As we left the restaurant, the boys asked if they could spend the night at our friends' home. Although the next day was Father's Day, I thought nothing of it because Grace would be at the camp and Cheryl would not be home before noon.
When we got home, the boys raced into the house to get their stuff for the night. I took the dog for a quick walk and when I walked into the house, I heard Gracie speaking rather harshly to Matthew upstairs.
Matthew... it is not the same thing... I am going to volunteer to help kids with chronic medical conditions.
What difference does that make?
It makes a big difference!
Whatever it was that they were discussing, it was causing a lot of friction... and I had heard enough.
Look, I have no idea what you two are fussing about, but knock it off.
Silence. Whatever it was, it was now over! Or more accurately, whatever it was, it was not for my ears.
I later found out that Grace took exception to the boys not being home when I woke up on Father's Day. In fact, nobody in my family was going to be home on Father's Day. Gracie was of the belief that the only excused absence on Father's Day involves volunteering to assist children with chronic medical conditions.
Sleepovers don't cut it!
You know what all this meant don't you?
I got to sleep in. I could wake up whenever I wanted... and when I did wake up, I could just lie in bed for as long as I wanted and do nothing... perhaps, even, go back to sleep. I had a free morning! Yay for me! This was gonna be nice.
Not so fast, my friend!!!
At 7:30 a.m. the phone rang. It was Cheryl.
Hey what are you doing?
Sleeping?
Did I wake you?
If I were sleeping and now I am not, it is fair to say that you did wake me!
Sorry about that... Happy Father's Day... can you do me a favor?
She forgot to get someone to cover her eight o'clock adoration for her.
Of course, Cheryl saw this as an excellent opportunity for me. What better way to start Father's Day than for me to spend an hour with The Father... the Big Kahuna of Father's Day, if you will? The Father that started it all and to whom we owe all of our blessings.
She laid it on pretty thick... accurate... but thick.
She added that when she does adoration, oftentimes, she will ponder that my dad is there with her. This made me chuckle as I pictured the end of Star Wars 3... the real Star Wars 3 which later became Star Wars 6.... when Obi Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Yoda all come back from the dead and stare approvingly at young Luke Skywalker.
I pictured my dad standing there with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit looking on as Cheryl prayed... with little Ewoks dancing in celebration.
Sure, I can do that... sleep is overrated! I'll go to the 10:00 Mass right afterwards.
Adoration was great... I stayed awake the whole time.
Funny thing when I got there, I took over for another gentleman who was there for his wife. He commented that his wife thought it would be a nice start to his Father's Day to handle her 7 a.m. hour.
Are all women so
Then off to Mass... alone... all by myself... no kids... no wife... where I was sure there would be a great homily about dads.
I arrived early and had nothing to do. Typically, I would pray but I just spent an hour in adoration; I was all prayed out. My mind wandered, as it often does. I have a theory that Joseph is way under-appreciated, but I thought that on this day, Joseph would get some well-deserved props.
Wrong! Apparently, there this Holy Trinity thing that gets its own Mass... on Father's Day, no less. Not sure who designs the liturgical calendar, but I have a bone to pick. Joseph got the shaft, again.
At the end of every Mass, our congregation turns to the statue of Mary and sings a song in honor of the Blessed Mother. I had the crazy idea that we would... maybe on Father's Day... we would sing a little ditty about Joseph... BUT NOOOO!
The church sang the same old song that we always sing....
Immaculate Mary,
Your praises we sing...
You reign down in splendor
with Jesus our King.
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Aaave, Aaave Mariiia
To be clear... I love the Blessed Mother. In fact, that song is one of my favorite parts of the Mass. Buuut we sing it... or one just like it... every stinkin' Sunday. Can't we, just once, sing a song for Joseph. Just one time... on Father's Day?
What's that you say? There are no songs for Joseph? Say no more, I am on it!
Under appreciated Joseph
You deserve your own song
Few mentions in the Bible
and that is way wrong.
Go... Go... Go Joe
Go... Go... our man Joe
Betrothed to the Virgin
When an angel did appear
"She is pregnant with the Saviour, it's true... I swear"
Go... Go... Go Joe
Go... Go... our man Joe
"You marry her anyway
And raise His sweet Son
He could have picked anyone, but you are the one"
Go...Go...Go Joe
Go...Go...our man Joe
Then off to Bethlehem
On a donkey you were sent
Without any questions, away you went
Go... Go... Go Joe
Go... Go... our man Joe
No room at the Inn
Added to your plight
Then shepherds and kings crashed your party that night
Go... Go... Go Joe
Go... Go our man Joe
An inspiration to dads
Always calm, cool and fair
A carpenter by trade... you could even build your own chair!
Go... Go... Go Joe
Go... Go... our man Joe.
It's kind of a work in progress.
Anyway, the boys got home at noon. Cheryl got home at 1:30, and together we spent the afternoon watching Noah's team win the Little League championship. We returned home for a victorious steak feast. It was a great day. The only thing missing was my baby girl Gracie.
No problem, she had an excused absence... she was helping kids with chronic health issues.
Truth be told, my kids give me a gift every day. They are decent, thoughtful and loving children. It is all I can ask for... that and one stinking day to sleep in!
No comments:
Post a Comment