Yesterday (June 16, Father’s Day) I shared a poem and a prayer. The poem was written by Bob Benson, an architect. The prayer, I wrote, as a prayer for dads for our families. Enjoy them both.

Laughter in the Walls

I pass a lot of houses on my way home—
some pretty,
some expensive,
some inviting—

But my heart always skips a beat
when I turn down the road
and see my house nestled against the hill.

I guess I’m especially proud
of the house and the way it looks because
I drew the plans myself.
It started out large enough for us—
I even had a study—
two teenaged boys now reside in there
and it had a guest room,
my girls and nine dolls are permanent guests.
It had a small room Peg
had hoped would be her sewing room—
The two boys swinging on the dutch door
have claimed this room as their own.
So it really doesn’t look right now
as if I’m much of an architect.

But it will get larger again—
one by one they will go away
to work,
to college,
to service,
to their own houses,

And then there will be room—
a guest room,
a study,
and a sewing room
for just the two of us.

But it won’t be empty—
every corner
every room
every nick
in the coffee table
      will be crowded with memories.
Memories of picnics,
parties, Christmases,
bedside vigils, summers,
fires, winters, going barefoot,
leaving for vacation, cats,
conversations, black eyes,
graduations, first dates,
ball games, arguments,
washing dishes, bicycles,
dogs, boat rides,
getting home from vacation,
meals, rabbits, and
a thousand other things
that still fill the lives
of those who would raise five.

And Peg and I will sit
quietly by the fire
and listen to the
laughter in the walls.
Bob Benson

A prayer from a dad for his kids…

Father, I come to you as the ultimate Father and I only an earthly representative. I pray for my family. They are yours, a gift from you to me. I pray that they will know the gospel, live by grace, and grow to love you even more. I pray your bright future for them. Give me wisdom beyond my years, strength beyond my capacity, and grace beyond what I deserve, that I may be to them, in my limited way, who you are to me in your unlimited way. In Jesus’ strong and saving name. Amen.