My Heir

Yesterday was my son’s one month birthday.  I can not believe how fast it has gone. My friend Josh told me (very wisely I might add) that with each kid (he has 4) the time goes even faster, but I had no idea how right he was.  It seriously feels like we just brought him home and yet, it feels like he’s always been there.

I was quite adapted to being a dad to a daughter.  Grace is almost 2 now and being her dad feels so natural.  She’s my little buddy and I can’t imagine life without her.  But once we found out that we were having a boy, my head started to spin.  There was the obvious worry: “I just figured out how to change girl diapers…a boy is going to be crazy”.  And there was so much excitement: visions of us playing catch, going fishing, hiking, going to Giants games, wrestling, building forts, etc (all of which I plan to do with Grace too…maybe not the wrestling).

I affectionately called Noah “my heir” all throughout the pregnancy saying how he was going to carry on the Richter name once I was gone.  But once he was born…I started to think about what that really meant and my responsibility in raising up my heir.

Heir – Noun – A person inheriting and continuing the legacy of a predecessor.

So Noah is going to be inheriting and continuing my legacy.  So what is my legacy going to be?  What kind of man am I going to show him?

One of the first lessons I taught to youth group was about legacy.  I used the example of a football field.  Everybody has a place where they start on the field.  The goal is a touchdown (obviously).  So maybe if you had great parents, you are starting further down the field, but maybe, you are starting closer to your own endzone.  Either way, the ball is going to be handed to you and it is your job to move it down the field.  So as a dad, I want to make sure I move the ball as far down the field as possible so that my kids are set up for success.

But I have been really wrestling with feeling the weight of responsibility.  I am going to be the example to him of what a man is.  What a husband is.  What a dad is.  He will either grow up wanting to be like his dad, or in the worst case, nothing like his dad.  I hope I am the kind of man he wants to be like.

I want to be the kind of dad that loves my wife.  The dad that prays with our family. That is responsible and works hard.  That sacrifices for the better of others.  That loves people.  That hurts for the broken.  That is supportive in all of my kids’ little hobbies.  The kind of dad that is honest about his mistakes and asks for forgiveness.  I want to be the kind of dad that turns off the tv, computer and phone and gets down in the dirt or sand or carpet or mud or grass to play with my kids.  I want to be an example of faith and trust in Jesus when times get hard and when times are good.  I want to show them that no matter how much we love them, Jesus loves them more.

I want my heir to carry on a legacy of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  I want to pass on a legacy of biblical manhood.

I love you Noah.  And I am going to do my very best to set a good example for you.  I’ll follow hard after our Father in Heaven and so when I finally hand you the ball, you won’t have to travel as far down the field.

***On a side note: Once Grace was born, my beautiful wife started a monthly tradition of writing a blog post to our girl to tell her how things are going though the first year of life.  Then maybe later on, we would get it printed out and we’ll give it to her when she’s older.  Well, Sarah knew from when we found out we were preggers again that she was going to do that for our Noah too.  Month 1 complete = a post from my wife.  I encourage you to read it and follow along.  She is my favorite blogger.  www.sarahrichter.wordpress.com

Noah Jeffrey Richter

Born 5/15/11
9:48am
8lbs 11 oz
22″ long

Welcome home son.

If you are friends with my wife on Facebook, you can see more pictures here

The Last Richter 3 Photo Shoot

We are about to become the Richter 4 (if my son ever decides to make his grand entrance) and we wanted to get some family photos of the 3 of us.  So we brought our camera, our tripod, found a cool tree and snapped away.  Here are a few of the pics.  You can see more over at my wife’s blog.

Pretty Powerful

I just saw this on my brother-in-law’s facebook page.  Pretty powerful.  Felt pretty emo afterwards.

Psalm 139:14

My daughter Grace’s room has been transformed from an office/music room to a nursery/office to a kids room/play room to now a girl and boy room (Noah is due this Wednesday).  My wife has a pretty amazing decorating eye and she’s done a great job.  She did think something was missing and asked me to design a little something to frame and hang in their room.  I made the first one and we printed it out and thought it looked a little too Xtreme for the kids room.  I really like the design but it didn’t fit the “kid look”.  So I slimmed it way down and simplified it and now the design is a perfect fit.

Just thought I’d share the love.

First Attempt

Final Design

Patience is a virtue

Saw this video today and was blown away at the technicality and patience that went into making this video by All India Radio.  6 months of a painstaking process.  Coolest video I’ve seen in awhile.

Relaunch

I’ve decided to relaunch “The Captain’s Quarters”.  Not because I feel like I all of a sudden have a lot to say or offer the world, but because I’ve recently found myself coming across music or scripture or discussion topics or life that I want to just journal and share and am looking for an avenue to do that.

I think it also has to do with the fact that my son is about to be born (could be anytime between now and 2 weeks from now) and I have been very reflective on life and the future.  So if only my wife reads or if everyone reads, I hope this relaunching is more successful than my attempts in the past.

And with that…we set sail.