Happy Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! I'm not a dad. Never have been one and never desired to be.
There's a LOT of weight carried around on the broad shoulders of all the dads. Responsibility is not something you wake up to and just have, it's something that you learn and live on a daily basis. It starts when you are young...You learn to be responsible by being given chores as a kid--little jobs to help out around the house. It is your job to teach your children to be responsible adults. (Yes, the moms have a big role in this, but dads--it begins with you.)
To all the new dads, raising babies can be tricky sometimes. You think you know what you're doing--and then suddenly you are in for an all nighter. It's probably worse for you when the little crying bundle wants no one but mama. Your heart aches to be able to comfort the little one too. Can I encourage you this morning? Take care of the new mama. Yes, you can go back to bed--but what if you stayed up a little while and took care of her needs? Maybe she needs soft music turned on, or a cozy blanket for herself and some low lighting. Maybe she needs a cup of coffee, or bottle of water...or a Diet Coke! ...She needs to know she's not alone. This is scary for her at times. All her fears swarm like gnats in the middle of the night when the baby won't be comforted. Be her encourager and her cheerleader.
As you comfort and care for the new mama, you are caring for the little one. Those little eyes look to your for guidance. Those little arms will reach to you for strength, and those legs need you to carry them where they need to go.
Be mindful of what you say and do. What you watch on TV or listen to on the radio or podcast will have an impact on your children. Whatever you do, see, say and think, will form guidelines for them. Your opinions will shape their opinions.
Your prayer life, or lack thereof will shape their relationship with God in the early years and influence their decisions in the latter years. Once they reach the age of deciding for themselves to accept Christ as their Savior, they will look at your relationship with Him as an example. How is your relationship with God? Is it one that would be duplicatable? Is it a relationship that draws others to desire more of God? Or, is there a tendency to be in on Sunday, but from Monday to Saturday, it's kind of weak?
We are no longer living in what I would call the last days--THIS is more like the last moments! Yes, these moments may very well stretch into days, weeks, months, but I for one do not believe for one instant that we have many years in front of us--in this life as we know it today. Things are changing.
There are more challenges in being a daddy as never before.
I've been blessed with male role models--showing me what to look for in a husband and father for our children:
My daddy taught me the value of hard work. He still works hard today. At 82 years old he still drives a truck for a living and farms the old home-place, raising cows, growing vegetables, more for his neighbors than for himself. His heart is tender, and that causes his eyes to leak when he shares stories of people he loves and the way God has spared his life more times than he felt he deserved. He calls himself "blessed". There was a time in my life when the tone of his voice revealed his heart condition. Not a malfunction of a physical heart, but the hardness of a spiritual heart...but then came the day God broke through the hardness and tenderized his heart in such a way he has never been the same. It took much pain and grief on his part--but he is a different man today. "I'm blessed", is what you will hear him say every time you ask him, "How are you?"
It was shared during his home going service that he laid with his Bible. His Bible was always opened on his abdomen as if it were a shield. If he was in bed, he had his Bible open across his stomach--and often, more than one. He would have his Bible and a Gideon Bible. Once there were three Bibles open on his chest and stomach under the covers. He held on to them tight. If he was up in his wheelchair when I went, before I left he was ready to go back to bed and "give me my Bible" was always what he said as I tucked covers around him.
I don't have many memories of my Papa (my daddy's dad). I mostly remember him walking to the barn and back, leaning on a hoe handle or some other walking aid. He would walk down and sit near the garden in the shade of the pecan trees and then walk back later. Papa dipped snuff--and there were always little cans somewhere around. It was, and still is disgusting to me. I never could imagine why anyone would want to put stuff that looked like dirt in their mouth.
He would go down to the pond sometimes and I'd follow along to feed the fish. He picked and shelled peas, pulled and shucked corn, and picked peaches with granny in the summer months. I don't remember much else other than his wheelchair in his later years. One thing I remember though, he always went with granny to church. I don't know that he had relationship with God in his early years. It is possible he did, but my granny was the spiritual matriarch of the home--always.
Let me ask you daddies. What will your children remember the most? Do you love and serve God?
Do you take time for your children and grandchildren? Will they remember the good memories you shared from your own childhood?
Do you let them help you? Kids learn from helping. And they feel valued and needed. That is so important.
And dads... they don't have to be paid every time they help you--although, sometimes it's nice. We grew up helping our grandparents because it was what we learned--we never ever expected to be paid for it. We just enjoyed being with them.
And lastly, the man who has influenced my life in the last 41 years--Jeff. My sweet man.
When our first daughter was born, I remember the tears in his eyes after he witnessed her entrance into the world and his words were, "that was the most wonderful experience of my life next to salvation." I am certain he still feels that way today. Our second baby was just as awesome experience--and he was the first one to hold her.
Jeff is a hardworking, God loving man, who loves his family and is thankful for the abundant blessing God has given. He's not a complainer. Even with a broken wrist, he didn't complain. He has rarely ever been negative--and when he was, he recognized it and corrected it. He never talks about others--and he is the most confidential man you will ever meet. Did I mention he loves his family? He is so proud of our daughters, our son-in-laws, and our beautiful grandchildren.
As I close this out--sorry, I know, it's been long. Thank you if you hung in there and read it all. You deserve a prize. :). I want to share one last thing: Making good memories is more important than making lots of money. Yes, we need money to live--eat and sleep in a comfortable bed. But the memories will still be there when everything else is gone. If your house burns to the ground--if your business goes bust--the memories your family has will carry them through the tough times of life... and most importantly, guard your relationship with Christ.
If you've never been one to get up and pray--begin. Your family depends on you. Be the guide for them to know Christ as their personal Savior. Oh the joy of being able to stand beside the loved one who has passed from this life to the next with the knowledge of where they are--when they are with the LORD.
Happy Father's Day! You are loved!
God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 NLT
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