Honor Thy Father


When I was little, my father was just part of my day. He’d wake me in the morning and get me out the door in time for school. Then I’d run down the street to meet him on his way home from work. He wasn’t much of a handyman, but he kept our yard tidy with an old push mower. He paid bills at a small desk wedged between the wall and his bed. He didn’t scold as loud as Mom, but his silence was almost worse. When I was sad, my tears would be wiped away with his soft white hanky. Just a few of his words were all I needed to set my world right again. I loved tagging along on his Saturday errands. On Sundays, we’d walk hand in hand down the block to church.

Being a teen didn’t change my perspective much. My dad was still just part of my day— he worked, took care of the yard and paid the bills. He even taught me how to drive a stick shift— without ever raising his voice.  His listening ear and soft white hanky now helped my topsy-turvy teenage world. We played tennis and took long walks, but I thought that’s just what fathers wanted to do.






I didn’t really appreciate fatherhood until my husband became one. Fatherhood seemed easy at first. But the burden grew along with the kids. Love motivated him, but it burned the fuel of sacrifice. His hard work provided our foundation—the home and the extras—like music lessons, sports and travel. For years I watched my husband finish work, pick up a mitt and coach little league, or basketball, or football. Fatherhood has a price. It cost more than I ever knew. Like many dads he didn’t even bother looking at the price tag. He just knew it was worth it.

I learned about the ‘honor thy father’ thing when I was little. I even tried to do it. But honestly, it was always more about me than him.  Even as I watched my husband be the best father possible, I could have honored his effort more. Fatherhood isn’t easy and in the daily routine, it can be pretty thankless.




In our imperfect world, there are some fathers (and mothers) who’ve hurt their families deeply. How can that be honored?  Here’s how: break that cycle and be the father he wasn’t.  Be the kind of dad who offers himself so that the kids can have the chance they deserve. 


Our society is hurting and we need to honor those fathers who are doing all they can. And honor those who step in and help those kids who need a dad. God knew it would be a tough job but when he gave the commandment to honor parents, he also promised that if we would, we’d enjoy a long life. Wow. Enjoying life. Yes, thanks to some special dads in my world, that’s exactly what I’ve been able to do. Now that’s worth celebrating. Happy Father’s Day! 

Popular posts from this blog

Counting the Cost

Image
Something big is missing in this photo. Let me explain. Here in my hometown, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe prepared a parcel of land for a new hotel. Plenty of planning and architectural designs were evaluated. A gemstone of a hotel would be built across from the waterfront—a beautiful, restful place welcoming travelers. A true four-star facility.   They cleared the aging brick structures that had been fading away between Front Street and Railroad Avenue. Then the pandemic hit, shortages of labor and supplies, add in the costly inflation that followed. Everything stopped.   But this is what I admire about the Elwha Tribe: they have counted the cost. They didn’t want to move forward and take on tremendous debt. They would rather move slowly and be financially ready, rather than begin building and then letting it sit unfinished.   Counting the cost is something I should have done earlier in life when I didn’t know what high interest rates would do to our farming cost...
Read more

Summertime Music

Image
During the summer months, in an outside seating area, a delightfully painted piano sits with a sign that says, “Play me”.   It was just before 8 pm as I walked past the piano. My bus would be arriving soon, and I still have another ten minutes to walk before reaching my bus stop. But no one is around. It’s a beautiful warm evening. I pulled out the piano bench and sat down. The sun was behind me, and the piano keys reflected its glow. I had no music in front of me, only the songs within me. Notes drifted into the air.  In those brief moments, the magic of music and summer came together. Isn’t that how it is? Summertime music has a way of lingering in our minds and lasting a lifetime. As I stood and grabbed my things, I heard distant clapping—I guess I wasn’t alone, after all.
Read more

Planting Good Seeds

Image
Harvest will always depend on what we plant and how well we care for our crop.    Looking over my seed packets, I notice they’re different than the ones I planted before. One package is called Word seeds. The directions say that each of my words is a seed, so it cautions me to think before I speak. Harsh words don’t produce sweet, nourishing fruit. These seeds will require thoughtful care in the garden. I see some Volunteer seeds. Those extra hours I tend to fritter away are going to be planted in a useful project.   It looks like time isn’t wasted in this garden plot. Next are some Love seeds—the directions are interesting: get up each day and love others. No specifics are given—just do something for someone every day. The seed package shows pictures of smiling faces. I smile back. As I’m ready to head to the garden with my seeds, a package falls to the ground. I open it. Inside are the tiniest seeds I’ve ever seen—but the directions s...
Read more