This past Sunday, we celebrated the blessing of our fathers. I feel very fortunate that my Dad is still living; he is 91 years old, and his body has slowed down, but not his mind. My husband, Jim's, father went to heaven 14 years ago. I know that many of you value the blessing of your father and his influence in your lives.
Fathers don't get the amount of recognition that mothers do, yet both are vitally important in the lives of their children. Many Dads work long hours, yet strive to be involved in their children's everyday lives, helping with homework and other activities.
Watching our fathers interact with our mothers shows us how marriages are to work; they are our role models, teaching us the importance of a loving, respectful relationship, and the value of working together for the good of the family.
Dads also tend to be the ultimate disciplinarian in the home, the one Mom can count on to back her up, so we learn to obey our mothers.
A father's love for his children — while different from a mother's — is just as important. Dads may show their love by spending time teaching children to ride a bike or catch a ball, taking them fishing, or camping, but their love is genuine.
Those acts of love have far-reaching effects.
From a federal government website, www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/fatherhood/fatherhood.pdf, I found this quote: "Even from birth, children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections with peers.
“These children also are less likely to get in trouble at home, school, or in the neighborhood."
Be sure you tell your father how much you love him and thank him for all he means to you; life is short, and we never know what tomorrow may bring.
Of course, we mustn't overlook the role of the perfect Father, the Lord God, and thank Him for all of our blessings.
Three cheers for our Crestview dads. Thank you for being involved in our lives.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: A father's love has far-reaching effects