So, are you now or have you ever been...God's Wild Gray Goose?I'd better 'splain.
I (being Gary) have long identified with the Celtic metaphor for God the Holy Spirit. The Wild Goose. "Taylor" has Scotish roots. "Wild Goose" characterizes the early Christians understanding of the quiet, haunting, luring call of the Holy Spirit. My personal story blog is, simply, Wild Gray Goose.
As Legacy Dad prods our fellow dads with thoughts of the long-term dimension of fatherhood, we do so believing God the Father, is our gold standard. Of course. But, don't assume it. Get serious about it, practice what it takes to truly follow Him. Do you hear me ready to be metaphorical? Follow the Wild Goose. He indwells those who've invited Christ "in" to their life as Savior. God put part of His very own Self in us.
So?
So, dad, you are now and ever will be father to each of your children. We are in wild times of chaos with the future uncertain. Only God is stable, only He is able to lead you through the troubling labyrinth of culture, economy, family distress. This is where the Wild Goose comes in. Quiet down your own "noise," listen for His call. Follow. It's a life-long following.
Now for the gray part. May you share my title, Wild Gray Goose. You continue to follow and others follow you. Here's the fathering part: Who better to follow what you say and how you live than your children and, someday (if not now), your grandchildren? Yes, we're talking about LEGACY. It will be faulty, perhaps failing, if you don't follow the Wild Goose. Earn the title of the Wild GRAY Goose, His long-time follower with your heritage doing likewise.
I'll add one more stitch in this fabric of life we call "legacy." It's common to describe a relative as having "passed away." As each of us journey toward a good finish, "passing on" should be label attached to our memory. "Passing away" is a once in a lifetime event (ironic juxtapostion, no?). "Passing on" with care, intentionality, sacrifice should be a lifelong event as a father. In a GenDads post today, I celebrated Taylor's dad, Matt, for his year-long, sacrificial, focused Year of Passage with his oldest son as we all prepare for Taylor's Rite of Passage tonight.
QUESTION, THEN: Do you hear "It," do you follow "It," does "It" show up in your life, worthy of PASSING ON...The call of the Wild Goose, of course?