Steven Addis did something lovely.  Every year for 15 years, on his daughter's birthday, he would go to the same place each year and have his picture taken with his daughter.

On her 15 birthday, they had these 15 pictures all lined out in a row.  It is amazing to see.  It is amazing to she how his daughter grew up and flourished.  It is amazing to see how he moved from a young dad to a mature father.  Those 15 pictures tell a story.  We can look at them and see that they are lovely.  But when Steven and his daughter look at them they see a story.  They see all the things that happened between each photo, they see all the ups and downs that got them to each of those photos.

Those photos tell a story.

We cannot control the story of the last 15 years, but we can start to write the story of the next 15.

Whether your wife is pregnant with your first child or whether your last child has just left home... there is still a story to tell.

What kind of father or mother are we going to be?  What memories will we leave our children?  How will we celebrate their 'ups' and and support them through their 'downs'?  What will they smile about when the remember us? What will the cry about when we are gone?

Children are a blessing from God.

We have a chance to write a story, let's start writing it right.

Check out Steven Addis TED presentation:

A father-daughter bond