Schmetterlings Küsse

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes as I read the lyrics to the Bob Carlisle song "Butterfly Kisses." I remember the first time I heard it on Christian radio in 1997 and how I shared with friends, "Watch this be a huge hit." And it was. It went to #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, won a Dove Award for best song and won a Grammy for best country song. There are several recorded versions of the song, including a German one by Cliff Richard called "Schmetterlings-Küsse" (that's fun to say). I remember Daddy and I both giving you butterfly kisses at night, where you flutter your eyelashes against another's cheek. Soft like butterfly wings, it tickles. This sweet song was written by Carlisle for his daughter's 16th birthday. He refers to his daughter in the lyrics as "one part woman, the other part girl." Beautiful description of a Sweet 16. But it's the wedding portion of the song that brings me to tears. It says:

She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said,
"I'm not sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
She leaned over
Gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry"
Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have done something right.
To deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses
I couldn't ask God for more,
Man, this is what love is.
I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
Every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses...

 Your Daddy is going to have a big part in the wedding: walking you down the aisle, officiating and the Daddy-Daughter dance. I know he is going to be blubbering at some, if not many, points during the day, because all those things Bob Carlisle wrote about above, he will be feeling. You are his sweet baby girl and he is handing your care over to Rob Goggin, a man we both love very much.

A few days ago, my friend Kathy Rackley posted a video to my Facebook page. It was a speech by a daddy to his about-to-be son-in-law, Philip, just after he'd walked his daughter down the aisle. He comically shares about asking God to make his newborn daughter like his wife; then after he felt left out, like him; then when his negative traits showed up in her, like God. Lastly he asked the Lord to make his daughter happy, at which point Philip entered her life. He talks about the look of happiness his daughter now has because of him and ends his speech by saying how hard he and God "worked to get her ready" and for him not to "screw it up." Laughter and tears during that speech. It is precious. I know your Daddy feels that way too.

Daddy-daughter bonds are tight. Daddy is a daughter's first love and hero. And daddies are very protective of their daughters. So when a man comes along, says he loves his daughter and wants to care for her, to give her hand over to another to care for is truly an act of courage for a Daddy.

There is another song I love about daddies and daughters called "King of the World" by Point of Grace. The chorus says:

"Dance me! Dance me around
Till my feet don't ever touch down
There's nothin' better than bein your girl
And if I am your princess than daddy
You are the king of the world!"

 On Oct. 16, my Prince Charming, your daddy, is going to be dancing you around as the new Mrs. Robert Goggin. Now I don't have any idea what song you and your Daddy will be dancing to at your reception, but I know either of those two above are good ones. And it will be a special precious time, just as the first moment he held you. We truly believe, as the "Butterfly Kisses" song says, that you were sent here from Heaven for us, just as we believe Rob was sent here for you. We look forward to watching you "spread your wings and fly" together.

Discussion: What does your Daddy mean to you? What song would you like to dance to at the reception with your Daddy? Share a butterfly kiss.

Prayer: Lord, you are the King of the World and we thank You for the example You have given us on how daddies are to be. We thank You for precious moments of watching our children grow up. And we thank you for the ones they choose to love, sent by You. We ask you blessings on their future marriage. In Jesus, Amen.