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Showing posts with label Fatherhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fatherhood. Show all posts

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Throw Her to the Wolves, Or Be Her Hero?: To Dads (and Future Dads) On Fathers' Day

I decided that a Fathers' Day post written for women would be....stupid.
So, this one is for men, young and old.


If you are reading this, your wife probably stuck it in front of you.
I know you have better things to do right now...in the garage.
But, she's gonna make you read it anyway, so, let's make it quick.

I can blow smoke up your *** about how great you are.  Or I can issue a challenge.


I'm not going to tell you what to do.  You're a man.  You're built to make decisions.
I'm just gonna put some options in front of you.  Guy style.  With bullet points.

If you have a daughter, or might someday, you have some choices.
If you are dating someones daughter, or might someday, you have the choice to respect that her dad has some choices.  

Here are some of them:
  • The world is full of loose sex, and of guys who are either looking for it, or tempted by it.  You can either sit those guys down, when they show interest in your daughter, or you can watch the game when they show up at the door.
  • Your daughter doesn't have a lot of clothing choices.  Most of them belong in a brothel, not on your daughter.  You can either turn away when she puts on something suggestive, or you can tell her that she is worth more than the outfit she is wearing suggests.
  • You can either meet her new boyfriend, or, you can meet the guy who wants to be her new boyfriend, and look him in the eye, before he puts her in the passenger seat of his car for the first time.
  • You can leave the uncomfortable stuff to her mother, or you can stand sentinel.
  • You can let her be "independent" once she reaches dating age, or you can be her protector.
  • You can wonder what that guy is doing with your daughter,or you can tell him what you expect him not to do.
  • You can protect yourself from being made nervous and uncomfortable by dealing with the guy face to face, or you can protect her from being violated, hurt, and misused.
  • You can back down when she throws a fit about your choice to get involved, or you can focus on the fact that one day she will understand and thank you for it.
  • You can silently communicate to her that she doesn't matter, or you can show her that she is worth everything.
  • You can turn a blind eye when she falls into the hands of the guy she doesn't need, or you can model for her the kind of guy she deserves.
  • You can leave that well meaning teenage boy or young man to deal with his hormones on his own, or you can communicate clear expectations and help him out by making him accountable.

You are the one who demonstrates what she is worth.  For both of them.

You are the one who sets her value.  You are the one who teaches it to her.  You are the one who communicates whether she is trash, or treasure.  You are the first man in her life.  The first man in her life sets her price.


She might act like she doesn't want you involved.  Truth is, there is nothing she wants more.

And, that is what this old broad has to say about that.


Go With God,
~Michelle

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Swallows Return to Capistrano: The Feastday of St. Joseph


Happy Feastday of St. Joseph!

Dori, via wikimedia commons,Click for license

Tradition has it that the cliff swallows return today, from their winter home in South America, to the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, in San Juan Capistrano, California.

They return to nest for the Spring.  Swallows take the choice of a nesting site seriously.  They require the presence of a cliff, the availability of mud for nestmaking, and a source of food.

The "cliff" need not be a natural one, though. The walls of a mission will do just fine.

In celebration of their return, the mission bells are rung,the faithful visit, and a parade is held. The mission is one of the oldest buildings in California, and was founded on the Feast of All Saints, November 1, 1776, by the Franciscan priest, Blessed Junipero Serra.

Fountain at Mission San Juan Capistrano
By DDauri Daniel D'Auria (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)],
 via Wikimedia Commons

St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus, Guido Reni, PD-OLD
Apparently the swallows know a good man when they see one.

Today is the Feastday of St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary, and earthly father of Jesus Christ.

Joseph did a brave thing when he took Mary, who was with child, as his wife.  It was not a practice that was culturally acceptable at the time.  But, he stood fast, obeyed, and trusted God.

He went on to be the protector, leader, and provider for the most important family that the world has ever seen.

We live in an era when the value of fatherhood, and of men in general, is minimized, but the positive impact of a godly father upon his family is irrefutable.

Today, we are blessed with the opportunity, to, along with the swallows, honor the greatest earthly father, and the fathers that bless our own homes.


The Ringing of the Bells to Welcome the Swallows Home to Mission San Juan Capistrano:
(You can scroll down to the music player in the bottom right hand corner of the page, and use the pause button to silence the music, before watching the video.)



Pax Christi, friends!