Sit or stand?

When one group of people in a large crowd is seated and another group is standing, I tend to think that the people standing are either making a statement or being honored in some way. While it's nice to be appreciated for doing something, I've never enjoyed being one of those people who stood up.

On Veteran's Day or Memorial Day, it's given me goose bumps to see the brave men and women who serve our country stand up in a crowd and receive applause. When a team of missionaries stands up on their last Sunday before traveling, I applaud them answering the call they've received. On Mother's Day, I clapped when all the moms stood up. Same for Father's Day.

This year, Denielle stood up on Mother's Day while she stood alongside her own mother. I definitely applauded that. She's done an amazing job with Miss S and Lil C. Saturday night, I told her I had a question for her. She pre-emptively struck and said "Yes I want you to stand up tomorrow." We had a good discussion about what God has done for us and to us with these kids. We talked about His provisions and challenges. Then I told her I didn't want to stand up. It wasn't out of spite or to rebel against something.

It's the same thing as when I walked in the kitchen last Thursday and she was talking to Miss S about a card she made for "her dad" at daycare. I said "well, I'm not her dad." That earned the look of death from Denielle. Then Miss S said she made it for me and it even had my name in there. So I quickly told her thank you and said it was great. But a card I got for Father's Day pretty well summed up my feelings about being called a dad right now. It said "I know you don't feel like a dad but you are the dad they need and the only dad they have right now."

I call that "being a father figure." During my high school and college years, I had a very godly man around me a lot and he became a father figure for me even though I had a great relationship with my dad. We talked a lot about being a good employee, being a person of high character, and loving God most importantly. He obviously wasn't my dad but he did a lot of the things a dad would do and teach. He was a guy I didn't want to disappoint and wanted to make proud of me. That's what I'm trying to do with Miss S and Lil C. And I don't think sitting or standing has anything to do with that.