Don’t Miss the Moment

My son Nick, 9 years old at the time, had gone the entire baseball season without a hit, and he found himself in the “on deck circle” at the end of the championship game. The season had already been filled with frustration and discouragement. Nick was obviously playing on a very good team, and here he found himself up to bat in the last inning.

The team was down a few runs and Nick was facing the best pitcher in the league. The team had not fared very well with very few hits.

I distinctly remember standing behind the backstop as he was called up from the bench to the on-deck circle. My heart sank. Nick sluggishly grabbed his bat and helmet, and he walked slowly to the waiting place. He looked up and said, “Dad, I can’t do this. I haven’t gotten a hit all year.” As a dad, my heart hurt for him because there’s nothing more a father wants for his son than to be successful in all that he does.

I was at a loss for words. What do I say? I offered up a quick prayer for wisdom and then I shared something with him that we still remember to this day:

As a boy and man, we will all face our Goliaths throughout life. They will come in all shapes and sizes. The only thing that matters is to show courage and to trust God in those moments. In fact, it doesn’t matter what happened before this moment...all that matters is now. Do your best, trust God with the results.

We said a quick prayer as the batter in front of him got out. It was his time.

Well, he had one of his best at-bats all season. He hit a sharp grounder between the shortstop and third baseman and the short stop made a great play to get him out at first, barely.

Nick was disappointed but he was also optimistic as he stated, “Dad, I hit it hard and almost got on!” I let him know how proud I was of him for giving his all.

That was the last time Nick played organized baseball, but every once in a while when he faces obstacles and challenges, we go back to that time behind the backstop. It was a defining moment for both of us in very different ways. For me, that on-deck circle was an opportunity to love and support my son.

Since that time I have had plenty of on-deck moments with him, as well as with my two daughters. Being an authentic dad is about seeing those moments in life and taking full advantage of them. In some ways, our children are constantly in that on deck-circle while they live in our homes. We are preparing to send them up to the plate of adulthood.

I need to be Nick’s biggest coach as he enters manhood and deals with things such as dating, identity, character, grades, future, his relationship with his mother and sisters, and so many other areas.

There are many tips out there about seeing and recognizing those on-deck moments. But there is one I believe is key for men and fathers; Emotional Warmth

Emotional Warmth

I get tired of the excuse that men are unable to “emotionally relate” to their families. Whether in society or in the church, I constantly hear this message that men are buffoons when it comes to emotions, as if we are unable to tie our own emotional shoestrings. Nothing is more damaging to men or families than this thought.

As men and fathers we are “wired” for emotional intimacy, especially when it comes to our families. Obviously that is expressed in very different ways for men, but it is not that we are incapable. In the book, “Families and Faith: How Religion Is Passed Down Across Generations”, Vern Bengtson shares a study done with over 35 years of studying more than 350 families (3,500 individuals) from different faith beliefs. It is the largest study of its kind, specifically looking at “faith transmission” from parents to kids and to grandkids and great grandkids. This is one of the key findings:

“Our study indicates that relationships with parents that are felt to be close, warm, and affirming are associated with higher religious transmission than are relationships perceived as cold, distant or authoritarian- regardless of the level of parental piety. Moreover, this is particularly true for relations with fathers.”

In other words, you want to recognize those on-deck moments to help your children grow into adulthood, especially our sons who are seeking positive role models, and what that looks like relationally and emotionally. Be authentic. The more you invest in truly knowing your children, the more you will recognize those on-deck moments where faith, courage, responsibility and character will be present. They are some of the most rewarding moments you don’t want to miss.