Father's Day Revamp~Learning to Parent Without a Dad

So it's Father's Day--happy day to all you hardworking Dad's out there who go out, "kill something" and drag it home to your families everyday. Happy father's day to the ones who listen, the ones who struggle, the ones who lead their families through difficult times. Happy father's day to the ones who follow Jesus, not because they are weak, not because they aren't confident, but because in Him, they are the strongest. Happy father's day to the ones who rock their babies, no matter how big they get. Happy father's day to the ones who are longing for babies, but haven't gotten there yet.

Jason is an inspiration to me as a Father. He's not perfect. I should probably make that clear. He would be the first one to tell you that he isn't the most patient, loses his temper at times, gives out punishments/consequences that he has no intention of enforcing. But this man has got down what it is to be a Father.

Bio kids and adopted ones, he loves them all. And he loves them all with  a special kind of love. He shows them. He talks to them. He listens. He plays. He laughs. He understands how important a Daddy is.

And I guess that's the part I'm so impressed about. He didn't have a Father.

Of course, everyone HAS one. But his has NEVER acknowledged him. He lives locally, but the story goes, cheated on his wife....so has NEVER acknowledged Jason in any way. He's still with his wife and has a grown son--Jason's brother. None of them acknowledge Jason.  It would be so, so easy to let the heartache and unfairness of that situation overwhelm and frustrate Jason to the point that he "checked out". But he doesn't. He keeps working. Keeps improving. Keeps loving. And sometimes that love can be overwhelming.

Like when I came home from Haiti and asked him what he thought about adopting Jeff too. "Yes, let's do it." That's special folks. Like the nights he's sat up and prayed for situations with a child which were completely out of his control. That's being a Dad. Maybe when he talks about the car accident the girls and I had two summers ago and he gets so choked up that the tears cloud his eyes. That's love.

I submit this: that kind of love can only come from one place-from above. Jason has learned how to be a Father from his heavenly one. And God has given him all the tools and help he needs. Help to overcome a crappy childhood, help to put aside resentments, help to grow beyond what he ever thought he could be.

So, although everyone has a Dad, I think my kids are the luckiest ones in the universe. They have a Dad who didn't know how to be one. And he's turned out to be a pretty darn great one.

Love you Jason!