#forever forward

Forever Forward #3 [Textless] (Variant Cover) (2022)

Don’t mistake #Leadership for #Management!

Leadership is more than a title and a position. It's about the heart of a team!

As a dad of 9; well 11 counting two granddaughters we are raising, I’ve invested the last 40 years striving to grow as a daddy, hubby and poppy.

Our first 3 are boys (40, 37, 33). I was a young dad, not even out of my teens with the first one. I was still learning what it meant to be a man, hubby and daddy. Actually I wasn't striving for anything back then; I was stumbling my way forward most days, not sure if I was making any ground.

Then came the next 3; 2 girls and another boy (29, 27, 20). I was getting in my stride by this point. I wasn't stumbling as much, but when I did, it was like playing King of the Mountain. I would be close to the top just to trip and fall halfway down the mountain.

Then came the Irish triplets, all girls (15, 15, 14). Everything I thought I knew about being a dad went up in a cloud of smoke! It was like three aliens had joined our family who spoke a language I had never learned.

Now, on top of these 3, the Lord figured I still needed to learn patience, humbleness, some more grace, and mercy and brought us two granddaughters to raise (11 & 😎

So here I am, 59, trying to raise 5 girls who don't seem to understand English when I talk to them. It’s like everything I thought I knew has become as obsolete as my original bag phone!

Ah, and another little secret, their mom and whimsy; my wife, who has been my best friend since we were teens, seems to have changed her language as well because I don't seem to understand her anymore. She has started to explain things to me with exasperation in her voice or a real perplexing look on her face like I’m an alien! 👽

So, sitting here at the beach, praying for answers, I got this prompting…

Troy, stop trying to mold all this woman and these girls into what you desire, and become the hubby, daddy, and poppy they need and deserve!