I am so thankful for my Dad. He was very patient and loving and still is. I was quite the worrier as a kid and I remember him "picking up my worries and throwing them down the toilet". Then he would physically flush the toilet in hopes to free me from them for good. I was the youngest of four kids, so I could easily persuade him to get me my favorite foods (Hardy's curly fries, Sonic's Cherry Limeade slushies, or Jason's Deli broccoli cheese soup) or to take me places. And even as a married adult working at a bank drive-thru, he would bring me ice teas or flavored waters at my request. You could say I was just slightly spoiled;) But my fondest memories were when he'd lay with me at night when I was scared and had a stomachache from anxiety or when he'd take care of me when I was sick, bringing me scrambled eggs, toast, and plenty of vitamins. He prayed with me most every night and truly cared about my feelings. I felt that growing up. My Dad has always been there for me, through good times and bad.
So often the view of our heavenly Father is a direct reflection of what we grew up knowing as Dad. Maybe your Dad was like mine or maybe what you knew as Dad was demeaning, abusive, or he was just totally absent in your life, but that's not our heavenly Father. He loves us at our lowest and at our best. He's proud of us and is for us. He walks along side us and never leaves. He wanted us around from the very beginning and has a purpose for each of our lives. He turns the wicked schemes of the enemy into something for our good. He provides for us in abundant ways and He sacrificed His Son, who was without sin, to die for the forgiveness of our sins, because He just loves us that much. And He will never make us love Him, but He will pursue us and show Himself in different ways to bring us to Him. Whether I want Him or not, He always wants me. Now that's a Father.
My Husband and the Father of our 4 boys...
God has blessed him with four little Mini-Mes and I love seeing him pour into those young men. He does it so well. Raising all boys isn't for the faint of heart. It's hard work, but it's rewarding and made of the best stuff; Plenty of wrestling matches, rocking out to music, frisbee, baseball coaching, lots of bruises and scrapes, fishing, body odors, bike rides, sound effects, jokes about bodily functions, guitar lessons, laughs, tickle fights, song parodies, but most of all he knows the importance of showing them how to respect a woman and how to be a man of integrity, humility, and how to love. He hasn't always done it perfectly (just like all parents), but it is also important for our kids to see us screw up and ask for forgiveness. We all need grace and that's an important lesson, too. Raising boys at this time in our world is a very challenging job, but one of the most important. We are in desperate need of a generation that seeks the Lord above all else and families that are led by strong, Christ-following men. The enemy is out to destroy our families, so we need to fight for our husbands and our families with prayer.
Fathers need encouraged daily and they need lots of prayers! To lead and to provide for a family takes courage and strength. Let's celebrate and honor Father's today and everyday!
