Where's My Cake, Bedelia?

Ten points if you got that reference.

Yesterday was my first Father's Day. I suppose I started the celebration early by going to see Willie Nelson on Saturday night, kind of a Father's Day present for myself. Okay, so I didn't really know that it was the night before Father's Day when I got the tickets but it worked out anyway. The concert was great, as expected. He and his band Family played plenty of hits, snuck in a few surprises and a handfull of new stuff as well. I had a good time, and between my brother and I we made a nice dent in the merch table (he even bought me a shirt in honor of my first Father's Day).

I mention this for two reasons. One, to brag about being there. The second reason is because I bought a semi-wooden-ish souvenir toy guitar decorated with Willie Nelson art. I bought the guitar for two reasons. One, because it'll look cool in my media room. The second reason is so I can share it with my daughter when she gets older.

Unsurprisingly, I want to share my love of music with Tessa. Not that I expect her to be a music geek like me, in fact it would probably be best if she was a little more, um, normal. Still, I think it might be an area where we can bond together. Plus, how cool is it to have a Willie Nelson model for your first guitar? Maybe I'll get to take her to one of his shows when she's old enough. I have a feeling he might still be around.

So anyway, Sunday was Father's Day. We started the day by going to church where there was, of course, a lot of talk about being a good father. It was a good service, lots of emotion, and one of the few times I've cared for Stephen Curtis Chapman. His song Cinderella was featured, and as a little girl's Daddy, it hit home. The lyrics are about taking the time to spend with your kids now, because all too soon they'll be gone, married and on their own. It's a bittersweet song, made all the more poignant due to Chapman's daughter's tragic death. Needless to say, it got me thinking.

I've got a lot to teach this little girl. I've also got a lot of encouraging to do, patience to have (already working on that one!), laughing, crying, learning, and most of all loving to do. You see, I've always thought that I had the best dad in the world. Not the most perfect one...I mean, I could give you a list...but the best one. Any flaws, lack of judgement, poor decisions or mistakes he might have made were always overshadowed by the fact that my father supported me, encouraged me, loved me, and was my friend as well as my dad. Those are some big shoes to fill, but I think I'm up to the challenge. I want to be all of this and more for Tessa, and I believe I'm off to a good start. I had great training, and I'm already proud to be her dad.

So I guess the lesson here is to love your kids (even when it's hard), love your parents (even when it's hard), listen to Willie Nelson (even when it's hard), and never promise your next blog post will be less wordy.

Oh, and in case you're wondering...I got my cake. Cupcake, but still.