I sent my dad a message today. I frequently forget how much he loves me until I hear another dad talk about his own baby girl.
So, this last weekend, CRU had our annual Women's Retreat. Right after we played the 'ice-breaker' game, the girls started networking and exchanging numbers and whipping out their planners for potential hang out times. I was placed in leadership for the worship and it went pretty well. We had one of our staff women give a talk on Friday night about Mark 12:41-44.
We had a massive amount of time to go to different stations and reflect on what we'd learned and just spend some time with God before we got into small groups. I found that all of the girls in my group were going through similar things and we were able to encourage each other while searching for tissues.
The next morning, one of the staff men came to give the last talk. His name is Jason Randles and he's married and has two little kids [Coleman - 4 years ,and Reese - 18 months]. His talk was actually one of the best that I've ever heard at any women's function. He gave us the talk that he wants to have with his daughter, Reese, when she's old enough to date [which will be in 20 or 30 years, according to him].
He called it:
The 10 things I want my daughter to know about Men:
1 - there is a difference between 'boys' and 'men'.
---They may look like Men but they'll act like Boys.
2 - Boys will chase her. Men will pursue her
---Men will honor her
---Boys will just see her as a game
3 - Boys will shy away from the dad. Men will call him into the process.
4 - The process of boys becoming men is a different process than how girls become women
---They don't just 'figure out' manhood.
---They must learn from mistakes.
5 - Boys will say anything. Men will follow through.
---Boys through "I love you" around
---Men behave like "I love you"
6 - Boys aren't good communicators. Men aren't either.
--- [This part was funny! He kept telling stories about men missing hints and women getting mad and then women picking up the hints that aren't there because it's a man talking ... It seemed accurate!]
---Men must be told directly.
7 - Boys are passive. Men accept responsibility.
---Boys don't take the risk.
---Men chase the visions.
8 - Boys will want her to be his best friend. Men will understand that she can't.
---Women can't rely on men.
---Men must have close guy friends.
9 - When they look at her, Boys will think some things different than the respect Men will give her.
10 - Boys follow selfish desires. men humbly seek God's will through prayer, other men and God's spirit.
---[If a guy says, :God's telling me to pursue you.", he said you can separate the Boys from the Men with one question and their answer will give a clear picture: "Yeah?? How is he telling you??" If he uses these resources, then use your best judgment. If he says, "I just feel it.", punch him in the teeth and walk away.]
It was one of the BEST talks I'd heard in a few years. But it was redundant. I've heard this my whole life.
From you.
It was never put into bullet points and illustrated with a power point presentation and worksheet to follow along. I know these things from the way you love all of the women in our family and when you get together with the men. I have grown up knowing these things from Day 1. It took another dad putting it all together in a neat folder for his own 18 month old daughter for me to connect the dots.
That was longer than I was expecting it to be but it all spells out a few words ...
I love you.
Happy Valentine's Day,
'Miss Jiff'
Every year when February 14th gets closer and closer, I start to get kinda disgusted and grumpy when I hear from my friends about all of the sappy, sticky, gooey romantic-ness happening everywhere. But I always end up turning into one of them. My dad is not be the most eloquent man to ever walk the earth but he's the man that I can always count on provide, discipline, love and protect me as long as he breathes.
I love my dad.
