A Blessing for Dads

Happy Father's Day...I am grateful for the many sacrifices Jim makesfor the benefit of us, his family!Thank-you 💖 Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. I am so thankful to God for my dad who loved the Lordand instilled the spark of God's love in us when we were but a little child,and nurtured it, sometimes by great frustration of the childinto something we can look back on, in maturityand marvel at his wisdom!! A photo from a month ago of my grandson and his daddy...my love and prayers are with young dads esp. who are seeking toraise children to grow into godly men and women, in an ungodly world.What a tremendous, sacred calling, dear young fathers, you have!I pray God's Word is a lamp to your feetand a light to your path!Without it we stray and become wise in our own eyes 🙏 God bless the dad who is undeterredIn training a child through the lens/Light of God’s Word God bless the dad whose ultimate goalIs nurturing child in both body and soul …who teaches his children to love and revereOur Father in Heaven, who loves us so dear God, bless the dad who hallows Your nameAnd teaches his children to do the same And, bless the dad who, when the going gets toughStill trusts in Your promises to be enough Who instructs his children with more than mere talkBut, sets by example, the way they should walk …who faithfully labors and faithfully praysAnd shoulders the yoke of his call, by God’s grace © Janet Martin I love this excerpt from the book Little Riversby Henry Van Dyke I'm sorry I can't share the whole chapter! I'm dusting off an oldie this morning, as well;a poem my son and some of his friends read for a Father's day church service around 16 years ago! Some dads are really, really cool, and some are really smart,Some dads barely went to school but still have big soft hearts,Some dads stand up straight and tall and look all sober-likeAs if they’ve never thrown a ball or raced on their old bike,Some dads like to tease and wink and some dads laugh a lot,I guess, I suppose, it depends, I think, on how many bills they’ve got,‘Cause dad says, as long as the bills keep a-comin’,He’ll have to get up an’ keep on a-workin’,And God bless the dad that keeps on a-hummin’Even when the bills keep a-comin’ Some dads make lots of money and some, I’ve heard, are broke,Some say things like sweetheart and honey and some dads never joke,Some dads work from dawn ‘til dark with little time to play,Some take their children to the park and some just go away,Some dads work so very hard so mother can stay home,Some dads are so very tired, when at last they come,But, God bless the dad, who at the end of his dayStill gets down on his knees to pray,And God bless the faithful dad whoTeaches his little ones to pray too Some dads are really big and tough, while some are short and thin,Some dads are kinda’ rough and some are gentlemen,Some dad’s hair is curly and some dad’s hair is gray,Some don’t really worry ‘cause their hair has gone away,Some dads drive pick-ups shiny and new, some say any wheels will do,'As long as it takes me to work and such, and the insurance on it isn’t too much,'Some dads whistle and some dads sing,At home some dads feel as rich as a king,But for one thing I sure am glad,God knew how much we’d need some dads Some dads read God’s word every night, some never read at all,Some dads teach us wrong from right to guide us lest we fall,And some dads are a little like God, I suppose,‘Cause through trial and error this dad knowsThough hearts be broken and sometimes need mending,A father’s love is never-ending,And God bless the dad whose love never fails,When the going gets bad, love still prevails,Thus, for one thing I sure am glad, God knew how much we’d need some dads, Some dads’ sure leave big shoes to fill but the One who guides them will be there still,Someday, when someone says they’re glad God knew how much we’d need some dads Janet Martin