Sermon: Why I love Dad?
Introduction: The Story of Father’s Day: from Father’s Day on the net
Father’s Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when a "father’s day" was first proposed there were no Father’s Day cards!
Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father’s day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd’s mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.
The first Father’s Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father’s day." In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day.
Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all be honored on Father’s Day.
Today we celebrate Father’s Day and in doing so we fulfill one of the ten Commandments: Deut. 5:16
16“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
Thesis: I love Dad because he has taught us what to do and what not to do.
We all have been impacted by what dad’s do and don’t do. One area we have all been impacted with is their words: Dad’s Favorite Sayings!
• Go ask your mother!
• Just wait until I get you home!
• I love you, son!
• I love you, princess!
• When I was your age....
• My father used to tell me...
• I used to walk to school in the snow!
• Be home early.
• That’s not a tear, I have something in my eye
God has uniquely designed us dad’s to be different from mom’s. We know that both male and female have been created in God’s image and it takes the two of us to have the qualities that are all a part of God. God choose the sacred institution of marriage to create and environment for kids to grow up in that would have the balance of a mom and a dad. Different yes, but both are essential to the family unit.
When God Created Fathers by Erma Bombeck
When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame. And a female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you’re going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won’t be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping."
And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?"
And when God made a father’s hands, they were large and sinewy.
And the angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do You know what You’re doing? Large hands are clumsy. They can’t manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats."
God smiled and said, "I know, but they’re large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day…yet small enough to cup a child’s face."
Then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders.
The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do You realize You just made a father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?"
God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."
God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That’s not fair. Do You honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?"
And God smiled and said, "They’ll work. You’ll see. They’ll support a small child who wants to "ride a horse to Banbury Cross" or scare off mice at the summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."
God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that see everything, but remain calm and tolerant.
Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"
And the angel shutteth up!
Yes, God made us fathers to be different than mothers. He wants us to impact our children’s lives as much as their mother’s impact their lives. Both are essential and vital to a child’s development. So Father’s I want you to know how needed you are today.
Video Illustration from Yentl: PaPa can you hear me!
Our video clip for today shows how we as Father’s impact our children and how our children need us. We as Fathers do make a difference either positively or negatively in our children’s lives.
Listen to these letters from kids as they reveal the impact their fathers had on them:
Letter’s are from Father’s Day on the Net: http://www.holidays.net/father/celebrat.htm
Listen to the cry of the hearts of the kids whose fathers have died and how they miss them:
CJ
He kissed her ouchy, when she scraped her knee, the hurt all gone, thanks to her daddy, that magical medicine from deep within, and she’d look up at him with a toothless grin
Out of pigtails, a thing of the past
my how the days seemed to go by so fast, she wasn’t exactly a raving beauty, but she was her daddy’s little cutie!
His little girl with so much to share
with someone special, somewhere out there, a few guys around would whistle and sigh, and ask her daddy if they could drop by
Suddenly a young lady, she started dating, learned a thin line between loving and hating, crying on daddy’s shoulder, he wiped her tears, hugged her tight and consoled her fears
Then one day she came home from work
said; there’s this man dad, no he’s not a jerk! He wants to get married and so do I, be happy for me daddy, please don’t cry.
He hugged her tight like he did back then, and she flashed him that cute little grin, that same one he’d seen so many years ago, which seemed to him like... just a day or so
She married later and he was alone
but she would call him on the phone, they’d talk for hours and laugh and cry
share hugs and kisses then say goodbye
Months passed and one day she said; Guess what daddy, you’re going to be a Granddad! He was excited and told her true; I hope it’s a girl and she’s just like you!
He waited patiently for that wonderful day, when his grandchild would come to him and say; Tell me about Mommy when she was small, was she a tomboy Grandpa, or do you recall?
But her daddy went to heaven, so he never did see, how cruel sometimes things come to be, and how memories linger as she stands tall, facing the consequences throughout it all
Ah yes to reminisce and let out a big sigh, climbing in daddy’s lap as the world went on by, fixing ouchies, broken hearts and come what may
my pick for FATHER OF THE YEAR, on Father’s Day
Today I heard a song on the radio
daddy used to sing it to me real slow, memories flooded in and the teardrops fell, funny how we remember some things so well
Happy Father’s Day Daddy... I Love you!
Your daughter CJ
14 June 2003 - United States
Linda L.
Daddy, It has been 2 year’s since your passing. In this month of June we celebrate Father’s Day and also remember your passing a week after. I cannot express the way I have been feeling since you passed. My heart aches to see you, to hear your voice and to touch you you. Daddy, I love you and will forever miss you. The kids talk about you all the time, they say "you remember when Baba did this, said that" etc.. I know that you never got the chance to see Anthony, but he will be 2 years old. I show him your picture and try to tell him that you are Baba, but he just says Baba... Everybody says that he looks like his Grandfather, and that makes me feel sooo good. Well Daddy I want to wish you Happy 2nd Father’s Day in Heaven. Thanks for all you did for me, I love you...... May you rest forever in peace.
Love always,
Linda (Forever Heart Broken) missing Daddy!
26 May 2004 - Stamford, CT
WHAT MAKES A DAD
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
~Author Unknown~
CARRIE
DAD, IF I COULD JUST HEAR YOUR VOICE ONE MORE TIME...
CALLING ME TO GET UP IN THE MORNING TO GO TO SCHOOL, CALLING ME TO COME IN TO FINISH MY HOMEWORK, SAYING GOODNIGHT. TALKING TO ME LATE AT NIGHT... WHEN I WAS AFRAID TO GO TO SLEEP, HOLDING MY HAND AND TALKING TO ME WHILE I WAS IN THE DENTIST’S CHAIR, SCOLDING ME WHEN I HAD DONE WRONG; PRAISING ME WHEN I WAS GOOD. EVEN WHEN YOU WERE SICK, YOU STILL CALLED OUT TO ME, LETTING ME KNOW YOU WERE THERE IF I WAS AFRAID. I TRULY MISS HEARING YOU SING. I MISS YOU SO MUCH, BECAUSE NOW THAT VOICE HAS BEEN STILLED. THE VOICE HAS BEEN QUIETED BUT THE LOVE STILL ABOUNDS. I HEAR YOU IN MY HEART... I LOVE YOU ROBERT STEELE!
17 June 2004 - TENNESSEE
Truth is dad’s kids will go through various stages in life but remember stay the course it will pay off.
My Father
When I was:
Four years old: My daddy can do anything.
Five years old: My daddy knows a whole lot.
Six years old: My dad is smarter than your dad.
Eight years old: My dad doesn’t know exactly everything.
Ten years old: In the olden days, when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
Twelve years old: Oh, well, naturally, Dad doesn’t know anything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
Fourteen years old: Don’t pay any attention to my dad. He is so old-fashioned.
Twenty-one years old: Him? My Lord, he’s hopelessly out of date.
Twenty-five years old: Dad knows about it, but then he should, because he has been around so long.
Thirty years old: Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he’s had a lot of experience.
Thirty-five years old: I’m not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
Forty years old: I wonder how Dad would have handled it. He was so wise.
Fifty years old: I’d give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn’t appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.
Writer Unknown
Denise
4 yrs. ago the Lord came to take you away,
I cried so very hard that day,
Never again to know your gentle touch,
Daddy I love you very much.
4 June 2004 - California, United States
Proverbs 23:
22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.
24 The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.
25 May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!
Kids the truth is one day you will lose your father so use the precious time together and understand that a righteous father only wants what is best for you.
Ernest Shams
Daddy, Have a Very Blessed Fathers Day in Heaven. There’s no place better than Heaven. But I still wish you were with us. We have received many of the blessings that you prayed we might have. Talo was married to Shakeel whom you blessed and both of them love each other. Cheetah married Mahreen, also whom you blessed. They are expecting to be parents by mid-November. Buntoo still hasn’t chosen a wife, but he is doing very well in his job. Serwat and I still enjoy good health. All of us frequently remember you at meals, because that’s when I behave most like you. Everyone has started calling me "dada.’ Thank you for all your hard work of raising us with love. Cuckoo 2 June, 2004
2 June 2004 - Lahore, Pakistan
This father blessed his children and their children knew it and it impacted their lives.
Proverbs 4:1-9:
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father’s house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
“Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor.”
Thomas Heemer
to the one that always was the voice of reason in the family, who would give the shirt off his back to help someone, and the one who would go out and fish for hours with you.
dad i miss you it will be three years on july 4 - i really miss you
1 June 2004 - north warren pa
Listen to these letters to dad from kids who valued and appreciated their fathers:
Buntoo
Papa, You are the greatest dad. Its a great pride for us to be your children. Thankyou for raising us with values, morals and dignity.
We love you. Talo, Cheetah and Buntoo.
3 June 2004 - Lahore, Pakistan
Deut. 5:16
16“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
DEBBIE
I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE A FATHER WHO HAS BEEN THERE FOR ME AND ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT OUR FAMILY WAS TAKEN CARE OF.NOT ONLY ARE YOU MY FATHER,BUT A FRIEND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE WHEN I NEEDED YOU.I FEEL SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AS MY DAD.THANK YOU DAD FOR BEING THERE.I LOVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!
16 June 2004 - WEST VIRGINA
F.A.T.H.E.R.S.
"F" aithful.
"A" lways there.
"T" rustworthy.
"H" onoring.
"E" ver-loving.
"R" ighteous.
"S" upportive.
~Unknown~
Brandee
Dearest Daddy,
Thank you for always being there for me, for putting up with me when I didn’t ’grow up and move away!’
Thank you for always being a Godly example to your children, and for loving us even when we didn’t always follow your example :-)
Thank you for being so generous, for teaching me to trust God, even when things didn’t happen when or how I wanted!
I am so glad things are starting to take off for you, it is so nice to see you happy and excited at the prospect of working for God, I am proud of you Daddy!
Luv
Brandee
13 June 2003 - Oxford, England
The IDEAL Man of God and father would be?
A man who loves the Word of God and Loves the Lord with all his heart
and all his soul and all his mind. He would love his wife like Christ loves
the Church. He would love his family UNCONDITIONALLY and would
".... provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
~Ephesians 6:4~ Copyright 2000 - 2004 Annie’s Home Page.
webmaster
To my dad and all dads,
Thank you!
1 May 2003 - Long Island, New York
Ephesians 6
2“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—3“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Raymond
Thanks for raising me in a Christian home and helping me to come to know Jesus Christ as my own personal Lord and Savior!!
11 June 2003 - Tennessee
THANK YOU, DAD
Thank you Dad,
for giving us a very special gift.
Its the most important gift of all,
That only love can give.
You read us the Bible at bedtime
and taught us how to pray.
You made sure we made it to church every Sunday.
And even though
we acted like we didn’t hear a thing,
When I’m in church today,
I hear an old familiar ring.
I’ve learned alot through all these years,
through the good times and the bad.
I want you to know,
I thank God every night for you Dad.
I can’t imagine
how it would be to live life day by day...
Not knowing God, not knowing love,
not knowing how to pray.
It would be so cold, so lonely,
so sad a life I know.
And it’s all because of you, Dad.
God’s love - we’ve been shown.
So Dad we want to thank you
on this very special day.
Because of you - we now know
the true meaning of Father’s Day.
~By Terri Lewis~
Jennifer, Stephanie, & Rags
Wayne Goorhouse is the single most incredible father in existence! He made me evolve in countless ways, and taught me through his life and words of wisdom morals and so many things. Only the most responsible, respectable, loving man alive could assume the role as father and compensate for a negligent mother. So heres to the greatest father / mother, role model, inspiration, motivation, friend, brother, son, genius, burping king, alive!!!
31 May 2003 - Michigan
Dad,
I know sometimes it’s hard to be my dad but you have always been there for me. When I was growing up, I didn’t realize how hard it was to take care of a family, home, and work. I’ve learned alot from watching and listening to you. That’s why I have become the mother, daughter, and wife I am today. I just wanted you to know how much I truly appreciated all you’ve done for me. Most of all I just wanted to say how much I love you and how much you mean to me. Love, Your first daughter, Kathy
17 June 2004 - Connersville, IN
"I watched a small man with thick calluses on both hands work fifteen and sixteen hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example." -- Mario Cuomo
The truth is dad’s you are role models to your children by how you live your life.
Psalm 112:1-10:
1 Praise the LORD.
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who finds great delight in his commands.
2 His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.
7 He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Truth is Father’s Day is not just for biological dads but for spiritual fathers and step fathers so listen to these words of appreciation for a step dad:
Helena
Greg, you are the best "dad" anyone could hope for. You are fun, fair, kind, strong, sweet, smart & well, perfect. Best of all, you are a kid at heart so Rachel and Erik have the benefit of a friend as well as a parent. I wish their biological father cared about them half as much as you do. I hope they realize how truly wonderful and special you are! I love you, always, all ways.
4 June 2003 - Berkeley, IL
Now listen to what happens to kids when their fathers are not involved in their lives hear and feel the hurt and pain of a absentee father’s impact on his kids:
baby boo
to all the good daddies out their continue your good work because your chidren will love you for it. For all those daddies who are missing out their kids lives think about it. i didnt grow up with my dad and hate him for not being there when i needed him. for those fathers who have forever been there for your children or trying to make ammends now well done. Happy fathers day to you
15 June 2004 - england
Shelli
I’m 38 years old and haven’t spoken to my Dad in over 20 years. Our family recently experienced a tragedy of someone who was very close to us and I was thinking how short life really is. So, I picked up the phone and called my Dad. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the Phone Monitor, my so-called "step-mom"; I never got to speak to him. He has never met his granddaughters and what wonderful girls they have turned out to be. I was hoping to generate some type of positive communications between us because it’s a little too late to be my "Dad". I have never had a real relationship with him so it’s presumptuous to say "reconcile". I recently received this letter as follows (verbatim)-- all from a 60 second phone conversation:
May 28, 2004
Shelli and Family,
We have had the proverbial conversation again about you and your family. Going through this again is just not going to work. There has been to many attempts over the years to reconcile. Each time ended up with nothing fruitful. Therefore, it is our desire that you and everyone else concerned live a wonderful healthy life. Our best to you. It is best you continue you on with your life, but do not include us.
Cordially yours,
Ted and Ginger Lyon
Thank you to all the Fathers out there that have cared for, supported and have shown great interest in their children. I just wish my Dad was one of you!!
5 June 2004 - Loveland, Colorado
"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection." -- Sigmund Freud
Here is a letter to a dad who was not their in the beginning of his child’s life but who entered it later in life and still made a impact on this child. Note it is never to late to be the father God called you to be!
Lindie Little-Magann
Dearest Daddy, (John Little)
We were robbed of many years, I always knew something special was missing from my life as I was growing up. Then one day I was told I was going to meet my real Dad. With out saying to much I just want you to know the day we were reunited was the happiest day of my life. Dad I am so much like you , which they say is strange for a girl to be just like her dad, Daddy I am so glad I am like you if I had to choose who I would turn out like it would have been you, A loving & caring person. Your a GREAT dad & grandfather, Please know that even though we are miles apart my heart is always with you. You are not only my dad but my best friend in the world.
14 June 2003 - Australia
"Fathers, like mothers, are not born.
Men grow into fathers-
and fathering is a very important
stage in their development."
~By David M. Gottesman~
I believe the Lord has spoken to me directly as a dad today and I am making a commitment to my family and to my kids to be a better father. So I am going to commit to do seven things better in my parenting and I am asking for God’s help to fulfill these. I challenge each father here to day to consider doing the same with their families.
1. I will do more family vacations and family outings.
Some of my most vivid family memories are from our vacations. I recall the wet and wild camping trip to South Dakota and Colorado. The crunching in to the little hotel rooms with two beds and us all packed in with one on the floor. The times together doing fun things and laughing. I commit to do more of these in our future.
2. I will listen more.
I will ask my kids more questions and listen to what they have to say. I will let them share their difficulties and seek to solve their problem for them. I will learn to hear their hurts and their victories clearer and be more supportive.
3. I will raise my voice less.
I believe in disciplining my kids but I will try harder to do it with a constructive tone of voice. Hughes states this:
If you ask me, most fathers of my generation don’t shout enough. We try to reason with kids who have no concept of what’s reasonable. I once heard a guy trying to coax his son off the roof of a Honda Odyssey, explaining why it wasn’t safe to ride up there. "If Daddy had to stop short, you could fall off and get hurt, Brandon, and that would make Mommy and me sad." Yikes! Sometimes, yelling is better than building self-esteem. Consider this from psychiatrist Bruno Bettelheim: "We become most upset with our children when we see in them aspects of our own personalities of which we disapprove." Bullseye! I support Dad anger when kids have earned the wrath of a right-thinking man. But my wrath wasn’t always the honest and true and helpful kind. Sometimes it was the whirlwind of my self-loathing. That wasn’t fair and I’d take that back if I could. My hunch is that free-floating anger makes kids more timid than they otherwise might be.
4. I will learn to invest the five minutes more with them when I am worn out..
Often, at the end of the day, I am tired and ready to chill out. But I believe I need to learn to invest the time with my kids more. To hear how their day went, to help them with homework or to just even talk.
5. I will touch them more even though some of them don’t like it.
Hughes notes: I touched my kids a lot when they were little. We wrestled and cuddled, slept together whenever anybody got scared. But as they have gotten older, I got less touchy. Sure it made some sense. Fourteen-year-olds rarely enjoy the same monster games they did a few years ago. But in part I fear I touched them less because I felt marginalized by their teenage disinterest in me. Yes, I was giving them their space, but I was also withholding the endorsement of a tap on the shoulder while passing in the kitchen, a kiss on the top of the head while swooping out the door to work. Shame on this grown man for holding out on the kids he loved. Human touch trumps the language of esteem-building. A righteous Dad should keep using his hands.
6. I will have more time alone with each of them.
I am going to revive the father daughter dates again and take the precious time of life and spend it with them.
7. I will seek to pray with them more and role model what it means to love the Lord with my whole heart, mind, soul and all my strength.
Conclusion:
Today I conclude by urging each of fathers to go out and become with God’s help godly fathers. To the children I encourage you to follow the Word of God and Honor your Father on this father’s day. Remember no one is perfect just forgiven.
