Earlier this week I head a local news report detail how the new head coach of our NFL team had taken time from his hectic schedule to toss the softball with his daughter. Not a big deal you might think, but given the pressure of leading a professional football team out of the seller, it was a time and priority issue. He made the right choice.
This story caused me to reflect on some of my fondest memories of my on daddy. He had retired from the US Navy and was working for the NC Department of Corrections where tensions were always high. Many of the memories are from the mid to late 1960's. Now I don't know if you remember (or have read about those years) but it was a time of riots, race fights, and turmoil in the world. Many of these difficult times directly impacted the situations in the NCDoC. I can, even now, remember the strain and stress evident on my dad's face that many of the events caused.
My greatest memory of those days come from the way I remember him coming home each day. Even after his long and difficult days, as soon as he got home he had time (and energy) to throw the football or baseball with me. He never complained, never refused, and has never been forgotten. I still cherish those afternoons of daddy time. He took time for me and I am better for it.
I tried to always do those same things with my daughters and am trying to do that today with my grand kids. Daddy was teaching me the truth of being a daddy.
When we look closely at the ministry of Jesus we realize that His most personal reference to God the Father was the term Abba (Daddy) Father. It was a reminder that God enjoys and desires intimacy with His children. He reveals to us that what God wants for us is personal and eternal. I hope that today you will spend quality time with God everyday and grow in your relationship and fellowship with Him.
