If

      I'm not one to read a ton of poetry, but this one hit me like a ton of bricks. I guess bringing a son in the world gives me a different outlook on life.I know that I have a huge responsibility as a father to mold him into a man someday.The poem is called "If" by Rudyard Kipling. I read this in "Fathered by God" by John Elderedge. The first time I read the chapter it's in I kind of skimmed over it because like I said earlier, I don't really care for poetry. Then I reread the chapter and it floored me.Read it here. If you have to, read it a couple times to really feel the weight it carries.
      In the months leading up to the birth of my son, I spent a lot of time thinking about what it really means to be a man.There were a lot of silent rides to school in prayer and contemplation. Manhood is a complex thing. The truth is, being a man is a never ending process. There are different stages of it.What is really sad, is that in our age, being a man is falsely defined by material means to a lot of people. Money, sex, stature and power come to mind. It's sad because once you start chasing those things, it never ends. You just have to keep playing the game trying to impress people. I don't know if there is a clear definition of what a man should be. I just know that there are certain characteristics all the great ones share. They are all in that poem: honesty, integrity,humility, endurance and so on. I often thought about how I would go about teaching these things to my son. What I kept coming back to was that God trusted me to raise a son. Not that I'm any more capable than any other man but, that is just what I kept coming to. Before I came to this realization, I worried that I didn't have what it takes. Now I know that while I'm in no way the man I need to be for my son right now, I can get there.I will get there. I have to, for him, for my daughter and my wife.
      I think about all the great men in my life that helped me become what I am. My dad, my Papaw, some of my teachers and coaches, and some of my fellow teachers are just a few. The lessons I learned from these men are invaluable. I look forward to teaching my son to tie on a hook just the way my Papaw taught me to. My dad taught me lots of things about sports and even today I enjoy just talking to him about life. One of my football coaches took me aside once and told me how I was a leader and it was my job to keep us altogether. I had no idea what exactly that meant back then, but now it may be one of the greatest complements of my life.My wife's father has taught me a ton about tools and working on things around the house. These men weren't there coincidentally. They were all meant to be there. God put them there for me. I wish he would have reminded me to pay more attention sometimes. This journey of manhood is mapped out for us, we just have to soak it in while we travel through it.If it were not for these men in my life I don't think I would have turned out like I have. I'm so thankful for all of them. 
       I know the journey is a long one and it will be on rough terrain sometimes but, the journey is usually my favorite part of any trip. I understand that it's tough and I embrace it. I want to be the one who keeps his head when those about me are losing theirs. I want my son to see me take on responsibility and to relish in it. My son will have struggles too. I want him to understand that struggle is just a part of life and how he handles it will make him who he is.
      I could probably write 20 pages on this poem. I'm sure i'll come back to it later, but for now I know that I still have some lessons to learn from it.Who are some important men in your life? What lessons did they teach you? Be thankful for them and remember all us dads in your prayers.

God bless,
Seth