He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

 It's the last day of June and the last hour of the day...and I think maybe I have one more post left about Father's Day to find words for.  Let's see how it goes.  I wrote about my husband who, in my opinion, is the role model for dads.  I have 3 sons and they could have no better example to aspire to if they choose to have children.  I wrote about my own dad and how this is my first year to experience Father's Day this June without him because he died this year.  I have another group of dads I want to consider.  These are the guys who show up and do dad stuff for boys that are not theirs.  These are the dad-figures that do all the things that a dad would do for a kiddo who doesn't have a dad around.  On this last little bit of the last of June, I want to remember these guys. Boys are born into the world needing mamas FOR  SURE.  They also need daddies.  They need daddies who will sing to them and jiggle them to sleep when mom...

 Father's Day weekend is here.  It's a hard one for me.  It always has been, actually.  My dad and I were not close when I was growing up but in the last few years we came to a place of mutual understanding and respect....and then he got really sick really fast and now he is gone.       This is my first Father's day without a father.  I've talked to my older kids this week and mentioned Father's day.  They asked "are we doing anything?"  My answer was something like, well, I don't know.  I don't have a dad anymore so I don't really feel like it's my job to plan something for Father's Day.      I wish I could tell my kids we were going to my dad's to visit and grill and hang out at the lake for the day.  I wish I could go shopping at the local greenhouse and buy something landscape-ish that he would like, or go to the bakery and get a bag full of Dutch treats.....that's what I have done the last few years for...

 Last weekend I let the kids know I would be going out of town for a conference in Des Moines for a couple of days this week.  I was invited to attend a conference by a colleague who not only plans this conference each year on caring for kids with trauma, but who also offered me a scholarship to attend.  It was an offer I couldn't pass up.  Jeremiah took it in stride because, well, he is 18 and is mostly independent.  He also remembers that mom does this.  Precious and Josiah don't remember.  I haven't done work conferences in person since pre-pandemic....nor have I travelled anywhere away from my home or family for business  for several years.  They had concerns.  Roger's work has been very intense for the past several years and he has not been around and available less and I have been around and available more.  Recently, that has shifted a bit as I have increased to full-time work and the kids are old enough to not need so much d...