A Papa's Influence

I am a proud Papa of Kia, Spencer, Cierra and Dakota.

As their Papa I get to spoil them and to show them new things. Here are a few of the experiences we have had and I hope they bring a smile to your face.

When Dakota was about three she came over to our house for the weekend. She and I went for several walks and about an hour after her mom picked her up I got a call from my daughter, Missy. She asked me, "Dad, where did Dakota learn to jump off of fire hydrants?" I was speechless for just a second or so and I replied: "Well, you see we went for a walk and I think she may have seen Papa climb on the fire hydrants and jump off."

Several Christmas' ago we purchased the G-Kids a dvd with the Three Stooges on it. When my daughter, Missy, was growing up I use to use one of their skits when tickling her. In the skit Moe recalls when Larry ran off with his girl friend. When Curly said Niagara Falls Moe would beat Curly up. When Missy would say Niagara Falls I would say, "Slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch, and I would grab her and tickle her." She loved it and taught it to her kids. Now when they leave our house you hear "Niagara Falls" being screamed as they drive down the street.

For many years I have had the tradition of placing a Hershey's candy kiss so that my wife and my daughter could find them. I am doing this with my G-Kids as well.

Finally, not too long ago we had the G-Kids for the weekend and we shared one of my favorite movies with them, "Gone Fishing", starring Joe Pesch and Danny Glover. It is about two guys who have been friends since little boys and they fish together. Each year they go on a fishing trip and always end up getting in some type of trouble. This year is no different. The part the kids like most is when their boat breaks free from the vehicle and Joe yells to Gus, "Save the Beer Gus, save the beer!" As my daughter was driving them home she hit a bump and out of the 3 year old's mouth comes, "Save the beer Gus, save the beer". Needless to say I received another one of those calls from Missy.

What is the point of sharing these stores with you? Each of you will have to answer that for yourself. I believe that God gives each of moments of great joy, even silly ones like these, so that we can appreciate the little things.

In my life I have lost so many opportunities to enjoy my children. I have ruined my relationship with one of my sons through stupid words and wounded the other son with wrong actions. I lost time with my daughter but thankfully corrected myself before we suffered permanent damage to our relationship.

Each moment I spend with my kids and my grand kids is precisous. God has blessed me with so many things and the greatest of those is my wife, my children and my grandchildren. Only the blessing of being saved is greater than the blessings of my family.

Who knows maybe one day God will say, "Slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch, and I grabbed him and hugged him." Won't that be a wonderful day?!

I hope you will share some of your silly moments with us.