There is no guarantee of making it to see another day. This is why one of the good things to do each day is to be grateful to be alive to experience it.
Multiply that gratitude by 10 and you get close to half the gratitude I have to celebrate my firstborn daughter’s 11th birthday today.
Unlike her Dad, Deborah is a very popular girl in her circles as reflected in those that turned up for an impromptu birthday celebration for her recently. With little notice the house was packed with friends that covered various points in her life past and present. Whilst in no way bragging, Deborah revelled in being the centre of attention able to mix with friends she had made in the year she’s been back in Stoke-on-Trent as well as connections from Derby and Milton Keynes before that. It was a delight for me to see just how well she is in engaging socially. A far cry from her more reclusive Dad.
Now more than ever, Deborah is aware of the world around her. She could now look up what her Dad has written about her over the years. Indeed, if she wanted to, she could just have a look at what her Dad has wrote full stop and get an impression of where she’s coming from. That’s part of the reason why I have to be responsible for the words I share on this medium.
It’s not to sanitise what I say though and this is why this particular birthday for Deborah is an important one. As she grows and there are clear marks in her development, it’s clear that there resides in her a passion for fairness. It will literally upset her to consider someone being unfairly treated. For that fairness to take place there has to be clarity and honesty. Even when she gets in trouble, she knows that the way through it is in clarity and honesty. That means at times no sugar-coating things. No glossing things over. For real fairness, Deborah understands more and more, truth must be uncovered and expressed.
This aspect of Deborah is a very challenging one for me to engage with because it really does mean when I type For His Name’s Sake, it really must be acceptable or else she will see it and it will cause her great disappointment to see her Dad offering something less than that. I certainly don’t endeavour to be in the business of disappointing Deborah where that is concerned.
Her burgeoning intelligence, sense of humour and natural joy of life is a source of great refreshment to me. It remains one of the greatest honours of my life to be her Dad. Much as I can speculate about what she could be like as she gets older, I celebrate today for who she is – a brilliant girl. Proof positive of the extraordinarily generous grace of God in my life and those who love her.
(Photo by Agê Barros on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 