Before you start reading, I want to ask for your forgiveness for the mushy, lovey, self-indulgent nature of this post.

Thanks.

February is an incredible month in my house. Nineteen years ago on Valentine's Day, my wife and I were engaged, 13 years ago on the seventh, our first daughter was born, and two years ago on Valentine's Day, our third daughter was born. I have good reason to be lovey and mushy coming into this month.

While pregnant with our third, Shane and Shane released a song, "The One You Need," it came out shortly after our second daughter turned 6. It started with this...

Hey, hey, sweet daugther 
I am so proud to be your father 
Each day's like a gift from God. 

Hey hey sweet daughter 
There's no music like your laughter 
And your smile is like a rising sun. 

I was stopped dead in my tracks, not only am I a HUGE Shane and Shane fan, but the fact that they had a song that I could sing to my daughters while at home, or in the car, or in public, or...you get the point. I wept - more than once. I couldn't get through the first verse without tearing up, it was "Butterfly Kisses" and "Cinderella" all over again.

A grown man, becoming a blubbering fool, while listening, and singing along, to a song about father's loving their daughters. But this one was different...

You know I loved you from the start 
So come in close, take my hand 
While Daddy shares his heart. 

Not only was a father willing to share his heart with his daughter (Bob and Steven did this in their songs too), Shane and Shane were willing to admit that even though they loved their daughters, they knew that they might fail at some point but wanted them to know that there is a Heavenly Father who will never fail.

I wish that I could be your everything 
Be the one to give you all the things you'll need 
Sometimes I'm gonna let you down 
But there's the One and if you'll just believe 
He'll be your hero like He's always been for me 
Darling, Jesus is the one you need. 

Isn't this what being a father is all about? Making sure your kids know the one true God, the one who will never leave or forsake them (Deut. 31:8, Hebrews 13:5), the one who blesses and keeps them and causes His face to shine upon them. The one who turns his face towards them and gives them peace (Numbers 24-26). 

No matter what you walk through 
He will always love you 
Just the way you are. 

As I begin to deal with life with a teenager, an eight year old and a two year old, it is critical that I instill in them their identity in Christ. That what the media pushes down their throats and pushes in their face at the counter of the 7-11 - a false image of how they ‘should' look and ‘should' act, is complete garbage and that God (and I) will always love them just the way they are. They need to know that...

...for there's nothing in this world 
That I want for my baby girl, 
but to be happy ever after. 

I love February, and I love my daughters, and there's truly nothing I want more than for them to serve God and for them to make their heart His home.