A Father's Day Story

Posted by Shane Werlinger Jun 16, 2007

I sat in the middle of the sanctuary of this mega-church waiting for the opening act to come on. He was a guy by the name of Andrew Peterson. I had never heard of him before and I didn't really know much about the headliner, Nicole Nordeman. Some friends invited my wife and me so we took them up on a night out. We knew those would be few and far between once my wife had the baby.

Andrew Peterson took the stage with his buddy Ben Shive. They both exuded a humble charm and you couldn't help but like them. I enjoyed the stories and playful banter, but then Andrew told a story that made me take notice.

He told of how his wife had recently had their third child, a little girl named Skye. He wrote a song called "Family Man" while his wife was pregnant. He then dedicated the song to new fathers, especially those that had little girls.

That spoke to me more than anyone at the time knew. I was the only one that knew we were having a girl. We just found out the gender of the baby, but my wife didn't want to know. Therefore I wasn't allowed to tell anyone else.

I sat there and listened to this song that seemed like it was written to me, a soon to be dad. Suffice it to say I've been an Andrew Peterson fan ever since.

So, in honor of my fourth Father's Day, with permission from Andrew Peterson, I would like to share the song that touched my heart.

Family Man by Andrew Peterson

I am a family man

I traded in my mustang for a minivan

This is not what I was headed for when I began

This was not my plan

I am a family man

But everything I had to lose

Came back a thousand times in you

And you fill me up with love

Fill me up with love

And you help me stand

'cause I am a family man

And life is good

That's something I always knew

But I just never understood

If you'd asked me then you know I'd say I never would

Settle down in a neighborhood

I never thought I could

But I don't remember anymore

Who I even was before

You filled me up with love

Filled me up with love

And you help me stand

So come on with the thunder clouds

Let the cold wind rail against us, let the rain come down

We can build a roof above us with the love we've found

We can stand our ground

So let the rain come down

Because love binds up what breaks in two

So keep my heart so close to you

And I'll fill you up with love

Fill you up with love

And I'll help you stand

'Cause I am a family man

I'm saving my vacation time

For Disneyland

This is not what I was headed for when I began

This was not my plan

It's so much better than