Time comes for dad to step aside

Editorials

June 22, 2009

Editorial

By Chip Minemyer, CNHI News The Commonwealth Journal Mon Jun 22, 2009, 10:40 AM EDT

Somewhere in the blink of an eye, my daughter went from a small baby in my arms to a high school graduate heading off to college.

And in a flash, my son climbed from his playpen to Little League to high school.

I’ve found all Father’s Days to be special – reminders of the great responsibility we accept when a child comes into our lives.

This one is hitting me like a hammer, as my wife and I step aside as our oldest begins her adult life away from home.

As we sat in our living room recently, my wife asked me:

“Do you ever wonder how you ended up in this life?”

For me, “this life” has been a wondrous parade of ballgames, band concerts, school musicals, proms and vacations at the beach.

As a family, we’ve shared Penn State football, the Stanley Cup playoffs and autograph chasing at Steelers training camp.

There have been challenging moments – “Dad, my hamster’s not moving!” – surgeries and mishaps, shifting to new towns and facing new challenges.

Together, we designed and built our dream house, then sold it when life took a different turn.

We’ve made the journey through faith in each other, and the belief that God had a plan in mind.

In part, that plan is beginning to emerge.

Our son was in the band just recently, playing “Pomp and

Circumstance,” as his big sister marched toward the stage to get her diploma.

In a few years, it will be his turn.

But she had already made her visits to college, knew what her class schedule would be. She has her eyes on a career, understanding that things can shift in the course of a few short years.

Believe me, that’s so true.

My thoughts about this Father’s Day actually began in December.

The Christmas story points to a new beginning, of a baby’s birth changing the world.

For parents, a child’s arrival is indeed an incredible, life-altering occurrence.

As a dad, I think one of the more interesting characters in the Christmas story is Joseph – the man engaged to the child’s mother and destined for biblical obscurity.

When the heavy hitters of Scripture are listed, this Joseph’s name never comes up.

He wasn’t the one who wore a colorful coat and helped rule a kingdom.

He didn’t deliver the law, or bring down castle walls.

He never built a grand temple or rode off in a chariot of fire.

All this man did was care for a young boy, helped him learn a trade, watched over that boy as he matured and became a man.

It was Joseph’s calling to protect the child and help prepare him for the role God had in store.

And, really, isn’t that what Father’s Day is all about?

We do our best until the time comes for us to step aside and let the greater plan play out.

Every birthday party and backyard sleepover is just a step toward the day when caps and gowns give way to a cosmos of heavenly opportunities.

Joseph taught me that important lesson.

This is my Father’s Day to begin getting out of the way.

Chip Minemyer is the editor of The Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown, Pa.

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