I just celebrated my 8th Father’s Day Sunday. It seems hard to believe that in October my little girl will be nine and my little boy will be eight. Neither are little to any anymore except me.
My wife is such a doll on Father’s Day. She always makes sure I know that the family appreciates me. I think my Mom’s and Dad’s including my in-laws appreciate me more on father’s day than I do them. I’m a blessed soul.
Usually on Father’s Day we go to church, then come home and eat and take a nap. Except now the kids are older and have almost learned how to play quiet enough as to not wake me.
There always seems to be a can’t miss sporting event on that day too. One that I just have to sit in front of the TV for and do nothing but stare.
As I look back at my life I have many father figures that helped shaped me to be the man I am today. Some men were kind with their words and actions. Others disciplined me the best they knew how and sometimes were quite harsh and abrupt with how they talked to me.
All in all I have been blessed to have men in my life who loved me and cared for me even when I didn’t deserve it. These men have dedicated their lives to making my life better whether I thought so or not at the time. They have been generous with their time, talents and money and their prayers, patience and persevering spirit. For this I will be forever grateful, for this I will be forever thankful.
As I learn how to be a better Dad each day I think back on the way I was raised. I also think about how I want my kids to be raised. But more important than either of these thoughts is the idea that I want my children to love other people and love the Lord their God with all the heart, soul and mind.
This is a tall order and fortunately it does not all rest on my shoulders. I have a wife that is awesome and is a great help mate. My kids also have a church family that loves them and prays for them. They also have Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and cousins that love them and pray for them. What a blessing.
Sometimes you forget this. Sometimes as a Dad you think everything depends on you. It doesn’t. However you do need to do your best to evaluate why you do what you do and do your best at that. We are all made with different gifts and abilities. We need to use what God has given us to be the best Dad’s we can be.
Take time today to be thankful for your Dad. Even if you hate him you can be thankful for learning how not to treat others. Be thankful for the time and energy he spent with you. If you a Dad be thankful and try to spend a little more time listening, a little more time asking questions, a little more time loving your children.
If you are a Christian Dad, spend a little more time praying with your children, a little more time reading God’s Word with them, a little more time praying for your child’s future husband or wife. If you are not a Christian Dad, become one.
To all the Dad’s out there have a Happy Father’s Day
No comments:
Post a Comment