REMEMBERING FATHERS ON FATHER'S DAY

Presented by Gerald Cumby
I have a special place in my heart for my father. He was a wonderful man with many more positive traits than he had faults. I have always dwelt on my dad's positive attributes while tending (actually "intending") to overlook those traits that were considered negative. Although I know about some of those faults and failures he had, they are not important to me. My memories of my dad are deeply rooted in my mind and heart. Dad wasn't perfect...but, he was a father who loved his children's mother and the children his wife lovingly birthed and took care of throughout her life. My mom and dad were lovers of God and each other. My thoughts of them have been made very clear in my published books, The Bridge Builder and The Bridge Builder, Bracing for Life's Challenges (Amazon).

I know that the role of the father is especially important in a Christian family, as he is seen as the central figure of the home; and a role model and source of strength for his children. In the Bible, Fathers are portrayed as good and bad, wise and foolish, kind and jealous, but their role in the family is key.

Here is a short collection of favorite quotes

• "Dad: A son's first hero, a daughter's first love."
• "The power of a dad in a child's life is unmatched."
• "It is a wise father that knows his own child."
• "A father's smile has been known to light up a child's entire day."
• "A father doesn't just tell you that he loves you. He shows you."
• Billy Graham, "A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society."
• Theodore Hesburgh, Catholic Priest and President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."
• Charles Spurgeon, "Train up a child in the way he should go-but be sure you go that way yourself."
• George Herbert, "One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."
• Dwight L. Moody, "A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian...and most of all, his family ought to know."
• Clarence Budington Kelland, "My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."
• Anne Frank, "How true Daddy's words were when he said: 'All children must look after their own upbringing.' Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands."
• Kent Nerburn, "It is much easier to become a father than to be one."
• Ken R. Canfield, "I like to compare the job of a father to that of a long-distance runner. Fathering is a marathon - a long and often trying journey - and we must be disciplined if we hope to finish successfully."
• Rick Johnson, "As fathers, we have the power to impact generations of lives. Make sure your impact on the twenty-first century is a positive one."
• Psalm 103:13 (NLT) "The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him."
• Proverbs 23:24 (NLT) "The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise."-

Jesus loved His Father. Jesus always did as His Father requested and expected. He was identified by His Father in Scripture as, "This is My Son in whom I am well pleased."

I wanted to please my father (earthly father). I failed in doing that on many occasions. However, as the Father in heaven does for His children, my earthly father forgave me for my transgressions. Today, my heavenly Father, forgives me for the failures in life as I struggle to please Him in every way possible. My transgressions have been many and my Father's forgiving attributes keeps on forgiving me when I go to Him with a genuine repentant heart.

Father's Day has always been special. It continues to remind me of my earthly father's love in the past and my Heavenly Father's everlasting love and forgiveness. What a duo...my Heavenly Father and His Son. They complement each other. Hopefully, I can be a committed son with my eyes and heart directed to God's wonderful precepts and plans for my life. I have a few more years, hopefully, to fulfill the expectations God has placed on my agenda. I am stretching toward the mark of the high-calling of God. As I stretch, I want others to know that "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith." My journey toward my heavenly home has been very interesting and not always a joyful one. However, the treasures awaiting the Christian far outweigh the problems and concerns of this present life.

Therefore, buckle up Fathers. Life is a bumpy ride...but the wonderful plan of God for us who know Him will give us smooth sailing in the afterlife.