TGFF: Thank God for Fathers

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh Father, show me the way
To lead them

Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me 'cause I can't do this alone

("Lead Me" by Sanctus Real)

Today is the day of the year we stop to honor fathers.  Sadly, our society has become so fractured and we've strayed so far from God's plan for fathers. We just don't give them much honor the rest of the year.  Contrary to the way they are portrayed in the media, dads are not dense, bumbling idiots that must be parented by their wife and ridiculed by their children.  They shoulder a huge responsibility for protecting and guiding their family through the storms of life.  God placed them in the role of leader of their families - it's a rather thankless and lonely challenge, especially when they must also fight the tidal wave of popular sentiment that dismisses and disparages the role of fatherhood.

Thank God for the good and God-fearing men who take their role seriously and understand they must lead their family by example, and they must make the final decision on some of life's toughest choices.  The buck stops with dad, who knows he must someday answer for every choice and decision he made for his family.

I'm thankful for my father and his leadership growing up. And I'm thankful for the way my husband leads our family, and for the example given to him by his father.  I pray that our sons will become strong, godly husbands and fathers in due time.  I remind Swimmer Girl to look at the example of her own father when she is ready to choose a man to lead her family.

Happy Father's Day!

A long trip on the longest day of 2010

Today we made the trip home from central Kansas, heading out a little before 9 a.m. there and pulling in our driveway 753 miles and almost precisely 12 hours later.  It's a long drive, but it was blissfully uneventful: no near misses, no breakdowns, no wrong turns, and no awkward conversations with state troopers in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky or Tennessee.   That spells success in my book.

The weather systems that beset us all weekend got in a final parting shot before we hit the Missouri border, but after that it was dry and muggy and just really loooong.  Or maybe it seemed long because the visit was too short. Yeah, we'll go with that.

It was such a whirlwind weekend that it wasn't until late last night I even realized I had failed to remember it was Father's Day and have a gift and card for my husband or my dad.  Ooops!!!  Hopefully the other festivities eclipsed it in their minds too, but I really hope they both know they are two very special men in my life, and I am blessed to have been sheltered and protected, loved and nurtured by each of them.  They've both gone toe-to-toe with me when it was necessary, but they've also had my back more times than I know, and they never gave up on me even when I've been nearly impossible.  (It's hard to imagine, I know ;o)  But seriously, I just thank God that He thought enough of me to give me these two men as my life anchors.  I love you both more than words can say and I hope your Father's Day was terrific even if we didn't have a traditional celebration in your honor.