Skip to main content

Happy Father's Day!

Fathers get a bad rap in TV sitcoms. They're usually just another child underfoot in the house and Mom has to take care of the kids and manipulate her husband into quasi-adult behavior. Study after study shows that dads are a big deal in the home. Daughters learn their value from the male perspective with a man who protects and loves her sacrificially. Sons learn how a real man behaves in this confusing world.

Real dads aren't wimps. They're men who aren't perfect and make plenty of mistakes, but they don't run out on their families. Ask any social worker and you'll find out that many of the problems with teens and younger children are because there is no father in the home.

"A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society." -- Billy Graham, Christian Evangelist
 "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." 
 -- Theodore Hesburgh, Catholic Priest and President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame
 I was blessed with a father who was and still is one of the good guys. He worked hard to support us, took us to church, played with us, taught us to shoot and fish, and some of our family adventures make great stories to tell to our grandchildren.

You appreciate your parents more when you're a  parent yourself. Kids don't come with an instruction manual and you can have days when being shipwrecked on a uninhabited island is ideal. Good dads gird up their loins and go home, get down on the floor and play with the kids.

I'm grateful for a husband who's also a great father and for a son-in-law who is as well. Now that we're sitting back from parenting duty, we're watching Steve and Megan raise our grandsons. Glad they got the twins and we didn't. Listening to Steve's testimony at their church a couple of weeks ago on their experience with the birth of the boys, makes a mother-in-law's heart just about bust.(I'll refer you to the December Miracles post for the story on their birth.)

L to R
Megan, Emily, Chris, Steve
Austin, Brayden
Steve is definitely one of the good guys. He's a godly example for his sons, loves his wife, and Steve is committed to his family for the long haul. It's not an easy job. It takes courage, commitment, and sacrifice. There are lots of good dads out there---more than there are bad ones I'd hazard to guess. I hope you've been blessed with a good one like mine.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Thanks!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Giveaway

I'll be giving a copy of The Time Under Heaven to the winner of a drawing on July 11.  Just click to follow SimplyLife between July 1 and July 10, and you'll be entered. It's SIMPLY simple. The Time Under Heaven is available at Amazon in paperback or Kindle.  Reviews In "The Time Under Heaven," first-time author Laurinda Wallace has created ordinary, relatable, and approachable characters, weaving a story of struggle and ultimate success from a faith perspective. And just when you think you know where the story is heading, it veers off into unknown territory revealing how unexpected life is. Wallace's storytelling captures the reader's emotions and attention with characters that have heart and soul and settings with vivid realism. "The Time Under Heaven" is a great read that will leave you wanting more.   Francine Biere, Author of Death in the Desert. Editorial Review - The Time Under Heaven – Laurinda Wallace’s debut novel is a...
4 comments
Read more

The Worst Dishes Ever

Thanksgiving is only days away now and visions of succulent turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, and moist stuffing are dancing through our heads.  However, holiday feasts also bring out those dishes that are made but once or twice a year, some to our delight, and others--not so much. The delightful list for me includes pecan pie, homemade stuffing, and turkey (with some crispy skin). Yup,it's all stuff that will clog your arteries in a heartbeat. Since it's once a year, I think the indulgence is totally permissible. My doctor may say otherwise, but really now, it's Thanksgiving. These decadent dishes are certainly not found in our weekday menus--at least not mine. However, there are some dishes that make it to the Thanksgiving table that should've been left in the kitchen or in the best case scenario, never made at all. Here's a quick list of what NOT to make next week. 1. Jell-O salads. I know, I know. They're traditional. But green gelatin ...
3 comments
Read more

The Wild World of Condiments

When you bite into that burger, what's on top of it?  Ketchup, mustard, salsa, relish, onions, cheese? All of the above? None?  I love condiments of all kinds, all ethnic persuasions, colors, textures. They add the zing to whatever I'm eating. As a kid, ketchup was my number one favorite. It goes well on most anything. Ask my Aunt Nita who was a real rebel back in the day and put it on her eggs. I was mildly shocked at this as a child, but followed her example and found it to be pretty tasty. Now I prefer salsa and cheese on scrambled eggs, but nothing can replace ketchup on a myriad of foods. So what's a condiment? It comes from the Latin word "condimentum" which means seasoning. I can see my Latin teacher standing to cheer on this one. I should try to decline the noun, but I'm not sure if I'd make it. All good words come from the Latin, which is common knowledge, sort of like "all words come from the Greek" (My Big Fat Greek Wedding).  Diction...
5 comments
Read more