How does a boy fill his father’s shoes? Or in this case, boots?

In generations past, most boys learned their father’s trade as they grew up, and upon adulthood, were ready to work in the family business. These days, it’s more the exception than the rule that a child will pursue the same career as their parent. In the case of my husband, firefighting runs in his blood; his great-grandfather and late father were both firefighters. His father was well-respected and still renowned for all he did for the city and department in which he worked-his are big boots to fill.

The brotherhood of the fire department deeply impacted my husband’s young heart after his father had died when he was thirteen. The way they honored his father’s passing, as well as the help and support they provided his family, gave him all the more reason to follow in his father’s footsteps. There is a special connection and bond that firefighters have for one another that is rarely seen elsewhere. They are known to drop whatever they are doing at a moment’s notice to help one another. I saw this first hand when a group of firefighters drove an hour and a half on their day off to our house to help us with hurricane damage. We had just had our first child and couldn’t get to it ourselves. My husband never asked for the help, they just came.

This past week marked a milestone in my husbands walk in his late father’s footsteps. He was promoted to Captain at the fire department, the same rank his father held when he passed away. There was a formal ceremony marking this occasion where he received his Captain’s badge.

Attending this ceremony created a mixture of sadness and joy for the family. Joy and celebration of this achievement-after all, my husband had studied for a year before taking the Captain’s exam-and sadness that his father was not there to celebrate with us. Because of this, I decided to pass on the assumed role of placing his new badge on his uniform and instead gave the job to my mother-in-law. It seemed only fitting that she should do it rather than me.

Many earthly father’s just aren’t worthy to follow in their steps. I sat in the ceremony thankful for my Heavenly Father whose steps are worthy to follow. The bloodied footprints made by Jesus on the road to the cross enabled me to become a child of God. I am part of the brother and sisterhood of the family of God and an heir of the rich inheritance to come. He not only calls me to follow in his steps but he also makes me able to follow him. And one day, there will be a great banquet where I will receive, not a badge, but a crown of life.

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Thankful for a promotion earned after much hard work

For the deeper significance it means to my husband and the family

For my boys to see and appreciate the ceremony

That they have a wonderful father worthy to follow

Boys trying on their dads hat

For family and friends to celebrate it with

Tirimisu and Sangria

That God is the perfect Father who sacrificed for me so that I could follow Him

For the Body of Christ and fellowship I have with believers

Cute baby Sandhill Cranes on the side of the road

my children’s distractibility reminding me of my own distracted heart

pizza with friends

clean laundry

sunshine, bright green grass, clear blue skies

educator discount card at the book store

the boy’s excitement upon returning from their first laser tag experience

Reading heart-felt honesty from other bloggers and receiving encouragement

Walking a similar road of sacrifice with a friend in which we spur one another on

Leftovers

A big brother spending an hour building a robot out of legos who then gives it to his brother when his brother asked if he could have it

Anticipation of a new water park

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