My Name is Not Dad

I took my kids to the park tonight. Mom was hosting Bible study, so me and the kids spent the evening out. Dad's out there, let me ask you this: when you take your kids out without mom, do you get the feeling that everyone assumes that it's your night for custody of the kids...this is your weekly visitation? I hate that I feel that way, and I am not sure why I feel that way. I'll have to tuck that away for future therapy!

One more thing, while I'm on the subject of Dad's and kids. When you see me with my kids and my wife is not present, do not ask if it's my night to babysit. I am not the babysitter, I am their dad. I am fully capable; do not act so impressed, do not act alarmed, do not fear for the children's safety (mine, perhaps, but the children are fine), and stop thinking their mom ran off with the plumber!

Now back to the park. Three of the girls asked if I would push them on the swing. As we got to the swing set, Madison and Megan got swings next to each other, then a little boy took the next swing, and Sammy took the next. As I began to push, they started to call out for me to come and push their swing, "Push me Dad, push me!"

That's when the little boy in the middle started in. He was probably 3 or just 4. I hadn't paid much notice to him. It didn't bother me that he was in the midst of the girls, that's just what happens at play grounds. He was watching us pretty closely and then he started in too, "Push me Dad, push me!"

At first I just chuckled with the girls...they were pretty tickled that this little boy was calling me Dad. As I pushed him in his swing, I scanned the playground for his parents. I saw his mom with a guy that was obviously not this little boy's dad. (you just have to trust me on this one)

It was then that I realized that this little boy before me in the swing had called me Dad because he thought that was my name, not my title. I wasn't chuckling anymore.

I kept an eye on the little boy the rest of the time that we were at the park. Mom's new guy did not pay much attention to the boy. In fact, he seemed rather irritated that he was there at all.

The idea came to mind that the few moments that the little boy shared at the swing set with me and my girls, just may be the only "fatherly" attention that he will get this night...and quite probably many others.

As I called my kids to the van and we left the park for ice cream, I thanked God that he had given me a heart for kids...all kids, but especially my own. I cherish the time and influence that I have as a Dad. And I pray that God will continue to give me moments with strange little boys at the park. Moments at the swing set where we can understand each other ...maybe he'll understand that there are people out there who will smile and take a moment to push him on the swing, and maybe I'll understand all over again that God may use me in ways I never imagined.