynamic had changed, and the amount of work required to make it all run smoothly seemed to triple or quadruple – not double as we expected. I can remember turning to Anne a month or so after we brought Grace home and asking, “Ok, why are we having children again?”
I think it is fair to say that most of us men stumble into fatherhood. While our wives long for children to hold and nurture, we see children and think, “Alright, there’s clothes, and braces, and camp, and car insurance, and college…” And of course in my case as the father of two girls, “…and boys, and weddings!” To be totally honest, visions of dollar signs dominated my mind those first few years of fatherhood for me!
In hindsight, I think God used Grace’s birth sixteen years ago to wake me up to the true meaning of fatherhood. First and foremost, fatherhood is a great gift. The Psalmist argues that it is God’s best gift, and after nearly nineteen years of being a father I would have to agree. Yes, it is a great privilege and it carries tremendous responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. At times, it can feel like a burden. At other times, it can prove to be quite costly. But above all, it is a great gift. For me, it has been the best of all gifts that I have received during my adult years - I absolutely LOVE being Griffin and Grace’s dad. It has been a source of joy far exceeding any award, promotion or recognition that I may have received. In fact, I really can’t believe it has been so much fun.
I hope that this devotional serves to encourage (and not condemn) all men out there. We all know and some of us have experienced fathers who did not fulfill their role faithfully. Others of us dream of having our own children but cannot. And while in the end some of us are blessed to be biological fathers, ALL OF US are called to be fathers to the children and youth that God puts in our path. Today, I also remember the coaches, teachers, church members and others who have been fathers to me in every sense of the word over the years. I thank God for them, and I know that I wouldn’t be half the man that I am today were it not for their love, support, exhortation and example.
May we all cherish the great gifts that God has bestowed on us – today and everyday of our lives.
Grateful for the gentle voices in my life,
lane
Rev. C. Lane Glaze
Director, Clemson Wesley
Campus Minister, Clemson UMC
PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633
864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell)
Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.