As a child, I believed my dad could fix any type of motor. Whether it was a lawn mower, dirt bike or automobile, my dad could fix it. That knack extended into to all things mechanical and I’ve spent most of my life wishing I could be half as gifted.
I can never walk into the lumber section of a big box hardware store without thinking of my dad, mainly because the aroma of aftershave and sawdust call to mind so many of my fondest childhood memories. (more…)
My son and I both got stung by jellyfish on our vacation. As usual, I try to find the teaching behind every circumstance and this was a good opportunity to teach my son a spiritual truth! Did you know that a jellyfish can’t swim? It just floats along in the sea, catching food in the long thread-like “legs” that trail behind it. Since it can only float, the jellyfish has to go wherever the current takes it. And sometimes the current takes it where it doesn’t want to go! (more…)
I’ve enjoyed sharing a variety of common interests with my dad throughout my life. One of my favorite bonds has been related to music and singing. It started at a very early age. My parents tell a story of a time when dad was practicing a solo he had coming up at church, which was a common occurrence in our home. This particular instance, though, included my 2-year-old-self mimicking him throughout the house, singing “Jesus, Jesus, the sweetest name I know.” It was the beginning of me wanting to be like my dad.
For many years, I’ve referred to dad as my hero and role model. While other kids idolized sports heroes and movie stars, I chose to look closer to home for my inspiration. In dad, I found a man worth learning from and being like. As the years passed, I realized how fortunate I was to have a dad like mine because many people didn’t. It was this realization that opened my eyes to something very important: my kids are always watching me and wanting to be like me…because I wanted to be like my dad.
I sang because he sang.
I played basketball because he played basketball.
I worked hard because he worked hard.
I loved God because he loved God.
One of the guys who wrote parts of the Bible, named Paul, encouraged his readers to imitate him a number of times. He lived his life in a way that taught them how to live as Christ-followers not matter that cost to himself. Why? Because he cared about them. He understood the challenges of his spiritual children would encounter, so he committed to showing them a path to follow until they were able to figure it out for themselves.
Like Paul, my dad lived in a manner that invited me to imitate him. He lived his life in a way that taught me how to be a man, a 
father, and a Christ-follower. His commitment to God is strong in my memory. He sang at church, taught Sunday School classes and bible studies, and encouraged others in their faith. He was generous with the blessings God has given him, often paying it forward to missionaries, family, and those in need. His love for his family was evident in how often he was involved in the things that mattered to us. Dad rarely missed one of my high school basketball games, even though I rode the bench most of the season. He heard every note of every concert. And he made himself available so I could talk about what mattered to me at the time.
Dad wasn’t perfect. No man is. But he modeled a way for me…a way for me to follow until I was old enough, strong enough, and mature enough to begin figuring it out for myself. And he’s always been nearby to help me when times became hard. He stood by me and encouraged me as my world fell apart during divorce. He has listened to me spew anger and pour tears. I can’t fathom the heartache he experienced as he watched me suffer, but I know one 
thing is for certain. He modeled yet again a way for me to follow if the day comes for one of my own children to suffer so deeply.
I know there’s no such thing as the perfect father, and to aspire to perfection is foolish and unrealistic. But, I want to live my life in a manner that invites my kids to imitate me because that is exactly how my dad lived his life.
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Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally, there was only one family between us and the ticket counter. This family made a big impression on me. There were 8 children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn’t have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean.
The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, elephants, and other acts they would see that night. One could sense they had never been to a circus before. It promised to be a highlight of their young lives. The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be.
The mother was holding her husband’s hand, looking up at him as if to say, “You’re my knight in shining armor.” He was smiling and basking in pride, looking at her.
The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly said, “Please, let me buy 8 children’s tickets and two adult tickets so I can take my family to the circus.” THE TICKET LADY QUOTED THE PRICE. The man’s wife let go of his hand, her head dropped and the man’s lip began to quiver. The father leaned a little closer and asked, “HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY?” The ticket lady again quoted the price.
The man didn’t have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his 8 kids that he didn’t have enough money to take them to the circus? Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground. (And we were not wealthy in any sense of the word) My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “EXCUSE ME, SIR, I BELIEVE THIS FELL OUT OF YOUR POCKET.”
The man knew what was going on. He wasn’t begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking, embarrassing situation. He looked straight into my dad’s eye, took my dad’s hand in both of his, squeezed tightly, and with quivering lips and a tear streaming down his cheek, replied, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME AND MY FAMILY.”
This was surely a blessing for that man and his family, but the biggest blessing fell on me as I learned one of the most important lessons of my life. How to bless others!
Author unknown.
Fatherhood Changes Everything! What happens when a man becomes a father? I’ll never forget the day I became a dad. My wife and I had registered to adopt a child with our state’s Division of Youth and Family Services through BCFS. Then one day we got a call from them saying there was someone special they’d like us to meet. There was a baby at the hospital that was needing a foster home. The very next day a little baby boy crawled into our life. When I held him for the first time, I knew he was going to be my son. (more…)
Psalm 128
1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in obedience to him.
This verse talks about the pattern that a husband and father is to set before his children. He is to be a worshiping Father and a godly husband. He is to have (more…)
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