I have always wished that there was a manual on how to be a good dad. Well, in fact there are many books out there and I have read a few of them, but my conclusion has always been – it is always easier reading about being a good dad than being one!
Most men learn about fathering from what they have experienced with their fathers. Some men had great examples and others either did not have a father or they had bad examples. It is incredible to see the significance a father has on a person’s life. Fathers really do shape the future generations.
Today, I was awakened by my kids with a “happy Father’s Day” greeting on my bed. They gave me their presents and a talking card where they recorded their happy wishes. After Sunday Celebration, we went out to eat and enjoyed some good food. I am always humbled by the love that my family shows me on a regular basis.
I think being a dad is one of the greatest responsibilities a man can ever have in their lifetime. It is not an easy path but the rewards and the joys are incredible.
Here are some things that I was reminded by on this day:
2) Fathers must be promise keepers. I am realizing the power there is when a father keeps his promise. In fact, for the child, it produces feelings of security, confidence and hope. There is something about knowing that you can count on your dad that lifts up a child’s spirit.
3) Fathers must live out what they preach. It is amazing how kids pick up on little inconsistencies of the father. It is always easier to tell the kids to do something (or not to do something) than to actually live it out as a father. But when my words match up with my actions, it really has a powerful affect on the children.
4) Fathers must always be teaching life principles. When children are young, they have this insatiable curiosity to know everything. They are like question asking machines. The infamous, “why” question has been asked thousands of times. They are like sponges as they love to soak up a lot of information. I am constantly amazed at the number of opportunities that dads have throughout a given day to teach their children something. It is through teaching and training that a child will grow up living a life to impact others. This is why the writer of Proverbs said, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Pr 22:6).
5) Fathers must learn to have fun. I have caught myself many times being stressed out over things and have missed out on opportunities to just “play” and have fun with the kids. Whenever I do play with the kids, there is a marked difference in how they respond to me. There is a greater and closer bond between us. I am learning to drop everything and just go crazy with the kids. These are the moments that they will remember the most.