A long time ago I wrote a song about divorce called “Little Casualties”, but it never quite made the cut of songs I liked to play and it soon disappeared.  I think the problem with it was its drama.  It was too dramatic, and too accusing.  Some of the words that I still remember from the chorus are, “Just some little casualties, well worth the cost of keeping your pride…”  It was a song based in holding up a giant truth mirror and seeing if it could induce guilt.  Somehow, I don’t think Jesus would have done it that way.  I trashed the song.

   However, I still wanted to address the issue of divorce because of its prevalence in our society.  “Goodbye Dad” came out of a quieter mood.  I did not come from a divorced home so I really wanted to delve into what it might have been like for me on the night that I lost a parent.  The progression is this, “Mom packs my bags and my favorite toys, I hear the car warming up outside the door, I wave goodbye as dad closes the door, I say goodbye, goodbye dad.” 

   Besides the picture of that last night at home, the main issue of the song is facing up to what the kids do understand.  When you work in children’s ministries you see just what they understand about their parent’s relationship.  Many times a easy cop out is to say that “kids are too young to understand”, or “it’s just something between the parents and has nothing to do with the kids”.  I think that’s all rubbish.  The children may not get the complex details and emotions of their parents turmoil but they know something’s wrong and it is certainly affecting their lives.

   Obeying God is never easy.  Daily we have to trust in His strength to be the spouses He’s called us to be.  Daily we must put Him first, so that we can then give His love to our mate.  It is obeying when it is hard, that makes it good.  It is obeying when our flesh fights back, that shows God we love Him more than we love ourselves.  That is the picture of a disciple of Jesus.  (Malachi 2:13-16, Ephesians 5:21-23, 1 Peter 3:1-7, Matthew 19:3-9, Luke 14:26-27.)
 

“Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."   Matthew 19:6,

Goodbye Dad

They say, I’m too young and I don’t understand

I fear, things won’t be the same no more

Mom packs my bags my favorite toys

I say goodbye, goodbye dad

Behind, always two steps behind the words

They sound, louder tonight

than they’ve ever been before

I think, mom doesn’t love dad, anymore

They say, I’m too young and I don’t understand

I fear, things won’t be the same no more

Mom packs my bags my favorite toys

I say goodbye, goodbye dad

Behind, always left behind when they run away

I cry, loud enough for them to hear me today

I need, you to touch me, you to hold me

I need

They say, I’m too young and I don’t understand

I fear, things won’t be the same no more

I hear the car warming up outside the door

I say goodbye, goodbye dad

They say it’s better this way

You get two Christmases two birthdays

They say it’s better this way

Both mom and dad can have their own way

They say, they say, but what about what I say dad

What about what I think, mom

What about what I feel

They say, I’m too young and I don’t understand

I fear, things won’t be the same no more

I wave goodbye, as dad closes the door

I say goodbye, goodbye dad