Most of us are familiar with the science that the father partly defines the baby's sex by contributing either a Y chromosome (for boys) or an X (for girls). I didn't know until later that the father's hormones also play a factor in the sex of the baby. But the bottom line is I always knew I was going to have a daughter.
Early in my wife's pregnancy a friend passed along this statement, "A father should be his son's first hero, and his daughters first love." God designed the bond between father and daughter to be special, protected, for her to get a picture of Father God from the daughter's earthly dad. I determined before my child was born that she would always know she was lovely and loved from the first breath that she took.
When I held my daughter for the first time my view of all women suddenly changed. Not that I hadn't tried to treat women with respect throughout my life, in fact, I probably went overboard in my protection of women in my circle. But holding my daughter in my arms, the depth of my feelings increased incrementally. All women are sacred and worthy of protection, qualities that I'm ashamed to admit that I've not always modeled. Women are our mothers, our daughters, and sisters - all with great value and worthy of our protection.
Playtime is a wonderful way to bond. My daughter and I have spent countless hours exploring imaginary worlds and realms with dolls, trains, forts and houses. She has unlocked parts of my imagination that I didn't even know I had lost. But the most important thing is the quality time we have spent together, laughing and enjoying each other's company.
My responsibility to properly explain and model God's love for my child. I constantly battle the cloud of insecurity that comes from daily failures at being the father and husband that God has called me to be. There is no greater calling I have than to be the conduit of God's story to my child. If I fail at this job, it would be my greatest failure. To know that my daughter will reside in heaven for all eternity will be my greatest joy, to fail in this endeavor will be a fate worse than earthly death.
