One of the Most Mature Things a Dad can Do

He told me in the quiet and dark, how he feels it, this weight to lead-well his four girls that he loves so much.

He carries a lot on those handsomely-squared shoulders.





And I watch him write out checks to pay bills and I watch him sweep up crumbs and I watch him bow his head in prayer and ask God again, again, again to make him a good leader. A mature man.

But it's this one thing that he does that I want there to be a whole mandatory leadership conference about. This one thing that boys need to be told is just as important to daddy-hood as being a warrior-protector and faithful-lover and humble-prayer.

Play. 







They watch him clap and they watch him silently climb the outside of the hollow red-slide and howl laughter at being discovered and they are  learning mountains about his faith. He is able to enjoy life and they soak up this part of God in him.







It takes a lot of maturity to play.