What a fun and meaningful night I had on a date with my oldest daughter Rilyn. I say meaningful because it was a moment of grace where my heavenly Father gave me a chance to cherish my role as a father and realize what I can offer and what only He can offer.
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| Gotta have the silly pic! |
We did have a blast tonight…I took Rilyn out on a date to ‘Austin Park & Pizza’. We started out on the bumper boats, played some video games, ate some pizza, drank some root beer, played some miniature golf, and topped it off with Rilyn driving on her own in her first Go Kart race.
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| Proud moment for daddy: Rilyn leading! |
But amidst the chaos of buffet pizza, black lights, and the blurry Japanese anime projecting in the background, we sat there in our little purple booth…just the two of us, my little girl, my little baby, my first baby…Rilyn. She heads to kindergarten in four days, man how time flies. It feels like yesterday that I was trying so hard to get her to crawl to me, now all I hear is, ‘I can do it by myself’. So I feel like this is a major jump for Rilyn into the waters of this world and I wanted to convey to her how much I love her and how I will always be there for her, whenever she needs me.
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| Golf lesson |
Two things hit me in that moment. First, no matter what I said, I felt as if there were no words I could convey powerful enough for her to know how much I love her and how much I want to be there for her whenever she needs me. The emotion behind that was enough to start the swelling in my eyes. Then it really hit me, as much as I love her and yearn to be there for Rilyn, ultimately I can’t. It is humanly impossible to be there for her every second of everyday…and eventually I won’t be around.
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| look alikes |
Yet, with tears in my eyes, I looked at Rilyn and said, “Rilyn, look at me, look in my eyes. I love you so much, and no matter what I will be there for you. You can come to me for help whenever you need it.” She looked in my eyes and said, “But how can you be at my school when you have to be at work?” Wow, she is right….as much as I want to be there for her, there is a limit. And at first I ached inside, but then grace came and my Heavenly Father reminded me of two awesome truths….
First, He loves Rilyn, (and you and me), more than words can convey…His love is infinite and powerfully revealed through the sending of His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die so that Rilyn, (and you and me), would be able to have abundant life, if we would only trust our life to Him:
John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
John 3:16-18″For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Second, what I can’t offer, my heavenly Father can give…He is not limited by time or space and will be there for Rilyn, (and you and me), always and forever:
Hebrews 13:5-6…He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU….THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”
So it’s more than pizza, more than go karts, even more than quality time…I can offer her Him….that turns my tears of angst into tears of joy and peace.
Rilyn on her BIRTH day
the paquettes 