A Few Father’s Day Thoughts

The Fam - Father's Day 2016

Father’s Day was a nice, relaxing day with all my kids coming in to visit and my Dad and Mom driving over as well.  We opened old photo albums from when the kids were young and reminisced.  We sat around and ate ice cream and peaches and bread pudding with rum sauce.  Overall, it was just a really nice day.  I hope that you enjoyed yours.

Saturday (Father’s Day “eve”), I was out in the barn doing a little work and just thinking about things.  The current state of affairs in our world is such that it can be really discouraging if you dwell on the issues facing us for any length of time.  In fact, trying to come up with solutions to our problems is a daunting exercise that often leaves me feeling that we are powerless to change anything.

In the 80’s President Ronald Reagan, in his election-eve address entitled “A Vision for America,” dismissed the fact that our days of greatness were over and that we were in a national malaise.  He was a great communicator.  While not a perfect individual or president, he inspired me and I thought he was a great leader.  Still, when dealing with the large issues we are faced with, I wonder how we as citizens can do anything to change our current course.

Ronald Reagan had another quote in which he said:

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”

I think it goes without saying (or should go without saying) that all great change begins on your knees in prayer to our Great God.  While it seems impossible to grapple with the issues of our culture on an aggregate level, we really don’t need to.  Our foremost ministry and greatest responsibility is for the family that is seated around our supper table.  As Fathers, we are charged to be the spiritual leaders of our homes.

 

When I think about it in those terms, it is easier to get my head wrapped around it.  I find it is a great practice to hold hands and pray at the supper table, thanking the Almighty for his provision and praying for each other.  Then, as the family eats, engage in conversation.  Talk about dreams, plans, and goals.  Reminisce about good times and things that draw us together.  We like to pose questions to each other that spur thoughtful conversation like:

Ø  “If money was not a constraint and you could travel anywhere, where would you go?”

Ø  “Of our family vacations, what was your favorite destination and why?”

Ø  “What is your favorite candy or dessert?”

Ø  “What is your favorite food?”

Ø  “If you could have any super-power, what would it be?”

Ø  “What is your favorite movie?”

You get the picture.  We’ve started a new family tradition that we discussed IN THIS POST

in which we divide up the verses in the chapter by the number of people dining and take turns reading one of the Proverbs each evening at the end of our meal.  Since there are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs, that means you read the entire book each month.

Things like this will hopefully build family unity, harmony and togetherness in a world that seems so fragmented, divided and antagonistic.  Does that mean that things in the family will always be serene and conflict-free?  Well, I’d like to tell you that these ideas will insulate your family from conflict, but they won’t.  The idea is that we’re trying.  We are very imperfect people that fall down repeatedly and try to get back up again and stay in the fight to reclaim territory that may have been claimed by the Enemy.  We hope to instill a sense of unity, a place of refuge, and a family identity.  We may never know if we’ve been successful, but we must continue trying.  I can’t comprehend as an individual how to have an effect on the national debt, gun violence, illegal immigration, abortion, Social Security, foreign policy, etc. etc.  But I can, as a father, at least try to have some effect on those that sit around the supper table.

I also think that the family is of utmost importance to God, as He created the institution of the Family.  I find that whenever you part from a family member, the last things you say to each other are usually things that are the most important.  Things like: 

“I love you.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“Take care.”

“Please let us know that you’ve arrived safely.”

“Keep in touch.”

"Can't wait to see you again!"

I find it very interesting that the last book of the Old Testament is Malachi.  Between Malachi and the first book of the New Testament, Matthew, there was a span of 400 years.  These were called “The Silent Years.”  The last thing said in Malachi before the 400 silent years was the following:

Malachi 4:5-6 (NASB)

⁵ “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. ⁶ He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

Our God is in the restoration business and it seems He is very interested in restoring the family – fathers to children and children to fathers.  And that gives me great hope.