Sunday, June 20, 2004
TRIBUTE TO FATHERS
We are all indebted to our fathers because without them we wouldn’t be here. Period. No matter how good or bad, rich or poor there was some reason for them to father us. For that we should be thankful. For most of us, we came out of a shared love, maybe not the kind of dreams but nonetheless there was passion before us.
When I was formed in my mother’s womb I was known by God and everything I needed or would become was known by Him. I believe that because the 139th Psalm says so. At the time my parents were raising my brother and me fathers didn’t have much to do with raising the family. That was the woman’s job. He made the living and she ran the house and raised the kids. To put a little variety in the mix we had a first generation father of immigrant parents. He struggled between old and new traditions that for the most part were not understood. He was still Danish at home and trying to learn how to be American away. The process took him on a long journey.
I am thankful he was what he taught. He put sound teaching into both of us and at times he was a hard mentor but later on when we were older we could understand that he just wanted us to be good people.
I am thankful that my children’s father was a good man who loved his children and was very much a factor in their raising. He was patient with them and they enjoyed his participation in every detail of their lives.
Being a dad can’t be easy. The buck always stops with him. A dad has to be smart with money, able to fix and repair things, be a yard man, a mechanic, a counselor, a helpmate to his wife, hold down a job and be the world’s greatest lover. If he manages all that and finally sinks into a chair to watch TV there is usually a little guy who wants to sit on his lap and have a story read to him. On his way to bed he puts the dog out, takes a glass of water to number two child and finds his wife is sound asleep…..
So here’s to the dad’s who make our lives rich and funny and safe and happy. Here’s to the guys who are clueless about how his life got lost on the way to the church ……..may you find some consolation in the fact that we love you…..we really, really do………God bless and keep you.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
When I was formed in my mother’s womb I was known by God and everything I needed or would become was known by Him. I believe that because the 139th Psalm says so. At the time my parents were raising my brother and me fathers didn’t have much to do with raising the family. That was the woman’s job. He made the living and she ran the house and raised the kids. To put a little variety in the mix we had a first generation father of immigrant parents. He struggled between old and new traditions that for the most part were not understood. He was still Danish at home and trying to learn how to be American away. The process took him on a long journey.
I am thankful he was what he taught. He put sound teaching into both of us and at times he was a hard mentor but later on when we were older we could understand that he just wanted us to be good people.
I am thankful that my children’s father was a good man who loved his children and was very much a factor in their raising. He was patient with them and they enjoyed his participation in every detail of their lives.
Being a dad can’t be easy. The buck always stops with him. A dad has to be smart with money, able to fix and repair things, be a yard man, a mechanic, a counselor, a helpmate to his wife, hold down a job and be the world’s greatest lover. If he manages all that and finally sinks into a chair to watch TV there is usually a little guy who wants to sit on his lap and have a story read to him. On his way to bed he puts the dog out, takes a glass of water to number two child and finds his wife is sound asleep…..
So here’s to the dad’s who make our lives rich and funny and safe and happy. Here’s to the guys who are clueless about how his life got lost on the way to the church ……..may you find some consolation in the fact that we love you…..we really, really do………God bless and keep you.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
