I sing "Will the Circle be unbroken?" leading the Bar Church Band and the whole congregation sings along smiling.
"My Dad and I never really saw eye to eye," he explains before launching into the next song, "but I love him anyway and this is for him.
The applause is louder than for "Will the Circle be unbroken?" and the song he's singing has nothing to do with Father's Day.
"Well, my old man was just a mean SON-OF-A-BITCH!"
The other singer announces and the congregation erupts, cheering, standing and clapping. I mean the Bar really goes nuts! People are laughing, hitting one another on the back and worship breaks into a deeper realm, where I've never been before.
That was a powerful learning moment!
Father's Day isn't everything it's cracked up to be for a lot of folks.
"MOM!" Che screams, piercing the darkness, and I spill coffee rushing from the kitchen where I've been up for a while.
Hair askew from her pillow, our little girl clutches "Baby" and tells me she's scared. Throwing her arms tightly around my neck, I almost collapse with her weight, actually crashing into the wall twice but somehow manage to get her to the sofa, give her juice and she immediately falls back asleep.
Pausing, I wonder if we woke Sarah or Cassidy but the house remains quiet as I watch our sleeping gypsy, wild love child.
We've so romanticized Father's Day.
It's just a major income producer for Hallmark anyway isn't it?
"Hey Da," Che excitedly screams from Michelle and Derick's swimming pool, "swim with me."
"Aw baby," my heart breaks as I answer, "Daddy can't right now."
"I got it!" Sarah says, effortlessly dropping the bags she's carried, removing her coverup and jumping in the pool where I watch Mother and daughter have the times of their lives.
That's an unromanticized view of Fatherhood!
So I'd like to stay unromantic for a moment and simply stick with the facts on this Father's Day.
Sarah does most of the heavy lifting of Dad-stuff at our house and I receive way more credit than I'm ever due.
That's just the honest truth!
So I want to wish Sarah the BEST FATHER'S DAY EVER!
Thank you Babes!
I couldn't do any of this without you!
Neither could Che.
Or Cassidy, Laurel and Maddie.
Or me.
