Classic Re-post for those of you who have not been reading my blog since 1999.
I read a lot of books. Some of them are devotional, some are theological, some are informational, a few are recreational. One of my favorite recent reads is practical. It was written by a fellow named Dan Bolin. This little treasure is packed full of creative, humorous ways to love your daughter(s). It is called: “How to Be Your Daughter’s Daddy.” and sub-titled: “365 Ways To Show Your Daughter You Care.” Since I have never been a little girl this is a most helpful book.
Here is a sample of some of Dan’s suggestions:
- Together roast miniature marshmallows with toothpicks over the flame of a candle.
- Ask her to help you put air in the tires of the car.
- Compliment her character and skill three times more frequently than you compliment her on her appearance.
- Be sure you take her to Sunday School and Church.
- Take time to talk with her in her room before she goes to sleep at night.
- Make eye contact when you talk to her.
- Make mini pizzas, using English muffins topped with pizza sauce, cheese and slices of pepperoni.
- Get her a special night light.
- Pray with her at bedtime.
- Sing in the car.
- Tell her she has a beautiful smile.
- Ask her questions she cannot answer “yes” and “no.”
- (Here is one of my favorites), Kiss her mother in her presence.
- Here are a couple I thought up:
- Teach her to make coffee for you for when you need to taste-test her cookies.
- Get her own library card and visit the library together at least once a month.
- Have her roller-blade while you run. (some of you might want to roller blade while she runs).
It is hard to list these ideas and to think of the precious little girls the Lord has given me without tears of love and gratitude. When you have a little girl, every day is a treasure!
When I look at old pictures or videos of our three little daughters I always get a lump in my throat. They won’t live with me forever. Some day another man will enjoy their cookies and their smile. They will be grown and gone and I won’t be able to go with them up to their room at night and pray with them and tuck them in.
Maybe you wondered how Dan Bolin the author of “How to Be Your Daughter’s Daddy” came up with all those good ideas? Dan had a sense of urgency about spending as much time with his little daughter Catie as possible. His daughter was only four years old when they discovered that she had leukemia. When she was nine little Catie went to heaven. After they discovered her disease Dan had only had five more years to live his daughter.
I hope I can keep Dan’s book and use it with my daughter’s daughters, but we have no promise of tomorrow. Like Gloria Gather wrote: “We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand. Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never come, but we have this moment today.”
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the precious little girls you have entrusted to me for a short time. Forgive me for my selfishness and help me make every moment count. And until Dan and Dan and Catie are together again in a place where death never separates, bless him for reminding us to love our daughters while we still can.
P.S. Its Saturday morning April 10th and if the ultrasound is right another little girl will join us any day.
P.P.S. God in His gracious providence, on Tuesday morning, April 20, 1999 at 5:27, sent into our lives a beautiful, healthy baby daughter. Mom and baby are both well. The Pine Street Parsonage has been filled with joy for the last week as friends and neighbors have come by to hold baby Hope and leave food and gifts. We are overwhelmed by the goodness of God and the kindness of his people and we are “…rejoicing in hope.” (Romans 12:12)
