Daddies Who Slay Dragons

4 year old Avery Vidrine explained fathers like this, “They work hard, slay dragons, and love us!”

This 4 year old girl obviously knows what it means to be a father and a protector. She has seen evidence in her own life. Her mother, Emily, said that Avery sends her father off to work every day with the phrase, “Now Prince Charming, go slay the dragons but be safe!”

Avery knows her father keeps her safe from dragons and other scary things and knows her father loves her enough to go away from her each day and do all that hard work. Obviously her mother has helped her have gratitude and understanding for her father’s way of life. But as I heard Emily talk about the great trust her young daughter has in her father I wondered if Avery really knew what dragons an honorable father must fight to maintain powerful in his role as father and husband.

There is no greater example of strength than a virtuous man. Maybe this is why the media goes to such great effort to distract men from what is most important and will be the most fulfiling in their lives; family and virtue. Maybe this is why the media encourages us to think of fathers as clueless and selfish. These lies about the identity and role of fathers and husbands decrease respect and destroy hope in fatherhood. Additionally these lies don’t really make women look strong or smart, they make women look like oppressors of men. These false gender roles diminish happiness in family life and create confusion.

Husbands and wives, mothers and fathers are happiest and most fulfilled when they have put their priorities in order and they are deeply attached and involved with their families.

What Are The Dragons?

Daddies really do have to fight dragons every day. Not only are voices in society trying to undermine their existence and importance but these voices are also teasing and tempting men like never before. The sexual assault on the virtue of men is intense. Sexual obsession and addiction steals the freedom of men every day. When attached to sexual obsession men become detatched from family relationships. They feel empty and alone in a pit of addiction. This is a dragon daddies have to slay on a daily basis. It takes constant and diligent effort and a deliberate appeal to God and truthfor help.

Daddies, husbands and virtuous men must also slay these dragons:

Media or gaming addictions

Work andmoney addictions

Waking up every morning

Scheduling life so that they have time or what is most important; God and family

Taking good care of themselves

Conquer laziness and entitlement thoughts

Live within their means

Keeping their standards high when others around them don’t

The list could definately go on and on. There are so many dragons to fight.

Think of your daddy, your husband, or the young men in your life who are training to become daddies. Look how hard they fight to become the men they are meant to be. Sure they may lose a battle here and there, but they keepgoing forward to slay those dragons again and again.

This year, on this this Father’s Day, I think Avery Vidrine has it just right about fathers, “They work hard, slay dragons, and love us.” She will be a great support to the men in her life because she knows they must fight hard.

Whenever I think of Avery’s description I am going to remember it like this; they work hard to slay dragons because they love us.

The Best Way To Slay A Dragon

The best way to slay a dragon and protect a family is through prayer. When the dragons come, a strong daddy prays. When a strong, valiant daddy sees dragons attacking his family and is children, because they will, he prays for and blessesthem.

Fathers are often described as protectors. They are often more endowed with physical strength and stamina to be sure, but I think the greatest protection I have ever seen men give is spiritual protection.

When daddy stops himself from following the dragon that is after him and falls to his knees for strengthhe is using the most powerfulself-government skill he has. Our loving Heavenly Father helps our earthly fathers to become the protectors the world needs when they unify with him through faith and prayer.

Personal Message:Thank you Spencer for slaying dragons every day and for being a warrior our children can draw strength and clarity from in these difficult and confusing times.