Shepard of Boys

By Robert W. Oakley

-----A Design, a master design, created for us rather than by us; design and destiny, roads and gates, doors and passages—all chosen by us but put in front of us sometimes rather than sought by us: truly life is a complicated thing; however, I wouldn’t trade the honor, nay, the privileged of shepherding four wild, ambitious, talkative, and curious boys for anything other than my very own incredible three and soon to be four brothers and one precious, beautiful sister.
-----Now, at this point, one would like to make the assumption that I am out of my mind; surely I say unto you I am far from mad. . . . Okay, maybe a little mad about HAVING A BLAST WITH FOUR LITTLE MONKYES! I can tell you right now there is nothing wrong with my circuitry, which should tell you I know what I am doing. One might ask as well, “Why on earth would you accept such terms and on only six bucks an hour?”

-----“Why wouldn’t I?” would be my only response.

-----It really isn’t about money or keeping my sanity: it is my “want to” and I want to influence those who surround me like a shining star glowing with the intensity of Christ, burning with the Holy Spirit, and shedding the warmth of the Father’s great love and truth. Mixed and matched personalities is what makes every family very unique; however, very understandable when coming from a diverse history of being the eldest of brothers, so, as you can see, I am very well equipped for what is to come.
-----Yes, there are four of them! Shall I name them off one by one? Alexander (five years old, full of life and knowledgeable of a great many things), Demetrious (four years old and very talkative), Maximus (Two years old and speaks his own language which I shall have to decipher with great diligence, but luckily I have two good linguists), and finally Nicholas (8 months old. . . . You heard correctly but I have some very unique and uncommon experience for this age). They are all everything I’d ever expect them to be and much, much more; I have every impulse to take in every moment although stressful at times, I have no doubt in my mind we will be the best of friends.
-----God designed all of us very well and very thoroughly: God designed me to be a Shepard—a Shepard of boys—and I am very proud of that indeed. I get a real thrill when little children look up to me not just physically but spiritually: it gives me great sense of reward and ambition, ambition for leadership, counseling, teaching, and most importantly fathering. I look very much forward to having children of my own some day, and I hope that I will be able to leave a spiritual estate with them and their children that will last for centuries or even. . . forever! Amen.