Just for Christine . . . I’m going to actually blog. It may not seem like much of a gift, but Christine can tell you what a master I am at procrastination and avoidance–especially when it comes to the important things.
Not wanting to be outdone by the amazing Beatties (and I’ve only actually met Amanda, but she’s amazing enough to convince me that the rest of her family must be pretty good too–oh, and, yeah, Amanda’s parents have commented and commented well, on Christine’s blog), I grabbed the url. Heh, heh, heh. Hey, I’m entitled; I contributed chromosomes. If it weren’t for me, well, yaknow, she wouldn’t be here. Pbbbbt. Top that.
So, let’s talk about Christine. I’ll start with this blog thing. A few of the qualities that she exhibits here and here that are characteristic of the way she lives her life and that make me so proud to be her father:
1. Transparency. Like Billy Joel said, it’s such a lonely word. And he might have said, it’s mostly what we need from the Church, especially in this hour.
2. Intelligence. Christine isn’t ostentatiously academic or pretentiously philosophical, but there is obvious thoughtfulness, significance and coherence to what she says–yeah, even the silly stuff. If you don’t get it, go back and read it again.
3. Discipline. Um, though I probably can’t take much credit for any of these, this is one that I know she didn’t get from me.
4. Presence–i.e., she shows up. To me, this is a combination of the previous three . . . and then some. Christine doesn’t do something just to do it. She’s engaged and invested. She means it. She does what she believes in and she does it well. She’s probably done research. To put it another way, she’s no good at going through the motions or doing things half way. This is one of the reasons that she’s effective in prayer: read what Deb said and consider that the LORD is looking for those who are, as David was, “after His own heart.”
(to be continued . . . )
just for Christine 
2007-Aug-06, Mon at 13:53 |
I think you and your daughter are just delightful, and your blogs have been a blessing to my heart. I hope Dorean and I get to meet you soon.
For Godly young women like Christine, Amanda, and Dorean, I suspect it is actually Heavenly Father DNA that is dominent, and when I look for my characteristics, I think there is more compelling evidence that I am somehow related to the cat…
2007-Aug-08, Wed at 21:10 |
What a sweet dad! Christine is a lucky girl!
2007-Aug-10, Fri at 13:06 |
Brian,
I like your theory. Christine and I actually have periodic epiphanies related to how we’re like our cats. Um, of course, Christine’s cat was uber intelligent, loyal, creative, etc. My cat’s love language is biting (seriously)–but he has his moments.
Dorean,
Thank you. But I think you have the qualifiers confused (who’s sweet and who’s lucky). 🙂
2007-Aug-23, Thu at 19:01 |
Thanks, dad. This kind of reminds me of those fantastically long letters you would fit in tiny print on every card that a holiday had given you excuse to write.
Thank you. Really. It makes a really huge difference to hear truth about the good things that God has been working in my life from someone who has been there for the entire mess of the maturing process, thus far. Especially in the midst of being so bombarded with my shortcomings and weaknesses in such an exceptional way.
Mom was always really good at that. Reminding me who I was and what God had done and was doing and would do. I don’t think I ever realized what a difference her constant encouragement made in my life every day. Especially in the times that we would sit there and argue about it… when I would delve into the Eeyore and Puddleglum dimensions of my brokenness.
I am truly blessed to have grown up with the unrivaled attention and devotion of two such incredible parents. (And, seriously, it wasn’t just Mom.)
2007-Aug-24, Fri at 17:27 |
Thank *you*. And thank you for accepting it. And, as far as the parenting: your mother and I frequently discussed what an amazing gift you are–truly, more than we could imagine any other child being. Indeed, we were nervous about having other kids because we believed it so completely improbable that your sibling(s) could ever compare (yep, that’s probably sinful). I’m not making that up. Partly, you are a phenomenon–I won’t back down from that. But it also suggests the goodness of the LORD in bringing and keeping us together–surely any one of us might have driven some other family crazy. 😉
Concerning the letters, you remind me that I fall into a weird block–with you, your mother, especially with the LORD himself (yes, I get serious writer’s block in worship and prayer), anyone important in my life that I’ve had several occasions to express appreciation for–after I’ve said a certain thing a few times–no matter how much I still feel it, no matter how true it is, no matter even that the depth of it has grown–I worry somehow that my expression is no longer worthy and I falter. And add that to the fact that my words always feel inadequate anyway.
It makes me wonder, that (and maybe, jfc, I’ll blog it). But know that there’s always more than I know how to say–and that any good thing I’ve said undoubtedly still holds true. Maybe it’s a guy thing, like the husband in the joke: “I told you once; if I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”
But I’m getting all sappy. Maybe it’s time we dig into some heresy (by which I mean “embrace” as opposed to the prevailing and errant orthodoxy) or some such thing, kick some theological butts so I can feel manly again. 😉