Bedtime Prayers on Father's Day

My father's day this year was different than most. All three of my boys have been battling a stomach virus and so Rita stayed home with them while I went to worship. After I got home, we spent the day doing a whole lot of nothing. Rita had made a wonderful meal, which neither of the boys got to fully enjoy. We just enjoyed being together.

Now, it's my job to do bath and bedtime. It's just what Dad does. So as I was tucking the boys in to say their prayers, Ethan (my middle son) surprised me. He has been going "off road" for his prayer lately - working past the rote prayer to include those on his mind. As he looked up at me, hovering over his praying form, he said these words: "And thank You God that I love my Daddy and that you made him the way you did."

The child then said: "Why are you smiling, Daddy?" What he didn't see was the tears in my eyes. Happy Father's Day.