Today is Father's Day so it only seems fiting to write about fathers. I went to Fairmount last night with my kids; we spent the night at my dad's house and then this morning we went to church with Dad and Allison. It was a great day!

If you are around me for very long you know two facts about me, I take parenting very seriously (some will tell you I'm too hard on them and myself for that matter) and I have two Dad's. I grew up without my parents being together, but from that another bond formed and gave me another Dad. I too am now divorced and experience what it's like to have my kids leave to go visit the other parent, it's a void that you can only understand if you've experienced it. I've also been a step-parent and now understand what it's like to love a child that is not your own, to struggle with finding your place in this new family. Being a parent is hard, being a single parent is very hard, and being a step parent in many ways tops it all.

I have several guys in my life who are dad's, some are better at it than others. I have heard their struggles, seen their tears, and I know without a doubt they love their kids very very much. I have often said it only takes sperm to be a father...being a dad is so much more. I'm not sure why God allows some of us to be parents and others never experience what it's like to hear them say I love you for the first time. I'm not sure why some take parenting seriously and others are still too wraped up in their own personal satisfaction to be a parent at all. What I am sure of...

We only get one shot at this life, there is no plan B. Our children will not stay young forever and one day, when they are grown, we will have to look them in the eye and account for why we raised them the way we did. Today, after church, on our way back to my dad's it was just Tyler and I in the car and this is what I said "Bud, when you grow up and have kids of your own remember that you are not raising kids, you are raising future adults. Think about what you want them to think of you when they are grown and looking back on their childhood, what do you want them to say about you? Your job is to raise them, to teach them, to guide them. But above all, your job is to be there...to be a Dad" I believe that with all my heart. If we do nothing else right while on this earth I pray that we get that....step up to the plate and be a parent, a true parent!

If you are not a dad on this Father's Day know this...they are still watching you. Just because they don't call you dad, you influence them...I promise. Our job is to raise the next generation to be better than ours...all of us have that responsibility.

Happy Fathers Day Dad's...I love you.