The Other Man

Friday night I had a wonderful date with another man. He's cute, sweet and laughs constantly. He gives great hugs, kisses and says I love you a lot. My two and a half year son makes a great date. There was food and fun... We rode "horses" and went on the slide. We even did a little shopping!

While we were out, my husband escorted our little Daisy Scout to a sweetheart dance. They both got all dressed up and had the time of their lives. They were both going on and on about "having a blast!"

It was music to my ears. I am such an advocate of healthy father/daughter relationships. For those of us who have active fathers, we know how much his admiration means; how it affects our self-esteem. During childhood, he was our protector. My dad used to buy my mother roses for Valentines' Day, and I got a dozen too. He wanted me to know that I didn't need any one else to buy me flowers. I believed him. It was a critical lesson for me. When our relationship with dad is absent or poor, it makes things tough. We start to search for the missing affection in someone else's arms. A very dangerous solution.

My dad and I did not have a perfect relationship. He loved me, but I wondered about the trust. I was the only daughter in a family with 3 sons, so he was overprotective at times. When I wanted to rebel and run away, I couldn't. My relationship with my heavenly Father prevailed. Placing too much significance on the allegiances and abilities of another human sets us up for heartache.

So while I'm thankful for the time spent with my son and for the evening my husband spent with our dear princess, I hope that we can instill in them a deep love and commitment to Christ. This way, when someday they're older, they have a foundation on which to base their lives. May we create standards so high that they are unwilling to settle for anything less than the best God has for them.