All over the U.S. this weekend we will be celebrating Father’s Day.  One of the things that our nation shares with countless others is the cry – Where are the father’s? We need fathers! It’s true … we are in desperate need for fathers in our generation.

I was blessed to be raised by a dad that was in love with Jesus and me.  He demonstrated the love of God to me in real and personal ways.  He modeled before me the values of Kingdom living.  My dad has been one of my “heroes” in life!
Even today I can remember (and find myself using with my kids) the quirky little sayings that he used to try and teach me the importance of hard work, attention to details, and the sensitivity to value people.  He would say things like:

• “If you’re not going to use your head son, you may as well had two tails”
• “If you’re not going to do it right the first time, then why are you doing it?”
• Or, when I used to work for him at his business and would not be working “fast enough”, he would say – “I got a quarter holding up a dollar … somebody help that boy!”
• One of the best things I ever remember him saying to me was – “Be careful who you step on while your climbing the ladder to success because you may have to pass them on the way back down”

All in all, my dad is a very simple man with a lot of homespun wisdom!  He instilled in me his Marine Corp mentality when he said – “You have to learn to follow before you get to lead. If you can’t take orders son, you will never qualify to give them”!  Most importantly – he taught me to love Jesus and obey Him no matter what!

I read this morning that “experience holds its graduation at the grave”!  You can never stop learning – life is always a laboratory for growth.  I’m grateful for the “fathers” in my life – both naturally and spiritually, that have been willing to share some of their learning experiences to make my journey easier.

Today, if your dad was cruel, abusive, absent or just non-supportive, take courage in the fact that you have a heavenly Father that loves you, will not harm you, and is with you everywhere you go!  If you are a father, realize today that you are leaving a legacy in your children.  Shape them for eternity!

TM

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