On Thursday I put on a new suit, tightened my neck tie, and slipped on my gold watch.  I examined the long stem rose that I picked up at lunch.

I then proceed home to pick up my four year-old daughter.  She would correct me and let you know that she’s 4 and 1/2.

Our daddy-daughter date included dinner at a hibachi restaurant.  Walking out she said, “That was fun … after the fire part was over.”  We then proceeded to her choice for dessert.  She settled on the the ice cream kiosk next to Chic-Fil-A in the local mall.  Classy.  She had “crazy colors” in a cone.  I went with butter pecan.

The few hours out with my daughter were tons of fun but they had a very specific purpose.

I told her …

“I love you.”

“You are smart, funny, creative and you will change the world someday.”  

“I’m blessed to be your father.”

But I also told her …

“God loves you.”

“God created you as a smart, funny, and creative world changer.”

“I love you as your earthly father but you have a Heavenly Father that loves you even more.”

“There will be times that I don’t understand.  God always understands.”

“There will be times I can’t be there.  God will always be there.”  

“I will fail you.  God will never fail you.”

I asked if she understood.  “Yeah, daddy,” she responded.  Followed by, “Remember when you caught that shrimp in your mouth at the restaurant?”