My Three Fathers

In October of 2008 I wrote a short article that I thought would be appropriate for the days directly after Christmas. I sent this article to my local newspaper, the Edmonton Journal. After several weeks I sent them another message inquiring whether or not they would be using my article. I figured that if the Edmonton Journal didn't want it, I would pass it on to someone who did. The Religion Editor, Janet Vlieg, not only didn't print my article but never even responded to me. So I was unable to give the article to any one else who was interested in it (their publishing deadlines having come and gone). I have now decided to put this short story on my blog for you to read. It is a bit late but I am hoping that you will be encouraged by it.


MY THREE FATHERS

On a quiet night on December 25th about 6 years ago, I was sitting around thinking about how Christmas had come and gone again for another year. After weeks of increasing frenzy, it is all over after only a few hours. Suddenly my phone rang and I picked it up. I heard a man's voice say, "Little Girl? This is your Dad."
A mixture of shock and excitement swept through my body like an electrical current as I was transformed from a middle-aged woman into a 7 year old girl.
I responded, "Hey, Dad! It's great to hear your voice." Then the thought hit me that something must be very wrong for him to call after years of silence.
"Are you okay?" I asked hurriedly.
"Sure," he replied, " I just wanted to give you a call to wish you a Merry Christmas."
I made a couple more minutes of excited small talk, but when I asked him a specific question I got no response. After a few seconds of pausing he said, "I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think you're my daughter."
He was right. We discovered that he had accidently dialed the wrong number.
I asked him, "When did you first realize that I wasn't your daughter?"
He said, " I immediately knew something was wrong. My daughter is never this happy to hear from me. Usually the moment she realizes who it is she hangs up on me. "
I told him, " I should have realized it immediately too. My father hasn't phoned me at Christmas or any other time for more than a decade."
We wished each other a Merry Christmas and before we hung up the man said, "I hope you don't mind me getting personal, but your father is a fool not to want to talk to you."
I told him I thought the same about his daughter. He still had to phone her and he knew she would probably hang up on him once again. I got even more personal and said, "Let's make a pact. Every Christmas when my dad doesn't call and your daughter hangs up on you, let's think of each other and remember that you have a "mystery daughter" who would never hang up on you and I have a "mystery father" who calls every Christmas to see how I'm doing."
Every year it seems that families become more fractured and the Christmas 'hurrah' gets more noisy and hectic. I suspect people make such a big commotion so they won't notice how lonely they are. I've puzzled long (and cried much) over people who ignore those in their lives who are so desperately ready to love them that they would be willing to take any scraps of affection thrown their way. It hurts all the more when it is our family members who treat us with indifference or even contempt. Deep inside us God has placed a blue-print of family life that whispers to us, "this is not the way it is meant to be". In Psalm 68:6 it says, " God sets the lonely in families". A family is suppose to be a haven, a shelter, a fortress in trouble and a place where you are loved, independant of who you are or what you've done. But Christmas is a dreaded and lonely time for many, many people, because it seems to put a magnifying lens to our lives and amplifies the fact that things are not quite right. Now, I'm not going to tell you to love only the people who love you back, but my "wrong number father" showed me that there are people out there who are waiting and wanting to love me. I just haven't met them yet.
This Christmas found me with three fathers: a biological father who can't be bothered to know me, a wrong number father who wants to know me and a Heavenly Father who knows me intimately. Not only does He know me, but He loves me enough to send his Son from Heaven to be born in a stable, to die on a cross to atone for my every sin, to rise again to give me hope for Eternity and, oh yeah, to give me an entire life to celebrate it all with wonder, humility and deep thankfulness.
" - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-" ( 1 Peter 2:4 NIV)

New Years Resolution 2009

For more than 4 decades I have been making new years resolutions. I am sick and tired of making one that I usually break by the second week in January. So, this year my resolution will be to "Run Amuck". That's right. I'm giving in to the chaos. I am constantly trying to "get my act together", or "get my paper work done" or "trying to organize myself". This year I will be setting the bar low, realizing my limitations and setting goals that are actually attainable. If this leads to world wide anarchy ... then let it be.
I also wish to start the year with praises to my Heavenly Father who will always love and accept me , no matter how much I fail or how many "messes" I make.
Happy New Year to Everyone.
Love Maidryn

" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28