Do it Again, Daddy!

I was hanging on to this one trying to decide if it would be my Mother's Day post. But, I have another.


Do it Again, Daddy!
January 21, 2004
Dedicated to Stephen M. Carroll Jr. – January 21, 2004

“Do it again, daddy!” was a phrase, which first came alive for me during a commercial of a father and a son. Both were overlooking the ocean as the sun was going down. The raging ball of fiery orange, red and gold blazed the sky, sending dancing flames across the waters. Then slowly dropping lower and lower, and lower, it was nearly gone. Just as the last flicker of light seemed to disappear below the horizon, the complete silence is broken by the whisper of the child to his father, “Do it again daddy!”

Now the phrase consumed my mind and heart. It was not a familiar portion of scripture, or a quote from some great author, or even a friend’s voice of reassurance that gave me strength. It was this simple phrase. “Do it again, daddy?”

Throughout the Christmas season with its grueling schedule, stresses, and joys, I knew that soon our son and his wife “great with child” would arrive. They were not coming to celebrate the holidays with us. They were coming from The Salvation Army Seminary, so he could have immediate surgery. Now sitting in the hospital family room provided for those waiting for surgical results, the future became present. We had been here before. Both of our children called “Boston Children’s’ Hospital” home. We had walked these halls, frequented the coffee shop and occupied this waiting room. It was different, yet it was the same. This time we sat with his wife, his grown sister and his mother-in-law. Yet, as I looked at him in ICU, for a few moments that twenty-five year old body seemed to be the two-year-old baby, twenty-three years prior. I could remember our only son struggling for his life, buried in tubes, and surrounded by nurses and doctors.
God was so faithful then.

All I could pray, all I could even think was, “Do It Again, Daddy!” You can do it! You did it before! The God of the universe could hang the world in space and paint glorious sunsets. The God who created the world and gave His very own Son to save it. The God who was intimately involved with our son, and had saved him before, He could do it again.

I also realized that He would do what He willed; He was God. His will was ultimately best. I knew what my will was. I knew the will of an anxious, loving wife. All I could think, feel or pray was, “Do It Again Daddy!” as I seemingly drew close to Him. Just as the son in the commercial believed his father could do anything, I knew it to be true.

“Do It Again, Daddy!”… And He did.
Thank You!