It has been a regular occurrence in my life for almost four years now. If we are out in public with our entire family, inevitably some stranger will stop us to ask how many kids we have.
I get it...we are a walking spectacle as a family of eight. Sometimes I wonder if they have trouble counting and they need me to confirm it?
Sometimes I enjoy saying that my wife has been forgiving of my past transgressions.
Sometimes I say that these are only the ones we take out in public.
I figure if they are going to interrupt my plans it entitles me to a bit of fun at their expense.
Such a moment occurred on my day off this week. We were going to build some raised garden beds and needed to go to a home improvement store. As we were discussing what we needed in one of the aisles, an employee stopped, stared in disbelief, and asked the inevitable question.
He has four daughters and so we laughed about "girl dad life". After a few minutes, we were back to picking up supplies and he was helping someone else.
Everyone left in one vehicle while Eve and I stayed to have some lumber cut so that it would fit in the Purple Toaster.
Then it happened...we both got sucked into a time blackhole. The girl dad employee saw us and came over to the employee cutting the boards to inform him of our obscene family size. "Hey Jerry, guess how many kids this guy has?!"
So the talk began...he saw another employee and called him over, "Hey Jim, come here and hear this!"
The talk recycled...time just disappeared...like a church member when it is time to sign up for the nursery.
I did all I could to wrap it up. I was trying to "land that plane" as fast as a pastor who needs to get to the conclusion of his message because he forgot to go to the bathroom before service...no luck.
The chat eventually ended and we went towards the front to pay. I saw him around one of the registers and there were employees there who did NOT know I was that guy with half a country's population in my household, so we quickly diverted ourselves down an aisle to get to a different register and not stay overnight in the store talking.
Eve and I laughed about the whole thing the rest of the day. While it was funny and somewhat frustrating to lose that much time, we connected with the employees and got to speak about God's blessings in our lives.
What also struck me was how enthusiastic this dude was over something as simple as meeting another girl dad.
I confess, the Spirit convicted me about how complicated I make telling others about Christ (Who is way better in comparison to the "girl dad" subject).
I complicate it.
I am "too busy" for it.
I am wrapped up in my own schedule.
I let failure to do so previously stop me in the present.
While I get that is an abrasive and more intrusive message than talking fatherhood with another person, it is easier than I make it out to be and of far greater significance.
Is it daunting because we are confronting someone's worldview with their need of repentance? Yes.
Is it worth any amount of spectacle or embarrassment that may occur? Yes.
May God help the fruit of our lives to be so "unusual" that others take notice and are compelled to ask.
May God also help us create the opportunity and have the enthusiasm to direct others to Christ in a manner greater than a random, talkative stranger gawking in a hardware store.
Serving together,
Pastor Paul