Going overboard?

My Dad raised us in the church. We attended a Parochial grade school and we expected in church every Sunday as long as we lived under his roof. We prayed before and after every meal. We were baptized and confirmed. Our baptism sponsors gifted us with bibles and prayer books at confirmation. The church prayed for us. He was directing all of this in our lives so why is he so surprised that I am a Christian today?

My Dad commented today that he remembers having to drag my sister and I out of bed every Sunday morning to attend church and now, in his words, we are both going overboard with our religion.

I suggested that maybe we are doing exactly what he intended to happen when he made it a priority for us to get a Christian upbringing.

He said, "No, we have gone overboard."

I, then, suggested that maybe we're not overboard but maybe he's underboard. I'm not sure if this is a word but it gently got his attention.

To this he said, "Yes, that's probably true. I am underboard. I didn't go to church last Sunday because it was Friendship Sunday and they always do extra things I don't care to take part in and I didn't go the Sunday before because they were doing a survey about how you might help serve in the church. I would say I am underboard."

No more on this topic was said but somehow in his mind, I moved from the overboard right, closer to the middle, and he moved further to the underboard left. The distance between he and I remains the same but maybe with the quiet adjustment came the realization for him that's it not my sister and I who are off but rather he who is lacking something.

I love my Dad and I thank him for the sacrifices he has made and the Christian upbringing he made sure we had. I wish he could experience for himself the love and freedom found in the very Lord he made such a great effort to make sure we would know. Isn't it ironic that he is surprised by the outcome of the foundation he helped lay? I know it took a long time to take hold but it did and I wish he would be able to celebrate that not be perplexed by it.

I know the Living Christ, Dad! The relationship has saved my life! I wish you would know him, too! I hope you see Him in me! In my sister! I hope you are able to move from underboard to overboard someday! This is my prayer for you.

Love you Dad!