Just ten hours before, I stood by the stage in the sanctuary at GFC Van Dyke addressing sixty employees in our weekly Visions and Values meeting. I made this statement – “Some of the greatest messages you will ever see or hear will not come from this pulpit.” Fast forward ten hours, I got some great life messages watching 900 dads and daughters experience a special night.

Pastor Mike Moore and his team took creativity to another level. “Come Fly With Me” brought an old time classic of travel when the airplane industry was just taking off. Couples checked in by getting a passport with their own picture in it. They sat down to a snack and drink. Before heading to the dance floor, there were pictures to be taken and get their passport stamped at different locations “around the world.” Or, they could get their picture under the signature, Umbrella Canopy with the hot air balloon basket. The dancing started with some big band songs, which gave way to more recent favorites. The night ended with a huge confetti shower. What an amazing night for all who came!

Now for the “messages.”

– Watch a dad take a picture with his daughter. It is so cool!

– Walk through a courtyard of dad’s eating a snack with their daughters. Time slows down, time to talk and time to laugh.

– Watch the Disney effect – a church transformed into a wonderland of opportunities for photos, laughs and new experiences. You can’t walk too fast but you don’t want to miss anything.

– Look at a girl’s face as she walk with her dad after getting all dressed up. I can honestly say that I don’t know who walks prouder…the dad or the daughter.

– Dancing. Lots of messages here…but two thoughts for now.

1. Some of you guys can’t dance (me either) but you were game to do it for your girl. You rock!

2. A slow dance with your daughter is one of the most mesmerizing things. Some pick them up in their arms because they are so tiny. Some just love being close. Some are “showing them how to dance for the future dances to come.” Some just cry. Never gets old.

– Miracles. As a pastor, I know a lot of stories about the dad and their families. The one I will mention here is to see a dad who I visited in the hospital after a neck injury that should have paralyzed him. Within hours he got mobility in his limbs but it took months to get back into a daily routine. He hasn’t missed a DDD in years. He was there last night, dancing with his two girls. Yep, it still gets me.

Such an amazing event! Again, some of the best messages in life do not come from a pulpit.