I'm back....
I am a prime example of trying to become A Better Catholic Dad. Trying to live up to being a better dad is a hard thing to do no matter how good you think you are. After all, everyone including myself have become so "gung ho" about a mission in life only to left it fall by the wayside a few short weeks later. Something happens and we feel that we no longer need to work towards a specified goal from eating healthier, exercising, praying (more) and even being a better dad. We all get caught up in the same routine we had before we started. Sure, I'll super size my fries, I can't find my jogging shoes or I never washed those exercise clothes. We even say that God knows what our heart desires so why take the time to pray and lastly, my kids are healthy, fed and often well mannered so why do I need to be a better dad? Simply put, with daily effort no matter the goal, the results can be life changing. Imagine if you lost those 20 pounds how many more years you could add to your life. How about if you prayed more, perhaps those things in life that you find stressful would somehow seem so tiny. Being a better dad is just that. By working daily at being a better dad the bond you build with your children is the most amazing thing in the world.
I will be the first to admit I am guilty as charged. As anyone can see, I let my daily writings slip by the wayside. While I was writing I was constantly thinking of my family and I really felt like I was making a difference at being a better dad. Lately, while I still feel like I am a good dad, I am not as good as I could be. I get too caught up in being stressed by things life throws at us daily. Taking that home and not putting my children first is me taking away from them. There are so few hours that they get to spend with daddy when I get home from work and yet I feel too consumed by life's stresses to actually sit and play.
I once either read or heard a story, I can't remember which it was but the moral of the story was to have a "worry tree" in your front yard. The father in the story each night as he entered his house, he touched the leaves on the tree to symbolize he was hanging his worries on the branches as he entered his home. Each morning, should the need arise, he picked up his worries on his way out. Once again, I want to work at being A Better Catholic Dad. I want to work on prayer before mealtime, actively participate in the lighting of the Advent candle each week with my children and finally get over my fear of praying out loud. I want to prepare myself to have the best Christmas ever, I want to focus not on the presents but on the true meaning of Christmas. It's a long road but hopefully I am back on the wagon and this time I am here to stay..
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