There is nothing like the love and pride of a dad. He is his kids biggest cheerleader, advocate, and great friend. His love will never be matched.
The Man Who Loves You the Most by the Zac Brown Band poetically puts a father’s feelings to music. Perhaps dads are quiet, but their love for their kids endures.
A single mom went out on a date, and wondered how things would go. Her son was at home. The mom and the man she was dating hit it off, and a relationship led to a marriage proposal. She said yes, and the two were married. For the man, he suddenly became a husband and a dad. The man chose to fall in love with both the mom and son.
A girl finds herself yanked from everything she knows because of decisions others made. Their decisions placed her in danger, so she needed a new home. Frightened and young, she found warmth and love in the home of a couple who did not have kids, but lots of love to give. The husband suddenly became a dad.
Some become dads and have 9 months to prepare, while others take on the challenge of fatherhood almost instantly. Their new bride already has a child or they accept the call to become a foster home. They take on the challenge of fatherhood with grace and love.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads that didn’t have to be. Thank you for the influence you are having on your child’s life.
As we celebrate fatherhood, there may be men who feel left out. They are great individuals who have tremendous influence in others’ lives, but they are not dads.
They may serve as coaches and mentors, and we owe them a thank you. These individuals are living out the challenge of Romans 14:7-8. “For we do not live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live it is to honor the Lord and if we die it is to honor the Lord, so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
Thank you to those men who are having a positive influence in our communities even though they do not have kids.
Thank you for taking advantage of the influence you have to make the world a better place.
There are many times in the Bible in which a challenge is issued to dads. Paul challenges fathers in Ephesians 6:4.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”
Here are 4 take-aways.
God does nothing apart from love. The discipline and instruction he offers is given in love. The decisions he makes are made in love. The actions he takes are taken in love. God is love.
As dads, we should strive to model this behavior in our own lives.
Being the leader in your home does not mean you move forward with your decision no matter what. Good leadership takes others into consideration. Before making a decision, fathers need to weigh the pros and cons. This definitely includes the feelings of our kids.
A good dad is always willing to offer encouragement and advice at the proper time.
We should encourage our kids to improve in their hobbies, but not place unrealistic expectations on them. Hobbies encompass many great activities but few hobbies turn into professions, so be sure to keep those expectations realistic while offering encouragement.
Paul rewords his challenge in Colossians 3:21, “Fathers, do not aggravate your children or they will become discouraged.” Are you meeting the challenge?
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Father’s Day is a time to celebrate dear old dad, and for dad, it can be a time to challenge himself to improve as a dad. Here are 8 questions every dad should ask.
Like it or not, dad, you are being watched.
A father and his young son were driving down the road one day when the car they were following suddenly stopped. The dad slammed on the brakes causing everything the boy was holding to fly back in his face. Amid the French fries in his lap and drink running down his face and shirt, the young boy said a word no one his age should ever say. Dad asked, “Where did you hear that?” “I’ve been watching you,” the boy replied. Rodney Atkins’ song goes on, “I’ve been watching you, dad. Isn’t that cool?”
Tradition has taught men showing affection is a sign of weakness, but that is not true. Showing affection is actually a sign of strength. The most powerful statement a dad can make to his son or daughter is “I love you.” Every person has a desire to know he or she is loved, and hearing it from dad can be a life changing experience.
Take a quick quiz. What are your child’s interests? His or her current interests may not be the most exciting for you, but it is not the activities which are exciting. It is the opportunity to spend time with your child and show an interest in his or her life that are exciting for dad. Value the time you have with your child and make the most of it. Taking an interest in your kid’s interests gives you the opportunity to teach a lot of life lessons.
Encourage independence, and allow your kid to make decisions and choices. This will help develop self-confidence which is vital to survival in life.
Having a voice means you say what you need and speak up when you are not being treated fairly. Encourage your son or daughter to do this and be sure to listen when he or she does. This is most important if your kid is introverted or has special needs. Standing up for oneself is crucial to surviving in the arena of life.
Many lessons are learned in moments of failure. It can be argued this is the hardest part of being a dad, but sometimes, giving a child freedom is best. Failure is one of the greatest teachers in life. Many of today’s successes are the result of yesterday’s failures.
Respect is learned by observation more than any other way. Take another quick quiz. Do you respect other people and their opinions? Do you respect individuals who provide services to you such as a waiter or waitress?
Booker T. Washington said, “Nothing comes to one that is worth having except through hard work.” Reaching a goal requiring hard work feels good. Hard work pays off. Encourage your son or daughter to work hard to reach goals and see dreams become reality.
How did you measure up? If you are not pleased with your answers, you can take action this week by picking one of the questions and changing the way you answer it this week. Share your experience in the comments below.
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