[Dad and child walk in stage door, dad holding the ‘L’ plates gets a microphone (pre organise what colour you’ll pick up with sound person), and calls out to child, who never stopped and is walking down the isle to leave through glass doors.]
DAD: Good job with your driving home tonight. Soon you’ll be driving as well as Tiger Woods!
[child roles eyes practically at the glass doors by now]
CHILD: Whatever [call out loudly, no mic needed]
DAD: Golf joke!? [sighs and talks to himself] Dumb joke. See you in the morning
---
[Dad kneels down and voiceover plays.]
Hi God,
Another day done, hey.
Thank you for your leading today. For safety, and for strength to get through today’s challenges.
Thank you for the blessings in my life. For a job, somewhere to live, A peaceful society where we’re able to freely worship you.
Thank you for blessing me with beautiful family.
Please help me find ways to motivate Lisa to get up in the morning. I really don’t like the daily battle trying to get her up and out the door to school. Please give me more patience with her. I try and be patient but sometimes she makes me late for work, which causes trouble for me. Help me to keep calmer. Help me to know how to connect with Lisa. It breaks my heart how we no longer talk much.
And thank you again for stepping in, again, during Lisa’s driving lesson this week. And thank you that insurance has agreed to cover all damages to the traffic light poles… and the Porche.
[pause]
Please help our daughter Monica’s friendship troubles at school to settle down. I don’t’ understand why teenage girls must be so nasty – this time over a pair of shoes, of all things. Give me the right words to say, if there’s any at all I can say to help. It breaks my heart to see how much this is affecting her. Help her to feel loved by you and by us.
And God, I’m delighted Monica’s found a boyfriend but from what I have seen, I really don’t know if Jackson will lead her away from you and… well…. I pray that if this relationship with Jackson has a positive long-term future for them, then let it flourish. But you can see the future, Lord, and if Jackson is ultimately going to blind her from your love in the future, I pray you’ll lead her to a better match - that will build a loving relationship together, and for eternity.
And again, like
always, as you known, I pray for our daughter Selena. I pray she comes around
to rediscovering you. I don’t know where we went wrong. It breaks our heart so
much. Help her to see you are there and you love her. I know it’s never over
until it’s over, and I thank you that you’re so loving and that if there is a
way that she might be saved that you will use it. Give me peace and patience,
as she exercises his free will. But you know I would give anything just to see
her back in love with you.
And yeah, you know I don’t like that she’s feels the need for all those
piercings, but you also know I still love here no matter what, and that I would
even get the same piercings too if that is what it will take for her to
understand how much I love her.
Lord… If there’s another way for me to prove my love for her that doesn’t involve piercings,… can we try that one first? Just saying.
I pray she knows we love and support her, whatever her life decisions may be.
And give me wisdom to know when to bite my lip when my kids are around – I don’t know why, but the joke always seems funnier in my head. I just want to see my kids smile.
[pause]
Thank you for such a beautiful wife, who does so much for our family.
Help me to speak nicer to her when I’m stressed. Sometimes stuff just comes out and I know instantly I didn’t mean it to sound that way.
Help me to be a better husband. Help me to be wise and loving in all situations. And I pray her friend situation also sorts out soon. What is it with women and friends, God?
Help me to listen to her - and - only give advice when it’s asked for.
Give me strength for my work also. It’s not an ideal job and as you know, there’s so much stuff going down that it’s hard to keep on going there. But don’t’ get me wrong: thank you for providing me with work so I can help support our family. Give me patience with Dwight. Help me to refrain from the elaborate paybacks I dream up.
Please be with my mum and dad. Give them relief from their latest round of health troubles. Forgive me for not contacting them more. Help me to make time, and remember them more in my busy life.
And of course, Help me to find more time with you too. You know I love you but can get so busy. Just like I love so much spending time with my family, but seem like I get so little time with them. Help me to find the right balance.
I wish my family knew all this. And how much I love them. Help me to find way to show this.
Thank you for hearing my prayer, loving father in heaven
You’re the best dad!
Now help me sleep well tonight for another early morning, and help me not to snore too much for my wife.
Do come back soon. Love you.
[gives mic back]
DAD: Sure. Jackson… 5… I’ll be there.
MONICA: [walking out the isle, without any emotion calls out] Thanks
DAD: Anything for my family.
Presentation: Castle Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church - September 6, 2025