The Beginning

To say that the birth of my daughter Lola was a life-changing event would be a gross understatement of the truth. It not only changed my daily routine, but has affected who I am, my understanding of love and that of my heavenly father. The love that I share with my daughter is the strongest bond I have ever felt apart from that between my wife and I. And to be honest, though the two types of love differ (for obvious reasons) the strength of the bond seems to be consistent between the two.

To ponder the love that my heavenly father has for me, according to my understanding of scripture, is even stronger than the love I have for my daughter. Which upon my first revelation of this fact left me an emotional heap on the floor. How could my heavenly father love me so much when I have hurt Him so deeply by disobeying his instruction time and again? But the evidence is clear: He does love me even more than I love my daughter. And what is true for me is true for you as well: Your heavenly father, the creator and master of the universe, loves you more than anything else in this world. And that is the most comforting thought I can imagine.

I will admit that at first, it was difficult for me to adapt to life as a father. The lack of sleep in particular left me feeling resentful at the situation in general. I knew it was going to happen. But in the midst of it, in the throws of sleep deprivation induced headaches and migraines, there was resentment. There was frustration. Fuses were very, very short. I snapped at my wife for things that were nothing. (I later apologized, but it was still the reality of the situation.) It wasn't until I was used to sleeping in the 2 hours that Lola was asleep that I began to emerge as the loving father I should be. And even then it was more "survival" than "peak functionality."

My daughter is now 18 months old, walking, talking, and full of character and opinion! She is her own person. She is in the midst of self discovery and exploration of the world around her. I love watching her develop and connecting the dots of life. Watching those synapses connect for the first time is unlike anything I have ever experienced in my entire 28 years of life.

If there was any advice I could give to new parents, it would be that as you learn to love your child be as patient with them as your heavenly father is with you. Belongings will be broken and ruined. Schedules will change. Free time alone will evaporate. And unless you have babysitters (plural) lined up, date nights will become a thing of the past. (SO GET BABYSITTERS!) But for every sacrifice you make, the Lord blesses you with love and joy through your child tenfold. And that is a worthwhile investment if ever I heard one.