Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Running To Stand Still

Thursday
It's been a wild last couple days; a whirlwind of sorts. I loved Thursday night...Bayside1830 Group and lots of new friends. I spoke about Sherpa's on Everest and their willingness to lay their life down in trek of the next summit. It was an awesome time meeting so many folks. (Hello to all my new friends.)
Venue: College & Career

Friday
I headed over to Concept 12, a gathering of Lead Pastors. I was asked to speak in the morning sessions on reaching into, and loving, those in the gutter. I finished and headed down south. Arriving late night at a hotel, I think they rented by the hour, Russ and I checked in to our rooms and crashed.
Venue: Pastors

Saturday
The slamming of the irongate behind got my attention. The razor barbwire glistened in the morning sun. I had just signed off on a "No Hostage Negotiation Zone." Location: Valley State Prison. The team and I had been invited to speak. VSP is said to be the largest women's prison in the world. We got into the venue in the middle of the yard and saw women lined up to get in. We were blown away. I was told many of them had worked 40 hours+ to get a ticket to come inside. We had a time with them.
Venue: Maximum Security Prison

Sunday: I hopped a flight out to Nashville. I connected with Craig from XXX Church at Opryland for an evening gig with Porn Star Ron Jeremy. Wow. Post moderns,Pastors, Prisoners, and Porn Stars... Ron is funny. Confused, but funny.
Venue: Opryland Porn Debate

Monday
Across Nashville, I connected with one of my heroes Joe Ehrmann. Joe was hailed the Most Important Coach in America by Parade Magazine. As a former NFL Star, Joe now speaks across America to coaches and players about what it really means to love and serve society. We will partner on another gig later in the Spring.
Venue: High School Coaches and Athletes

Tuesday
I am tired and thankful. I am reflective that over the last five days, I have had a great diversity of opportunities and moments.
Venue: Home

From College Aged World Changers to Lead Pastors; From Prisoners to Porn Stars...to finally Heroes. Now I am home as a dad.

Reflective,

Jharp

Monday, February 12, 2007

Daddy Went.

It was confirmed. It was dance night. Yep. Daddy and Daughter were headed to the dance. She looked beautiful. A long flowing pink dress with all the frills was her choice. Her hair dangled in vertical spiral curls. As the last beret was placed, I asked her where she wanted to go to dinner?

I prefaced it. "You can pick any place you want, anyplace!"

Her response was priceless. "Any place? I'll pick KFC!" What should I have expected, she is eight. After some prodding on my part, she upgraded to Applebees.

As we sat in the restaurant, I told her she could order what every she wanted. She decided on a strawberry smoothy and cheese pizza….at Applebees.

She is eight.

I have to tell you by the time her cheese pizza showed up I had butterflies. I was nervous. I would be at an elementary school dance, trying to prove to the princess that I still had a grasp on cool.

Before dinner was done, the Hostess approached the table. With pink rose and a matching pink envelope in hand, he announced, "This just arrived for you. Are you the Princess?"

Wide eyed, she was figuring it out. A rose/card tandem had arrived. (Daddy had mommy and little brother drop it off for a sneaky delivery.) Before she could respond, I told her this was a special gift from daddy. I read the letter to her. I cried. She smiled.

A few minutes later we arrived at the dance.

Already emotional, I stumbled in. Little girls and dads lined the outside of the dance floor. No one wanted to get the party started. We mingled and I swapped awkward smiles with some dads. Our faces each asked the same question, "Are you going to go out their first."

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Before we could respond and answer, one dad took the floor with his princess. He didn't look like a hip dad. His black dress pants were pulled high. The white socks clashed with the brown loafers. I don't think his tie matched. But he danced. My daughter and I just sat and watched.

His smile lit up the room. No one probably noticed that he was cabbage patching, doing the running man, or the sprinkler man. No one cared. His daughter looked up to him and smiled and laughed. Her laughter brought the room to slow motion. We were all there for the same reason; to make an impact on the little girl that was courageous enough to ask us to attend. As dads, we did it.

We danced. We giggled. We Limbo'd. We Hokie Pokied. We did the Chicken Dance. We sang.

At this moment, I looked around and saw more awkward dads.

All a little apprehensive.

All a little anxious.

All a hero to their princess.



Jharp

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Daddy Is Not Ready

Daddy's Not Ready
To say I am excited is the under statement of a life time. It started about two months ago, when my daughter brought home a bulletin from school. In typical elementary school fashion, pastel paper and clip art, the bulletin was promoting today, February 10.

My daughter approached my slowly with shyness in her eyes. I loved it. She crept towards me, and with every calculated step, she sought to muster courage. She was about to ask her daddy the big question.

"Daddy, can we go to this?" She smiled. Her cute little smile from beneath her tightly formed lips melted me. At this point, I had not even seen what was on the flyer. But from her approach, she could have asked me for her own island on the coast of Fiji, and I would have figured a way to give it to her.

I glanced down. In big bold type it read "Daddy and Daughter Dance: February 10."

Holding the flyer in one hand and her softness in the other, I said, "Of course, but we need to do this the right way." I stood up, laid the flyer down, and took her other hand. Now holding perfection in one hand and purity in the other, I stumbled with my first word.

"Maddie, would you please attend the Daddy and Daughter Dance with me?"

Before I could finish, she had said yes and took off down the hall yelling, "Mommy, I need to get a dress!"

At that moment, I noticed my heart was beating fast and butterflies swarmed in my stomach. It took me back to the first time I told her mommy that I loved her.

To me it is more than a dance. It's more than fun. It is a night to model for her how she deserves to be loved, treated with respect; adored, honored, revered….tonight will be priceless.

She got her dress, a beautiful pink dress; Daddy, a black suit.

Today, I have my work cut out. I have to pick up a single pink rose. I have to get the restaurant to give us the best seat. The rose will already be on the table. I have written her a love note. It will be on the table with the rose. Lynette is dropping it off before we arrive. Priceless.

Daddy and Daughter Dance 101: My daughter is growing up and I am not ready for this.







Jharp

Friday, February 09, 2007

Last Night Was Incredible

Right prior to introducing them, I asked DC if there was anything special he wanted me to say....

He said, "Whatever fumbles out of the mouth will be great..." Scary.

When DCB took the stage, it was raining outside. Within minutes it was raining inside.

Here is a look at one of the songs from their set in our sanctuary....




Passion in my soul is to create greater compassion in my city.

Become undignified.

Jharp

Visit www.jasonharper.cc for the latest podcast "How to Hug A Beggar"