Eight months.

Is The Dadabase a “Christian blog?”  That’s a good question.  The answer is yes; in the sense that I am narrating my version of fatherhood from a Christian perspective.  The answer is no; in the sense that it is not directed specifically for a Christian audience and that the majority of my posts do not contain an explicitly spiritual theme.

While I do sporadically splice in quotes from the Bible, I intentionally do not use quotation marks nor do I list the Biblical reference where they came from.  Because to me, these ancient teachings are intertwined into my thought patterns.  So I don’t see a need to separate them when I write.

I love writing for Parents.com.  I am so appreciative of how much they value the realness and authenticity of all their bloggers; free of censorship.  I can truly be me without having to ask myself, “Was that tooChristian of me to say that?”

Basically, if it relates to and ties in with my life as a dad and a husband, it’s fair game.  The Dadabase is simply an unfiltered reflection of what goes through my head as an unseasoned parent and an everyday guy who just happens to be of the Christian faith.

But while technically I do have complete freedom of speech here, I also believe in using my freedom to write content that is relevant to the majority of readers and not becoming consumed with promoting my own agendas to the point they become a distraction.

As a Christian, I sometimes struggle with the assumption that my viewpoint will largely be perceived by the general public as politically incorrect, representing an old-fashioned mindset that is typically unwelcome in mainstream media and entertainment.

I’m not referring to a reluctance to use the name “Jesus” instead of “God” or “Merry Christmas” over “Happy Holidays.”  Instead, it’s stuff like when I mention that my son has a soul, that I am spiritually responsible for him, that I pray for him to one day know Christ like my wife and I do, and when I matter-of-factually state that there is a heavenly kingdom awaiting us after this life.

Even more so, I am overly aware of the bumper sticker that reads, “Jesus, save me from your followers.”  I recognize that for some, the word “Christian” has a stigma connected to it, associated with words like “judgmental,” “prideful,” “arrogant,” and “bigot.”  I realize how easy it can be to determine the integrity of an entire group based on their loudest, most hypocritical examples.

I know I am not expected to be perfect, but I am expected to be different. Yet in the most basic ways, as a parent, I still represent the way many moms and dads feel; Christian or not.

A slightly reoccurring phrase I  have seen in comments that readers leave on this blog is “It’s like you’re reading my mind…”.  Despite having different preferences in our parenting techniques and styles, most of us share the same basic desires for our children.  It doesn’t take being a Christian to want to positively re-brand fatherhood or to be vulnerable enough to admit that I fell in love with my son gradually, not instantly.

Last month my wife helped teach 3^rdgrade at Vacation Bible School.  The theme was “Where Faith and Life Connect.”  That’s one of my themes too; as a human, as a writer, as a guy who has to go to a real job during the day just like most other people, and as a parent.

Yes, my faith is the most important thing to me.  But it’s not all I talk about. In fact, whatever the next Dadabase post is about, I’m sure it won’t mention anything about God or Christianity or any overt spiritual themes.

Just as the familiar blue skies eventually intersect with the mysterious outer space, so do my everyday life events overlap my intangible Christian faith.