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Hey Dad,

We've only been on the road for three and a half weeks, but I'm tired—even though things have gone about as well as they could possibly go. We've had no mechanical problems (yet), no one has gotten sick (yet), and my wife Debbie has not left us to fly home (yet).

During all this time though, I've noticed that my children are getting older. My son Ben's face looks more like a teenager's, Sam's foot is almost as big as mine, Katherine looks tall and less little-girl like, and even Caleb, at almost five weeks old, looks more like a real baby and less like a wrinkled prune.

Growing up happens so quickly. In fact, it won't be long before my kids' entire time at home is compressed into one song and a PowerPoint presentation.

I learned that a couple weeks ago when I spoke at a graduation in Missouri. For each of the graduates, they showed a PowerPoint presentation. There were pictures of little boys and girls dressed up as pirates and princesses, pictures of kids with animals and around Christmas trees. There were photos of babies who had fallen asleep on their dad's chest as he snored away.

But the pictures weren't only of kids. In each of the PP shows, there were young dads with lots of hair and moms with outdated hairdos. They all looked so happy and carefree, unaware that time was passing so quickly.

As I watched, I found that a baseball-sized lump had caught in my throat and tears filled my eyes. In each of the shots, my children's faces replaced the photos on the screen. I had lived most of those moments.

Then something happened. The song that had been playing in the background ended, and the show was over.

One song. That's all it lasted. An entire childhood was compressed into one song and a PowerPoint presentation.

It struck me then that I would soon be watching my children's slide shows and that all of "this" will be over. There won't be any more cramped times in the RV, arguments over who will sit where, or complaints because I got the wrong kind of donuts.

Here comes that lump again.

Here's my prayer for you and me, Dad: "Dear God, let me enjoy this day with my family no matter what happens or how hard it gets. Let me remember that it only lasts for one song and a PowerPoint presentation, and then they're grown up. Amen."

You 'da dad,

© 2006 Todd Wilson. Used by permission.

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