The Best Father's Day EVER!

Yesterday in our Life Group, one of the ladies mentioned that her 18 year old daughter and herself had been frequently saying the same things at the same time lately. The things that they had been saying, had all been quotes and sayings that the mother had no doubt said time after time over the years since the daughter was older enough to understand…now the daughter herself had automatically started saying these same things and she was becoming quite annoyed with the thought that she was in essence, becoming her mother! This cracked me up! The LAST thing a teenager and young adult EVER wants to be compared to is their parents…I know I was the same way and I would venture to guess that at some point you were as well. Later on when I was thinking about this, it started to move me…a parent who was so consistent with the wisdom and knowledge she was attempting to impart on her children, that she saw the results of her efforts come to fruition before her very eyes! A child who was close enough to her parents and trusted her parents enough to accept that wisdom and knowledge as her own!
Have you ‘hung’ around and immersed yourself in the life and teachings of Christ long enough that the things He would say or the things He would think or do comes as second nature to you? Think about how many hours a day we spent with our parents listening to them and their instruction while we were growing up. Watching how mom cooked a meal or how dad fixed the car…receiving guidance, direction and even discipline. How much time do we spend seeking guidance and direction from God? In order for someone to instinctively accept and live out someone else’s wisdom and knowledge requires trust and trust is gained through the intimate knowledge of the person’s character and requires an investment of time.

Yesterday was father’s day and we had made plans to meet Brittany and Bill half way between us and them, go to a park and have a picnic. Nick had gone with his dad and grandfather on a trip to canoe and camp along the Boundary Waters and Trevor spent the day with his girlfriend Whitney, but everyone else was there! We brought burgers and hot dogs to grill along with some other picnic fare and Brittany had made a bowl of potato salad and brought an Ice Cream cake. Although we went through some hard rain on the way there AND the way back home, while we were at the park, the rain held off! After eating, we just hung out talking and playing a few games (Apples to Apples and that one lawn game with the PVC pipes and golf balls strung together). But the best came as Lisa and the kids gave me their gifts. Lisa had purchased two books; 100 Reasons Why a Son Needs a Dad and 100 Reasons Why a Daughter Needs a Dad. The books themselves are pretty cool, but Lisa had asked each of the kids to read through them and write a little something next to a few of the entries…I will treasure these books for the rest of my life…what an amazing gift! Let me share a few entries with you:

A Son Needs a Dad – to be the role model for the father HE will become – Vinny
A Son Needs a Dad – who will help his mother – Yep, Kyle
A Son Needs a Dad – to let him be his equal now and then – Yeah! Trevor

A Daughter Needs a Dad – who gives her refuge in a home secured with faith – Because you were always my refuge, my safe place, my listener, my comforter - Brittany
A Daughter Needs a Dad – to teach her the importance of being a lady – sometimes when we’re eating you tell me to do manners - Hope

And this from my oldest – The older I get, the more I realize you were right…God has AMAZING things in my future. And God has been consistent with what you’ve told me. “I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.” Thank you for loving me in my best & my worst times.

Anytime, my baby girl…anytime.

Like I said…it’s a pretty amazing thing to see your children pick up the wisdom and knowledge you’ve tried SO very hard to instill and actually own it for themselves…glory to God!

Thank you Hon, for the most incredible father’s day I’ve EVER had…thank you kids! I love each and every one of you!

~ V