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What is a Dad to do?

I have the blessing of having three teenage daughters. My role was pretty clear when they were little - I did what their wonderful mom told me to do. Come to think of it...I still do that. However things have changed. They don't really like me to pick them up and carry them around. There have been no diapers or car seats for a long long time. My girls no longer want to play with little race cars. I don't hold their hand too much anymore and they no longer put on dress-up clothes and do a theatrical production for mom and dad. Now they dress up to go out on dates!! In short my girls are taking flight. What is a dad to do? What do I do with these same hands that a short season ago locked with theirs as they took two or three steps, to my every one? Hands that helped them make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

I don't know that I have it all figured out, but this is what I will do.  I will applaud! I will cheer! I will encourage! I will exhort! In fact I am compelled to do nothing less. I will smile a smile that only proud dads smile! I will pump my fist and yell go! I will join my hands to reflect a prayer of thanks and a prayer of guidance! I will wave my arms so that they know I am here! I will point to each one and gladly say, "That's my girl!"

The Toll of Katrina

  The devastation of Katrina can be told in facts and figures, but the real toll is understood best through the stories of those who experienced great loss. I watched this video footage tonight of a man sharing his story and I was left speechless by his heartbreak. Sometimes when we see tragedy at a distance played out on TV, we are not moved toward any sort of action other than to somewhat sympathize and secretly be thankful that it was not us.

However, when we hear someones story it gives you a window into their soul and we begin to understand their despair. We begin to empathize and consider how to respond. In some unplanned, unscripted way a kind of bond is established and we want to make a difference, we want to really help, we want to make things better. A vulnerable person sharing their honest life story is to our heart what nitro is to a Top Fuel Dragster. It propels us! It moves us forward at a speed beyond our regular pace. We are launched on a rescue mission.

I believe the launch component is compassion. Compassion that is born out of a relationship, that was created by someone sharing their story. I am sure that I too often allow the noisy data of this world to get in the way of the necessary stories of this world. The result is that I am less sensitive to God's leading and movement in my life. He loves to work through relationships and when I don't seek out the stories of others I miss out on heart stirring moments. At worst I am really just sitting at the "impact a life" starting line doing little more than reving the engine. However when I, when we the church allow those nitro stories to engulf our heart, a relationship ensues, we explode with compassion and we the church become a refuge for the world.

To see some of the ways that you can help the victims of Katrina visit the American Red Cross

The Bicycle Thief

A friend of mine recently watched the The Bicycle Thief for the first time and commented on the fantastic depiction of human struggle. It is one of my all time favorite movies, that I assumed most people have seen. However, I have discovered that most of the people I know have not yet seen this film. So, today it gets my wholehearted recommendation.  I don't want to give too much away, but this classic jumps through the screen as being painfully real because the film is simple and the resolution is not. Watching this film challenged me about the way I deal with the despair and the poverty of others. This film is not so much entertaining, but it will make you think and keep you thinking long after it is viewed.

Office Dare

Around the office things can become a little intense at times. So here is something to break the tension and add a little healthy competition amongst the team. Attempt these at your own risk:

One Pointers

• Run into everyone's office and ask if they want to use your stapler.
• Announce continually over the intercom, "I was born for a day like this!"
• Mail a letter with 37 one-cent stamps.
• Say "guess what?" before everything you say.
• Send a really nice card to yourself and show people while saying "look what (your name here) sent me.
• Add "er" to everyone's name when addressing them - "Hi Stever".
• For a whole day say "why didn't I think of that" after everything your hear.
• Always refer to yourself in the third person - "The Dan has had a good day!"

Two Pointers

• Ask your fellow employees to smell you and tell you what you smell like.
• In staff meeting keep saying, "this reminds me of an episode on The Dukes of Hazzard".
• Use toner to put eye black under your eyes, then announce to everyone, "Game On!"
• When someone tells you something serious, laugh and say, "that's a good one".
• For five days in a row, at the exact same time offer the same person a mint and say, "you really need this".
• Send out an email letting everyone know you are going to the restroom. When you  return, send out an email letting everyone know that you have returned safely.

Let me know if you have any others that I can add to the list.

Leadership, Courage and The Wizard of Oz

Tonight I watched a performance of The Wizard of Oz at the Boulder Dinner Theater as the invited guest of one of the young actors. Her name is Ashley and her parents are in my small group. Ashley and the the entire cast were awesome, especially the Cowardly Lion! As I watched the familiar story unfold and sang along (very quietly) with the familiar songs, I was struck by the power of a group of individuals united by a common cause. It made me think of The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars, and other epics and how powerful and effective those "Fellowships" became. For tonight at least, thinking of Dorothy, (not Toto because he really caused all of the problems if you think about it), the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and of course the Lion I look at courage this way:

• Cause Driven
• Others Focused
• United
• Real about their weakness
• Artful in dealing with opposition
• Gritty - endured setbacks
• Expectant of reaching the goal

So tonight I enjoyed a good meal, great entertainment and a leadership reminder about team and courage.

Six Degrees of Separation - Major League Baseball Style

What is the connection between Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez?

• Babe Ruth played with Lou Gehrig for the 1928 New York Yankees
• Lou Gehrig played with Joe Gordon for the 1938 New York Yankees
• Joe Gordon played with Minnie Minoso for the 1949 Cleveland Indians
• Minnie Minoso played with Rich Gossage for the 1976 Chicago White Sox
• Rich Gossage played with Alex Rodriguez for the 1994 Seattle Mariners

You can see the chain for any two players and other cool baseball stuff at baseball-reference.com

ONE YEAR aGO!

One year ago this month:

• My wife Carol Ann and I were taking our oldest daughter Robbin to Nyack College in New York for her freshman year.
• I was turning 39
• I had no thoughts of blogging
• My Father-in-law Howard (Pops to me!) passed away passed on to Heaven.

One year later:

• After a great first year of school at Nyack, my daughter is attending school 1875 miles closer to home at Metro State. Mom is very very happy and dad is considering how much rent to charge. Something about oldest daughter's room becoming dad's cool study, then becoming oldest daughter's room again.
• I am now the BIG 40!
• I am starting to blog - today in fact
• On the one year anniversary of his death my thoughts turn to Pops. Howard was an incredible man who gave 50 years of his life to mission work with New Tribes Mission in the jungles of Bolivia and beyond. Today I reflect back on a few of the words that I spoke at his memorial. They are a good reminder for the upcoming season of life.

GO!

This very small word accurately describes a very full-sized life. The life of Howard Morarie. A glance at his life would allow you to see a man on the go. But a good hard look into the window of his heart would allow you to see that the one going was merely following the one who had already gone.

Howard would certainly encourage all of us to go. His life told us as much.

• When a neighbor needs help... GO!
• When someone needs a ride... GO!
• When there is a culture to be crossed... GO!
• When the kids need groceries... GO!
• When your country needs you... GO!
• If Maxine (his wife) and the girls are shopping... Go somewhere else!
• If there are memories to be made... Go!
• If Arby's is open... GO!
• When the conditions are just right... GO!
• When you don't have a clue... GO!
• When there is a flight to take... GO!
• When there is a Bronco's game to watch and you will be a distraction... please GO!
• When someone is hurt... GO!
• When the church doors are open... GO!
• If you are on the 2 yard line and it is fourth down... for cryin out loud GO!
• When there is a friendship to be made... GO!
• Jesus died so you can... GO!
• When someone needs a hug... GO!
• If you have cruise control...GO!
• If you have a chance to vote...GO!
• When there is food to eat...GO!
• When the grand-kids got a game... GO!
• When someone is crying... GO!
• When something is broke... get Duct Tape and GO!
• When it is time for a nap... GO!
• When it is time to celebrate... GO!
• If someone asks... GO!
• When no one goes...GO!
• People need Jesus, so... GO!