Balderdash!

For those of you who are unfamiliar, "balderdash" is much more than a term that embodies disbelief and incredulity. (As in, "What a lot of balderdash and poppycock! I never heard a more unbelievable tale! What?" *more effective if said in a thick British accent*) Balderdash is, in fact, an incredibly fun game of bluff. In essence, the most credulous liars come out on top. This is not, dear friends, the time to pass moral judgement on being said "credulous liar." (I, incidentally, am very good at Balderdash. Take that however you will.) This is simply a nod to a very fun game that can make one laugh until...well, let's just say it can make one laugh very hard. On Monday night, I was privileged to play this game with my family and some very dear friends.


The thing that has made this game so incredibly special to me growing up is playing it with my father. Now, many of my friends gave beautiful tributes to their respective father's on Father's Day last. I know, the holiday is past, but humor me here. My father does not play Balderdash to win. Oh no, he plays for the sheer joy of it. Beyond Balderdash (as we played the other night) involves making up definitions for words, plots for film titles, the meanings of abbreviations, the importance of given dates, and the significance of famous names. The sheer stupidity of my father's answers always yields a crop of howls, snickers, chuckles, snorts, gasps, and tears streaming down one's face. No, my dad never wins, but he brings a lot of joy to the other players. He helps everyone to enjoy the game.

I want to thank my dad for teaching me that there is a lot more to life than "winning." In a day when success is measured in dollars and position, I am blessed to have a dad that thinks it much more important to bring joy along the way and to find good in every situation. I have seen that one can be totally in love with and committed to Jesus Christ and still know when it's OK to be silly; that there truly is a time for everything, as Ecclesiastes says. No, my dad never wins at Balderdash, but I happen to think that in the things that are really important, he's the biggest winner I know.