A Godly Father

Fathers are very special people. I personally think we are special partly because we are men. Of course, only men will agree with that. Here are a few examples of why I say that.

If you are a man,

... You’ll never waste time asking for directions

... You can finish all phone calls in less than 30 seconds

... When surfing the TV, you don’t have to stop every time you hear crying

Not long ago, my brother’s wife bought some of those cosmetics you see on TV that are supposed to make you look years younger. After trying it for a few days, she asked my brother if she looked any younger. Now, that is a danger sign for every man, isn’t it?

Well, my brother handled it smoothly. He put the newspaper down and gave her a studied look, and then he said that her hair looked 18, her figure looked 20, and her skin looked 25.

She was so happy, but as she turned to leave the room, he said, “Wait a second, I haven’t added it all up yet!”

Every time my dad used to come near my children, he would offer them money. That irritated me, because when I was a child and asked for money, I would always get a lecture.

He would tell me how, when he was a child, he had to work for any money he got. He said he walked ten miles to milk 100 cows, and because they didn’t have a bucket, he would have to squirt the milk in a glass, carry the glass another mile to put in a jug, then come back and milk another glassful and repeat it until the jug was full. Then he would tell me he did this all while it was snowing!

The bottom line, I never got any money. So, whenever he would give my kids money, after he left I would take it from them. I figured it was mine anyway – I had earned it by listening to all those stories! Of course, I am joking.

I was sitting in a restaurant one day talking to one of my friends, and I told him how I always tried to teach my kids financial responsibility when they were young. I said when my kids lost a tooth, I would go in just before they fell asleep and put a quarter under their pillow. Then, after they fell asleep, I would go in and take the quarter back, then the next morning I would spank them for losing the quarter.

As soon as I told him that, the lady in the next booth started telling me how bad of a father I was, and more! I guess she didn’t have the refined sense of humor I do.

In reality, I love my children. I always have and I always will. They have been a delight in my life, and a blessing from my God. I treasure them and they know it.

It may have been years ago, but I vividly remember when my children were born. Shawn was born in 1972, in Xenia, Ohio, and Kimberly was born in 1975 in Mesa, Arizona. When Shawn was born, I had to call long distance to let his maternal grandparents know about his arrival. I was so nervous that I referred to my son as “she” several times before they brought it to my attention.

When Kimberly was born, the doctor told me that she had jaundice. I knew what jaundice was, but I was so nervous that I remember asking the doctor what he did wrong!

Like most men, I tend to act like I can handle just about anything with ease and confidence, but let something happen that is really important, like my kids being born, and I crumble into nervousness. Maybe we men are not as strong as we normally like to portray.

I am reminded of the story of three men who were in the waiting room while their wives were giving birth. The nurse came in and told the first man that his wife had given birth to twins. He was thrilled, because he said he worked for the Minnesota Twins.

The nurse came back in a little while later and told the second man that his wife had just given birth to triplets. He, too, was happy because he said he worked for 3M Company.

Later, when the nurse came back in, the third man fainted! Later, they found out that he worked for 7-11 Company.

And today we celebrate our fathers. It is your day. This is your day to go home and take a nap while dinner is being cooked, or to sit back and look at your children and marvel at how God trusted you enough to take care of these little ones for a season of their lives. This day is for you fathers.