Why does Father’s Day so often feel like an afterthought to Mother’s Day?
It’s a day that doesn’t carry nearly the pressure, hoopla or distinction. You may give your dad a call, but a gift is certainly not a requirement. Hallmark doesn’t have nearly the selection of meaningful cards. Society has almost trained us that as to honoring our parents, mothers mean more, at least to the retailer’s bottom line.
Now, I certainly don’t mind the fuss as a mother for my special day in May, but my husband is just as much of a pivotal influence in my children’s lives as I am, and in some ways, even more so.
Matt, Lauren and Jackson
I am so thankful for all the big and small ways that Matt showers our family with love. He is truly a hero to Jackson and Lauren. They adore him, just as he adores them. He takes the time to invest in them, play with them, teach them, treasure them. There is no doubt in their minds that Daddy loves them, even when they are being disciplined. They know he can be trusted. They see an example in him of what a true Godly man should be.
They know and can rely on God’s love because of the way their daddy loves them. When the Bible says, “We love Him because He first loved us,” it is also true for fathers. Children know how to love because of their dads, and see Jesus through that love. What a responsibility! When God outlines the role He intends men and women to play, he commands fathers to not exasperate their children to wrath. God specifically calls fathers out because they set the tone of love and tenderness in the home, and when that is not fulfilled, children desperately search that out and often take their anger and frustration out on God, even denying Him because of the example set in their own father. I have met countless people who struggle in their relationship with their Heavenly Father because of the image of their earthly father.
Thankfully, fathers don’t have to carry this responsibility alone. I know Matt constantly puts his faith in God to live in His strength, and can love us because of the love God lavishes on him.
Fathers help shape their children more than they may ever realize. Fathers are as much an afterthought as punctuation, and act much the same. Fathers have the power to sever hope as a period ends a sentence. They can cause children to question love and faithfulness just as question marks changes the meaning of the phrase. But, they also have the ability to encourage, inspire and secure their children in the love of Christ, just as an exclamation mark will propel enthusiasm and excitement.
Our homes need fathers that provide exclamation marks!
Follow this link to a book that Jackson and I made Matt for Father’s Day (you don’t have to sign in to view…simply press the “View Photo Book” underneath the image). I hope you can see his love and devotion to our family, as we have experienced this past year-and-a-half. Happy Father’s Day!
