Love is a Heavy Thing

Love is a heavy thing. 
But that’s why God created dads with strong arms and wide shoulders to carry its weight. We see it when a father stoops to lift his child to his shoulders. Every time he stands, protecting those he loves from the wild winds around them. It’s in the way his sturdy hands can open a jar, move heavy furniture, and carry the weight of the world.

Love is a funny thing.
But that’s why God created dads with a love of laughter. It’s obvious in the way a father reminds his family to laugh. Sometimes that reminder comes on the darkest days. This is why dads are fantastic story-tellers and can recreate a whole cast of characters in a one-man show. And even if we roll our eyes at dad jokes, we really do think they’re a little funny.

Love is a quiet thing. 
But that’s why God created so many dads who show, rather than tell. We can see the love of a father for his family in the way he tenderly holds his child on his lap. It’s there when he quietly helps tidy the house. It’s in how the children know he will always listen to their problems. And most of all, it’s in all the prayers dads whisper for their family as they go about the day.

Love is a joyful thing.
But that’s why God created dads whose eyes light up and sparkle when they look into the faces of those close to them. It’s why a dad will come home, tired, and still play catch. It’s in the pleasure dads get spending time with their family on a trip, or playing Monopoly, or going on a picnic. It’s why a dad delights in his children at all ages, and why their smiles are reflected in his own.

Love is a creative thing.
But that’s why God created dads with the ability to fix and make do. They need their skills to figure out how to make toys work that have lost a part and how to build things for their daughters who are going away to teach. This is why fathers are interested in the world around them and come up with creative answers to the problems their loved ones are facing. 

Love is a painful thing.
But that’s why God created dads who are able to cry when they need to. Because sometimes life requires tears. And children don’t always make the right choices, and burdens can weigh a lot, and it hurts to see those you love in pain and not know how to fix it. But what means the world to those around them is seeing that dad cares enough to walk through the pain with them.

Love is a heavy thing.
But that’s why God created dads and gave them the strength to stand and the wisdom to know when to kneel. That’s why God planned for dads to know when to carry a burden, and when to lift it to Him. That’s why God designed dads with the wisdom to know when to speak and when to listen. Because love is a heavy thing, but God created dads that could carry the weight.

Happy Father’s Day!