It’s almost hard to believe that I’ve been a father for just over one year. Actually, it’s somewhat hard to believe that I haven’t been one longer. You see, as much as I’ve been surprised and bewildered over the last year I’ve also felt a great deal of comfort and inner reassurance that this is something that I was made, something that gives me joy like few other pursuits in life and something that will continue to surprise me.
With that sappy introduction, I’d like to list off, in no particular order, some of the tidbits of wisdom that I’ve gleaned from my first year as “Da-da.”
- Changing diapers isn’t nearly as bad as I expected it would be. In fact, for awhile it was actually kind of fun as it was the main way in which I interacted with my son for several months. I mean, there aren’t a lot of games that a two-month old can play, but he did know how to grin when Daddy changed his diaper.
- Speaking of laughter, there is something musical about how baby’s laugh. I’ve discovered that even the most repetitive, lame antics on my part can be hilarious to a baby. If someone tried to eat my finger and toes for the 1000th time I’d probably be pretty ticked.
- Negotiation and sharing the responsibilities of child-care is key. I had to learn this one the hard way. Even if I was doing an equal amount of “work” and chores it still mattered that I took the time to watch and take care of Kenny on a regular basis, otherwise my wife would feel like I was distancing myself from the very large responsibility of caring for our son. When the trade-off is between my convenience and time and keeping our relationship operating smoothly, I’ll gladly inconvenience myself.
- Free time is more limited but more enjoyable.
- The most mundane items make the best toys. Some of Kenny’s favorites are paper, cardboard, sheets, buckles, and an old computer keyboard.
- Popsicles (all natural of course) make the best teethers.
- Learning new words is fun. Having to say no to a screaming, flailing baby who can tell you just what he wants isn’t so fun.
- Routines make parenting much easier, but sometimes you need to be very flexible.
- A cute baby is the quickest way to make friends with random strangers at the grocery store.
- Everyone has an opinion on how to raise a child.
- People love to try and amuse my child. I love it when he can amuse me.
- Children are truly a blessing and a joy. I wouldn’t trade away all of the tired nights, smell diapers, and crying fits that I went through (and will continue to go through) if it meant I couldn’t have known such a wonderful and unique little person.
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I went for another jog today. My friend and I jogged across the Washington Avenue Bridge and part of campus and Dinkytown. I got a few side-cramps, but I rewarded myself by having some hot cakes at McDonald’s afterward. The weather today was fantastic, it is great to see the sun shining so warmly and I definitely think that jogging was a spectacular way to take advantage of the rise in temperatures.
Speaking of McDonald’s, I finally saw the documentary film Super Size Me today. Warning: if you are queasy or become easily grossed out, this film is not for you. The basic premise of the film is that fast-food (McDonald’s in particular) makes you sick. While I still don’t support the idea of suing a restaurant for eating choices that you make, I do think that the film provides a great perspective on American eating habits and our ideas about health.
I went for a brief jog this morning. The weather was gorgeous (if a tad chilly, 17 degree windchill). It was fun to be out and about. Hopefully seeing the sun before I start work will help me to stay positive and focused.
This morning I did something new. I went jogging with a friend. OK, that’s not too profound. Many people thoroughly enjoy jogging and running as ways to stay in shape and stay positive (endorphins, w00t!). The last time that I jogged for more than five minutes (the time it takes me to sprint to the next bus-stop when I’m running late) was in high school. Why the sudden interest? The LDI 5k fundraising race is coming up and I plan to give it my best. The plan is to raise at least 5,000 dollars for the small program by having each sponsored runner acquire $100 dollars in pledges. As a current LDI intern (Trek 1) I definitely want to do my part and that means being able to run a 5k in the first place.
Anyways, all of this got me thinking about the often-used metaphor of the Christian life. You’ve heard it before, right? Run the race (Hebrews 12:1). Running is a challenge. But it’s also more than that. Sometimes I think we as Christians focus too much on the race-track and the finish time. We imagine that the starting gun is about to go off and then…bam! We’re off. Well, though the Christian life can often be very exciting, I think we also need to consider the condition of our heart and body before we run. Running any race requires that we consider the cost involved beforehand. An Olympian trains their body for countless hours before setting foot on the track which will decide if they get a medal. All of this training is not necessarily exhilarating, but it is vital. In the same way, we are meant to train ourselves to be better followers of Christ. We need to be in community, study his word and practice spiritual disciplines before crisis and temptation occurs. Even when things are going “alright” (which itself could be a faulty assumption based on our perspective) we are called to more than the mundane. We are called to equip ourselves, train ourselves and in many other ways respond to the Spirit’s work in our lives.
All of the above assumes of course that we have already received the call to follow Christ. We can only make spiritual commitments like this when we know that our relationship with God has been established. We can’t ever do this work on our own, but we can place our faith and trust in Christ and know that his sacrifice on the cross has paid for our sins. Once we have such a faith, running the race becomes a whole lot easier because we know that the end is already certain.
Hmm, maybe I should update this blog more than once a month…?
It’s somewhat hard to believe, but my first semester of Leadership Development Institute (LDI) is over! The experience has been awesome so far and I am already excited for classes and ministry opportunities next semester.
Highlights (things I really enjoyed): Being around great people who are eager to serve and fun to be with. Having the time and motivation to read through the entire Old Testament in four months. Being able to learn by lesson and example from godly teachers. Co-leading and hosting our small group. Having an excuse to talk to random people at Hope (it’s less awkward to introduce yourself when you can say that you are an intern). Being mentored by Paul Ireland (you can read his blog here). Getting a “behind the scenes” look at how a medium-sized church operates. Free Chipotle.
Lowlights (good experiences overall but not easy in the moment): The first two months were pretty stressful as I tried to juggle the responsibilities of new parenthood, a part-time job and an internship. Not being able to get all of my reading done on time. Learning about areas of personal faith in which I still have a long way to grow. Trying to find someone to mentor. Being OK with less money. Being OK with some of the mysterious ways in which God works. Forgetting to pack a lunch. Pulling a couple of all-nighters (maybe just one technically, still not good).
All in all I feel very blessed and encouraged. I’ve got some good reading planned for this Christmas/early January break (stay tuned). Also, I have a paper due on January 1st and one in mid-January (very short but should be a good test of how I discipline myself in using time wisely).
So, who have I been hanging out with in this program? For a partial answer check out this group photo taken the last day of our Old Testament course.
Left to right, Top to bottom: Row 1: Shannon, Jon, Rob (assistant teacher)
Row 2: Chris, Lindsey, Me
Row 3: Krystal, Laura, Tim (teacher)
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