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An open letter to my kids about their police Dad


Hi loves,

I know that this is a scary time for you all.  I saw your face this morning, my sweet firstborn, as the news anchor on the television told you that another police officer was killed and one is in the hospital today.  Forever I will remember the words you said the morning that you saw on the news that five Dallas police officers were killed.  You looked over at me and said, “Mommy, Daddy is a  police officer. I don’t want Daddy to die.”  I am sorry that I didn’t turn the news off sooner.  I am sorry you heard what they were saying.  The last thing I want is for you to be afraid.

I need for you to know, first of all, how brave your Daddy is.  You already know, of course, how much he loves you.  You know him as the man who takes you to the playground and to catch fish at the creek.   The man who will jump with you into the pool.  The man who will make a bowl of popcorn, watch a Disney movie with you and sing every word to all of the silly songs.  The man who will read you stories and pray with you before bed. You know already that you have a good Dad.

Do you know also that Daddy loves his job?  That even though it is a scary time to be a police officer, he is grateful to do it?  Your Daddy is a man who knows when there is a job to be done and is a man who is willing to do it.  He feels a sense of responsibility to the community he works for.  He feels a sense of responsibility to the police men and women that he works with.  You know how Daddy loves us and we are his family?  Daddy has a work family too.  One that he loves and one that loves him back.  Those people that Daddy works with, do you know that they care for you too?  How lucky are we that your Daddy works with people that care so much for all of us?  I hope you are proud of the police family that we belong to.

Your Daddy and his friends are good.  They care for people that they don’t even know.  They chose this job to protect and serve EVERYONE. How cool is that?

It is extraordinary, what they do.  Always know that.  It’s important, it’s noble, and the courage it requires is extraordinary.  Nothing less.

As I said to begin with, I know it is a scary time.  I want to be honest and tell you all that I am sometimes afraid too.  I love your Daddy with all that I am.  I want for him to come home to us every night.  I love your Daddy’s police friends too and I want for them to also return to their families every night.

We have seen in the news a lot lately that some officers do not go home at the end of their shift to their families.  It is very sad.  Sometimes it makes Mommy cry.  But then, we pray.  We pray for those who lost their lives and we pray for their families.  We ask for God to protect officers who are out there serving every day.  And we gain peace from our prayers. 

Kids – now and in every situation I need for you to remember to focus on Jesus.  It doesn’t matter what happens or how bad things get.  He has already overcome the whole world with His cross and resurrection.  We have this amazing truth and hope in Him.  Nothing, I mean NOTHING, can separate us from His love.  No matter what, even when things get scary, I need for you to remember that.  I want for you to all have peace in Him.

I love you all more than can be measured.  You bring so much joy to me, and to your awesome, brave police-Daddy.  You know that though, right?



Until next time….

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