This week I am going to be featuring guest posts from some guys who, in my opinion, are some pretty awesome dads. I know sometimes I feel alone out there in fatherhood and love building a community of support and encouragement and that’s what I hope you find this week.
Today’s guest post during “Who’s Your Daddy” week is from Adam Owens. Many people on here know who he is and he has actually been quite the blog celebrity these days guest posting everywhere. When I was thinking of who I wanted to ask to guest post this week Adam was one of the first people I thought of. We met a little over a year ago on Twitter (you can follow me there @adamandkaren) and he has become one of my closest friends. We have shared in some of the same struggles and issues in our lives and I can’t think of a better example of someone who is so full of love as a husband, father, and man. If you want to know more about him and his story you can read his blog over at www.adamowens.com.
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When Brandon ask me if I would be willing to write a post about what Father’s Day means to me I seriously thought this post would have been a piece of cake. Out of everything I have been writing over the past couple years writing a post on Father’s Day should be not and issue at all. And then I start writing and all I have in front of me is a blinking cursor.
Since Gavin died all of holiday’s have a different meaning to them…but Father’s Day changed dramatically after he passed. I think for most people Father’s Day is just a holiday were you get your dad a card or call him up and say Happy Dad’s Day. But for me it is a reminder of how am I doing as a parent. How am I doing at directing Madi’s, Gavin, and now Angela’s towards what really matters. I’ll be the first to admit I lose my temper with Madison sometimes when she just keeps pushing my buttons, and I have asked her to forgive me several times after I have said something completely wrong to her. I want to know how I am doing at directing her towards Christ… towards being a good girl, and towards growing up to be a good teenage girl. (Lord help me when she becomes a teenager)
So for me I take Father’s Day more as a day to be reflective. Makes me think about how fast time has gone. How quickly my children have grown up. This year will be my second Father’s Day since Gavin has been gone. I miss that little guy more than anything in the world, and having him helped me become the dad I am today. I know that God’s plan for me was to be Gavin’s Dad. He knew that I had something inside of me to be able to handle what He had in store for Gavin. Which flash forward to now and it has prepared me to be a Dad to Angela. So Father’s Day is a happy day but it also makes me miss the little guy who had helped mold me into the guy I am today.
I just want to encourage you Dad’s out there. At some point during all the cards, food and relaxing take some time to reflect how your kids have changed you. Reflect how have you changed your kids, and if there are some aspects that you need to work on. We are all a work in progress and we owe to ourselves to be the best we can be for our families, and ourselves.
Bro…you’re an awesome dad…it’s so evident just through social media.
O and growing up with two sisters….let me just say you’re in for a ride, but you’ll be fine
Father’s day for me was always sour. My dad walked out on my before I turned 2 years old. So I grew up with a “hate” for the day.
Even after I became a dad, it was hard for me to “like” the day. It always has some negative emotion to me. I am never walking away from my children, but when the day hits, I hate the attention and I really have a hard time accepting it.
With that said, I make sure I appreciate and treasure the gifts and cards and kisses and hugs my children give me. I know it comes from their tiny hearts and I don’t ever want them to feel that I don’t treasure them.
I hope my children see me as the dad that was always there. Never absent, always loving, always challenging and always pointing towards Christ. That’s my hope for my children.
Dude I hear ya. Sometimes I feel like I’m constantly living to make sure I do the opposite of mine. Constant struggle.
Thanks for the insight into your lfe, Adam. You are such an awesome father, husband and friend! The grace that is on your and Karen’s life simply astounds me!