THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS

I normally would never use the Freedom Fighter to recommend a movie, but I will today. If you haven't seen it, go see THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. We took Zach to see it on Friday and I was amazed that people were paying to see a National Geographic special. The theater was packed with people of all ages and it was quite refreshing.

There were many amazing biblical principles that one could draw from this movie, but the one the struck me the most was the incredible love of the father. The penguins walk/crawl for 70-80 miles to the spot where they will look for their potential mate. After they find the love of their life, they lovingly mate. The mother gives birth to the egg that is literally handed off to the father who assumes full responsibility for the care and oversight of the egg. The mother has to travel the 70-80 mile journey back to the ocean in order to eat and gain her strength for the journey back and then to feed the growing baby. She is gone for many months. During that time, the father has to endure the harshest of winters, standing next to hundreds of other Dads who are also caring for their future offspring. The winds and storms of the winter rage all around them, but Dad sticks with the stuff and while losing his strength and body weight to protect his future heir.

We live in a day when in some many of our families, Dad is the absent figure in the care and upbringing of their kids. While we may be good financial providers, making sure there is food and all the other "stuff" our families need, there is nothing like a father demonstrating his love
to his kids. Our kids need hugs, words of affirmation and encouragement. Some of us get bogged down in finding just the right amount of time to spend with them. We get hung up on the QUANTITY sometimes rather than the QUALITY of time spent with them. What our kids need is not how MUCH we know, but HOW MUCH we care.

"What marvelous love the Father has extended to us [one translation says 'LAVISHED']! Just look at it -- we're called the children of God! That's who we really are . . ." [1 John 3:1]

Take some time to lavish your love on your kids this week. And go see THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS!