The Greatest Father Ever

Father's Day is a great time to remember what our fathers do for us. When I think of my father, of course I think of my dad, but I also think of my stepdad, Mike. Mike is a loyal, motivated, and focused person. He is dedicated to his family and easily adapts his schedule to changing needs and situations that arise among his many children. He is a committed father whose heart cries out for his lost children.

There are five of us total, Kathryn, Ryan, Jacob, Cameron, and me. Ryan, Jacob, and Cameron did not even call Mike on Father's Day to say hi or thank you or anything. It was so sad because Mike kept his phone with him all day, when he was fishing in the pond behind our house, when he was eating dinner, when he was watching Kathryn ride the horses... Finally after dark when we were all getting ready to wind up the evening, he looked at his phone that was sitting on the table, sadly shook his head with tears in his eyes, and said, "None of them called. None of them."

Of course, this has happened before. Many times before. He rarely hears from Ryan, Jacob, or Cameron unless they want something, like money, a car, a cell phone bill paid, etc. Yet every time they call, his face lights up, he drops everything he's doing, and he talks to them as if they've never done a single past offense. In the instant that their number shows up on his Caller ID, every pain, every heartache, every mistake they've made is erased completely. And then his heart breaks when once again, they've only called to ask for something.

It breaks my heart watching this continuous cycle of a father who desperately wants to hear from his children who want nothing to do with him. Last night I was thinking about God and how similar Mike's situation reminds me of God's situation. How often has God waited for me with the "phone" by his side all day, just waiting for a call, a short call, a long call, a deep conversation, a quick "hey, just checking in", ANYTHING? How often have I "checked in" with a request to fix things, change things, bring something, give me something? And yet every tear that God sheds over his lost children is erased in the single moment that we cry out, "Hey, God? You there?"

Thank you, Mike.

And thank you, God.

For never giving up on your children.