Post Tinebrae Lux

Striving to spread the true light of Christ.

Name:
Location: Howe, Texas, United States

Married with two adult children (Patrick & Brittney).

Friday, November 24, 2006

My Daughter

As you're aware from my profile, I have two children - one son and one daughter. I have posted an ode, if you will, to my son (see 'My Son') and am blessed to share about my daughter as well. My daughter, Brittney, owns my heart. For whatever gracious reason, God allowed my children to be born in the order I had desired. My son is my pride and my daughter is my heart. Words cannot express the joy I experienced holding my newborn daughter in my arms. Daughters truly are a magnificent gift from God. Their dependence, their softness, their maternal natures - it is inexpressable joy to be a father to a daughter.
My daughter has taught me so much about life that I often feel I am the student and she the teacher. As she grew into the beautiful woman she is, she taught me patience through her passionate way of living, she taught me humility through her tender compassions, she taught me gratitude through her giving spirit, and so much more.
My daughter is a fireball. She, like her mother, does not understand the word apathy. She is 100% committed to whatever it is she is doing. And as is the case with most passionate people, my daughter's emotional state can range from very low to very high - but seldom is static (as her husband has found out over the year they've been married :) ). It is just that spirit, however, that makes her who she is. What a treasure to see such passion - passion about convictions, passion about love, passion about life itself. It is a bit easier now that she is an adult as she's learned to channel that passion in productive avenues. As a teenager, though, she and I learned much from each other as we dealt with each other through the adolescent years. She taught me that it is ok to be different. I am a(n) very un-emotional and objective person by nature and have a tendency to requre that of others. She, however, has helped me understand that high-spirited people are who they are because God has gifted them with such and that it is just that passion that God uses to accomplish His will through her. What patience she helped instill in me as we struggled through those years together. And now - the patience has paid off. She is such a fine example of a Godly woman and wife!
Her tenderness, too, is a joy to behold. I know that I know that I know that she is going to be a wonderful mother some day. She is so tender and compassionate toward others. I am often humbled that she, a mere young adult, shows so much more tender kindness than I - a 'mature' Christian. It is humbling that I have so much to learn from my daughter.
And giving nature is truly a gift from God. My daughter is driven to serve others. While I KNOW that it is Christ's Spirit in her that motivates her, it is, nonetheless, such a blessing to have been allowed a role in her training. I often look back on things I did as a father and 'see' mistakes I've made, but God used my honest desire to see her grow into a Godly woman and did just that. He worked through my frail attempts at fathering to mold my daughter into the embodiment of what a Christian woman should be.
My daughter is much like her mother - in looks as well as passion for life - but so much her own person as well. I also see bits of myself in her - and pray that it is only those bits which are good that she carries with her. My daughter is - and always will be - my heart.
I love you Brittney

Post Tinebrae Lux