Today I harkened back to a time when I thought my talents lay elsewhere. It was Father's Day, 1996. I shared the song "Butterfly Kisses" with the congregation of the church I was attending. It'd just been released and I remember the impact it had on me the first time I heard it. I took my daughter by the hand and walked with her up on stage. I pulled a stool over and let her sit next to me as I tried to sing the song. I was never blessed with the greatest voice, and singing around the huge lump in my throat probably made it sound like frog kisses rather than butterfly kisses. I was told that during the entire song my daughter sat there with a smile on her face looking lovingly at her father. That was the last song I ever performed in church. I began to develop the talents that God had given me and those skills did not lie in singing but rather in writing and drama. I have in my head dozens of unwritten and unperformed dramas and one of those dramas is built around the song "Butterfly Kisses." However I never had the chance to perform the drama because my daughter was supposed to play a part in it.
The last verse in the song "Butterfly Kisses" refers to the moment that the father gets to walk his daughter down the aisle to the man that will take her and make her a bride. Hard as I try, there are some things that I cannot avoid focusing on. Those things that I will never have that I try to run from. One of those is the opportunity to walk my daughter down that aisle. So this blog goes out to all the daddies of those precious little girls. Especially to those daddy's that have done things to damage the relationship with their daughters. It's never too late to restore that relationship. It is my desire to see you, daddy, walking your daughter down the aisle. This is definitely one thing you should never take for granted.
This weekend you will have the opportunity to look into the eyes of your little loved one and let her know, daddy, how much you love her. Valentine's Day is a day of celebration. A celebration of love. And I believe it's not just romantic love. So, daddy, don't forget to take the opportunity to take your daughter out on a date. You never know when that chance will be taken away from you. And this is one regret you do not want to have.
Valentine's Day this year will not be happy celebration for me. But I will still be celebrating. I will be celebrating for you. I will be celebrating your love. I will be celebrating with my young friends as they place that symbol of love in their fingers. And it will be a joyous celebration.
And for all those that are missing their love on this day, be it a spouse, or a child, please know that love is not over. Where there was a romantic love there can be a love that our Father can give us. For we are His bride and He loves us forever. Unconditionally. So, if you, like me, find yourself missing someone a little more this Valentine's Day just remember one thing. And, if you happen to see me you might want to remind me of this also. Love. Never. Fails.
And happy Valentine's Day to the most precious gifts the Lord could've blessed me with, even if it was only for a short time. I love you both. Save a place for me.
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