I'm finally useful for homework...
Since my daughter started her freshman year at IWU, I've had little to offer her by way of education assistance much like High School, until now. She has a theology class and I've never had more interaction with her about classes and specifically papers she has to write.
Her first paper was on God the Father and she asked if I could help her think through that part of God's personality and character. It was fun to throw her a myriad of ideas to shape her thinking so she could do some research and pull together her first draft. Once she pulled together the rough draft, she sent it my way to edit and speak into (I honestly changed some sentences and spiced up a couple descriptions), which was my pleasure. I was finally needed in the world of homework.
"Dad, finally has something to offer." is the way Kami was saying it to her mom. I'm not sure I dug the sentiment, but hey, I'll take it. I was of no value when it came to math or science, and little to no help when it came to about anything else. Education just seemed either over my head or insanely irrelevant to anything remotely realistic, so I was essentially useless. Later on she said, "Wow, Dad! You know more than I thought you did!" Again, not what you like to hear, but at least she is beginning to see how much of luminary on life I really am...we're moving in the right direction here.
This week she has circled back for some guidance on her next paper. She is writing on God the Son and had about 5 options to choose from that she could focus on. She was leaning toward Christology, but my eyes saw "The Resurrection" and I told her, "Kid, you have to do the resurrection, there's gold in them there hills!" I actually did say that and I know she didn't know what I was talking about, but that is part of being a dad, confusing your children by saying things they don't understand or care to understand. After telling her about the effects of the resurrection like the conversion of Jesus' step brother, James, (what would it take to convince your brother that you were God?) and the flimsy devotion of the disciples before his death compared to the bold devotion of those same men only a month or so later...to the point they all were martyred for the faith, save John (he was exiled)...things like these show you the significance of resurrection power.
Kami said, "Whoa, it sounds like the resurrection changed everything!" Precisely.
I love hearing my daughter say things like this...coming to her own conclusions and seeing that this stuff that her dad and mom have devoted their lives to spreading is more than a job or a passing fancy, it's our very lifeblood!
She texted me two days ago, "Dad, the divinity and humanity of Christ is found in John 11." We wrote back and forth about that passage and it was so fun just seeing her interact with something they just were talking about in her theology class. I know it's a class, but you have to understand that she went to public school and she's still getting used to the idea that professors can pray before class and say what they actually believe without fear of being put on probation or being fired. They love her and the God she loves. She will comment occasionally how she just loves being in an environment of education where a Christian worldview is the basis for all thought. I love that she gets to have that freedom as she learns and grows in her faith and identity.
So I guess all I'm saying is that I'm finally contributing to my daughter's educational experience. It feels good to banter back and forth on various issues and to see her learning things that are exciting her about the God she believed in as a child. My prayer for her is to have the same heart as Paul when he said...
"For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day." - 2 Timothy 1:12
It's a fun season of life to watch her spread her wings and fly.
Her first paper was on God the Father and she asked if I could help her think through that part of God's personality and character. It was fun to throw her a myriad of ideas to shape her thinking so she could do some research and pull together her first draft. Once she pulled together the rough draft, she sent it my way to edit and speak into (I honestly changed some sentences and spiced up a couple descriptions), which was my pleasure. I was finally needed in the world of homework.
"Dad, finally has something to offer." is the way Kami was saying it to her mom. I'm not sure I dug the sentiment, but hey, I'll take it. I was of no value when it came to math or science, and little to no help when it came to about anything else. Education just seemed either over my head or insanely irrelevant to anything remotely realistic, so I was essentially useless. Later on she said, "Wow, Dad! You know more than I thought you did!" Again, not what you like to hear, but at least she is beginning to see how much of luminary on life I really am...we're moving in the right direction here.
This week she has circled back for some guidance on her next paper. She is writing on God the Son and had about 5 options to choose from that she could focus on. She was leaning toward Christology, but my eyes saw "The Resurrection" and I told her, "Kid, you have to do the resurrection, there's gold in them there hills!" I actually did say that and I know she didn't know what I was talking about, but that is part of being a dad, confusing your children by saying things they don't understand or care to understand. After telling her about the effects of the resurrection like the conversion of Jesus' step brother, James, (what would it take to convince your brother that you were God?) and the flimsy devotion of the disciples before his death compared to the bold devotion of those same men only a month or so later...to the point they all were martyred for the faith, save John (he was exiled)...things like these show you the significance of resurrection power.
Kami said, "Whoa, it sounds like the resurrection changed everything!" Precisely.
I love hearing my daughter say things like this...coming to her own conclusions and seeing that this stuff that her dad and mom have devoted their lives to spreading is more than a job or a passing fancy, it's our very lifeblood!
She texted me two days ago, "Dad, the divinity and humanity of Christ is found in John 11." We wrote back and forth about that passage and it was so fun just seeing her interact with something they just were talking about in her theology class. I know it's a class, but you have to understand that she went to public school and she's still getting used to the idea that professors can pray before class and say what they actually believe without fear of being put on probation or being fired. They love her and the God she loves. She will comment occasionally how she just loves being in an environment of education where a Christian worldview is the basis for all thought. I love that she gets to have that freedom as she learns and grows in her faith and identity.
So I guess all I'm saying is that I'm finally contributing to my daughter's educational experience. It feels good to banter back and forth on various issues and to see her learning things that are exciting her about the God she believed in as a child. My prayer for her is to have the same heart as Paul when he said...
"For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day." - 2 Timothy 1:12
It's a fun season of life to watch her spread her wings and fly.
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