Father's Day

What a great Father's Day!  One boy in for the weekend and another taking the day off to spend at home. That song "Cat's in the Cradle" running through my mind and I am thinking, "Wow, I did a great job!"... then I woke up.  


The blessing of family is just that, a blessing.  My ability to instill a feeling of manhood and discipline to my boys is one more example of God's grace in my life.  They have grown into men who care for others, sacrifice their time, fight for what they believe is right and most of all, they have confidence and faith in the path God has put before them. Just for the record, any of those qualities I have developed over the years were not present at 20 and 17 years of age.  Nor did I have the confidence in faith for God to guide me.  Simply put, some run from God, and we see that as foolish, I tried to dig a hole to China to get away from God, so how dumb was that?


My fears, insecurities and well-rounded belief system (not sure how to type in a sarcastic tone) may have stunted the boys more than helped, unless you count the "Do Not Do This Chapter" as a valuable part of the training manual. What God has done through these guys is show me how to be a person strong in faith and committed to going where directed.  Church is not a building where judgement is the focus...helping others is not a scam and giving to the church is not a retirement plan for those who happen to be in charge.  Yes, the world is a tough place and there is evil, but what I have learned is we are here to be examples of the alternative.  Yes, I have learned.  They have taught me and in return, here are a few of the awesome lessons I have passed on to them:


* If you cannot hand me the tool I need, don't help.
* When I say "listening is important, I mean you listening to me."
* Cursing is the best way to express yourself.
* People are inherently bad and you should not trust anyone.
* Family is everything, that is why I travel for work all of the time.
* Family is important, that is why when I don't travel, I am at work.
* Sure I believe in you, I just won't let you try because I can do it better.
* I can yell louder, so I win.
* I had it tough, so you should too.


And my personal, "I will never be my Dad line..."


**Do as I say, not as I do...


Yes, God is very good!  My skill set for teaching boys to be men is the equivalent of taking a Physics class using a Wood Shop textbook. (and maybe not even that good)


Please don't misunderstand, I do not sit around on Father's Day and fret about what a poor parent I have been.  Just like the realization that my life has been saved through grace, without a thing I could do to earn it, I review the wonderful blessing of two boys that I did not deserve.  Two boys I was never equipped to raise, but through that same grace, saw the ability of God to not only raise them, but raise me in the process.  Father's Day is a very big day for me.  Not for the recognition of how "awesome" I am (more sarcasm, but you knew that) but another day of being thankful for a gift I received in love.  A gift to care for and nurture.  And while I would love to take credit for two of the best young men I know, I am simply thankful to be a part of their lives.


Good job boys, you have raised  me well!