Father’s Day rolls around every June. It is unfortunate that there is not as much fanfare for fathers on Father’s Day as there is for mothers on their annual day of recognition. Sure, I know that there are absentee fathers as well as (tragically) abusive fathers who have tanished the image of fatherhood. This breaks my heart. Nevertheless, fathers are important too. I could not imagine life without my father. Like so many others who have had goodly experiences with their fathers, over the years I have developed my own personal idea of what a true father is like .
A father is a person characterized by strength, wisdom, and hard work. My father was a blue collar man. He worked in a factory for over 30 years. He seemed to always own a pickup truck so pickup trucks reminds me of fathers. He knew how to work on cars so whenever I see a guy under the hood of a car it reminds me of dads. I almost never remember him without his prominent and ever expanding bald spot, which later played a major part in his decision to simply shave his head; so bald heads remind me of dads. He likes fishing and took us out for our fair share of it during our childhood; so fishing reminds me of dads.
My father seemed to always be in the habit of helping other people and that has rubbed off on me, to a fault. One time I gave away all our family room furniture to a needy family. My children came home from school and thought we had been robbed. I blame my father for that. He was just too nice of a guy…except when he had to discipline us.
There were times when our misbehavior made him so angry his eye-balls turned red and protruded about 3 inches from their sockets. That’s why, to this very day, bulging eye-balls reminds me of fathers. Nevertheless, by the time Sunday rolled around he was in a good enough mood to take us on a family drive that often ended at the Dairy Isle, a local ice cream shop; so small corner ice cream shops remind me of my father too.
You know, having a father who disciplines is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it is a godly thing. A father who loves his children should discipline them. And, according to the writer of Hebrews, God the Father is no exception:
Hebrews 12:7-9 (NIV) 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Like everybody else on the face of the planet, my earthly father is not perfect. Furthermore, the images that remind me of my father could be far and away from the images that remind you of yours. Still, we can agree that the discipline and correction of a good father has made us better, stronger and wiser. In fact, the combination of an imperfect father and an imperfect mother make the perfect combination for raising godly children.
My final thoughts: we can find commonality in the fact that our fathers are ours, and in my mind that makes all the difference in the world. Even though we may not share the experience of having the same earthly father, for those of us who have committed our souls to the savior, we do share the privilege of having the same heavenly father. He is ours and, by the way, he IS perfect.
Words and thoughts. Sincerely, from the heart and mind of Victor.
My father seemed to always be in the habit of helping other people and that has rubbed off on me, to a fault. One time I gave away all our family room furniture to a needy family. My children came home from school and thought we had been robbed. I blame my father for that. He was just too nice of a guy…except when he had to discipline us.
There were times when our misbehavior made him so angry his eye-balls turned red and protruded about 3 inches from their sockets. That’s why, to this very day, bulging eye-balls reminds me of fathers. Nevertheless, by the time Sunday rolled around he was in a good enough mood to take us on a family drive that often ended at the Dairy Isle, a local ice cream shop; so small corner ice cream shops remind me of my father too.
You know, having a father who disciplines is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it is a godly thing. A father who loves his children should discipline them. And, according to the writer of Hebrews, God the Father is no exception:
Hebrews 12:7-9 (NIV) 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Like everybody else on the face of the planet, my earthly father is not perfect. Furthermore, the images that remind me of my father could be far and away from the images that remind you of yours. Still, we can agree that the discipline and correction of a good father has made us better, stronger and wiser. In fact, the combination of an imperfect father and an imperfect mother make the perfect combination for raising godly children.
My final thoughts: we can find commonality in the fact that our fathers are ours, and in my mind that makes all the difference in the world. Even though we may not share the experience of having the same earthly father, for those of us who have committed our souls to the savior, we do share the privilege of having the same heavenly father. He is ours and, by the way, he IS perfect.
Words and thoughts. Sincerely, from the heart and mind of Victor.
