For Scripture Sunday: which is also “Father’s Day”:
Being a Better Dad
“With Father's Day upon us, here are some tips for us dads.
1. Don't be harsh or ridicule your child.
"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath..." (Ephesians 6:4). The New International Version translates it, "Do not exasperate your children."
This can also discourage children (Colossians 3:21).
2. Use everyday experiences to teach your children God's way.
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:7).
3. Did we mention, teach them about God and His way?
"…but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). The Amplified Bible says, "but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord."
For more on this subject, read the online article Does Father Know Best?”
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If I Were a Rich Dad
“The book Rich Dad, Poor Dad taps into our desire to understand what the rich know. But I look to a different book to understand fatherhood—and true riches!
Many years ago on a long road trip taking our kids to summer camp, a friend played an audio book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The subtitle of the book is “What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!”
The author’s basic theme is that his real dad, a highly educated public servant, constantly complained about being broke, while his best friend’s father constantly enjoyed the finer things in life. The book claims to be a collection of financial lessons he learned from both men. From the parts I heard, it was clear that he had more respect for his “rich dad’s” street sense and his financial goals and choices.
I admit that I didn’t hear the whole book and I remember even less, so I’m not trying to comment on any financial principles the book might espouse. But what stuck with me was the low esteem the author seemed to have for his real dad’s accomplishments in life.
My poor dad
My own father has never been rich, but I have felt richly blessed to have him as my father. My dad was actually doing fairly well financially working for a huge aerospace firm, but when he learned about the biblical Sabbath, he faced a choice between keeping his job or obeying the things he was learning in a best-selling book: the Holy Bible. He chose faith over financial security.
In his new profession as a self-employed house painter, my dad worked hard. He was fair—and more than fair—to his clients. He never wanted to charge more than he thought was reasonable, and he ended up absorbing some losses because he was too nice.
Doing these things did not lead my dad to financial success, but they are admirable qualities of a true and giving Christian. I saw the biblical principles of turning the other cheek and esteeming others better than himself in action (Matthew 5:39; Philippians 2:3).
My rich Dad
As much as I respect and appreciate my poor dad, I also appreciate that he helped introduce me to my rich Dad and His wonderful instruction book. By bringing me up “in the training and admonition of the Lord,” my dad helped me to identify the true riches (Ephesians 6:4).
What are those true riches? The Bible records this breathtaking promise to those God is calling:
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).
God—the Creator of the entire universe, the owner of all the gold and silver, the most powerful being imaginable—loves us and wants us to be His sons and daughters!
That’s a message that I want to share with my family and friends and everyone!
If I were a rich dad …
I am not considered rich in this society, but I have been blessed in many ways, including living in the United States and having a rewarding job that takes care of my needs. In talking with people from developing countries, I am reminded of how blessed I truly am!
However, I don’t have a large inheritance to pass on to my children in this world. Like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, I could wish I were a rich man—at least for the sake of my family.
But most of all, I hope that I have shared with my children what has been entrusted to me—the true riches of a spiritual relationship with God our Father. In the eternal scheme of things, that relationship is far more valuable than all the silver and gold in the universe.
I hope you will want to learn more about my rich Dad and His offer to humans to become His children. There is no priority more important! Please take time now to read more of what the Bible reveals about this wonderful truth in the article “Children of God.”
Happy Father’s Day to my poor dad and my rich Dad!”
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Children Need Time With Their Dads
“Ansel Adams, the famous photographer of the Yosemite valley, was a restless child who had difficulty adapting to traditional schools. His father decided to teach him at home where he spent time helping him discover and cultivate his talents. Ansel later said this about his father: "I am certain he established the positive direction of my life that otherwise, given my native hyperactivity, could have been confused and catastrophic. I trace who I am and the direction of my development to those years of growing up propelled especially by an internal spark tenderly kept alive by my father" (Source: www.pbs.org).
Ansel Adams' story is an illustration of the vital truth that fathers can have a significant influence on their children's lives. When a father determines to make his children a top priority it conveys to them that they are deeply valued, needed and appreciated.
Children need time with their dads. This includes time to play, time to talk and to time to listen. When my son was about four or five years old and wanted to tell me something, I would often squat down and get at his level and look him in the eyes. Sometimes he would sit on my lap and put his arm around my neck as we talked. The feeling of closeness I had with my son during those times was priceless.
When a dad sets aside time in one-on-one opportunities with his children, it helps him become more familiar with their needs, fears, feelings and desires. When I was young my dad would often have me work with him on various projects around the house or at my grandparents' house. We would talk to each other as we worked but even when we were not conversing, just being alone with my dad was special and rewarding to me.
When a father spends time with his child he can also become better acquainted with his or her individual talents and abilities. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." This scripture doesn't just mean disciplining children or giving them rules. It also means recognizing and directing a child's talents so he can best develop and utilize them throughout life, including earning a living.
Children also benefit by a father's masculine influence. By spending time with his dad, a son can discover more about being a man, and a daughter can learn how to understand and effectively relate to men. In a study of 200 fathers over four decades, psychologists John Snarey, Joseph Pleck and Anthony Maier found that a father's positive impact on his children can be substantial (Dad's Involvement With Kids Pays Off Now and in Future," June 15, 1989, by Marjory Roberts, Health & Fitness News Service; articles.sun-sentinel.com). The study found that a father's focused attention consistently produced confident, secure, capable children. Daughters for example, excelled at school when their fathers helped them learn physical skills. Sons, whose dads played games with them and took an interest in their friends, greatly benefited from such "warm, altruistic fathers," the researchers wrote.
Spiritual growth and maturity is also a vital fruit produced when a dad devotes time to his children. As he instructs them in spiritual, moral and ethical principles, they develop respect and honor, not only for God and His laws, but also for the laws of man. 2 Peter 3:18 explains that Christians should "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ." A child can develop in this manner just as can adults.
So fathers can have an enormously constructive influence on their offspring. By spending time with their children, dads can better understand their needs, apprehensions and aspirations. When a father nurtures and cultivates his children's talents and abilities, they can benefit physically, emotionally, intellectually, morally and spiritually. The incomparable fact is that children need time with their dads.
To learn more about the great importance of fathers and how they can adeptly help their children achieve true success in life, we invite you to read the following articles:
If Children Could Choose Their Parents
Where Have All the Fathers Gone?
Thanks for reading, and best regards.” John LaBissoniere, Circulation Manager, The Good News.
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Update.
Not having been raised by my father, I have no idea what it is like to have one. He was off overseas in the Air Force for years and years, and when he got out, I only lived with him and one of my stepmothers, for a short time. Then he was always working, so I never saw him. My mother had left when I was four years old, so I just lived here and there until I was 15, then I went out to work to support myself. I was buying and selling bicycles and baby carriages to make my rent and food until I got a job handing out parts and keeping inventory in a factory. As soon as I had a motor scooter I went on to working in banks. Had to be 18 to get a car driver’s license in England back then.
A few more jobs are done even though we only worked five mornings this week. We still haven’t installed the ceiling fan and light that are giving us so much trouble as we had to make a part for it. We just had more important things to do. The trim ring that the bell shaped housing screws onto was missing, so we cut one out of wood. The bell housing will cover it, and the fan hangs on that globe thing anyway. It is a very heavy fan and light, so we are not looking forward to wrestling that big thing in place!
Wednesday was a neighbor’s 83rd birthday and there was a potluck party for him at the YMCA where he exercises. He took me there and I, with about 50 other seniors, did an hour of exercises before the potluck and then played Bingo. I won a YMCA T-shirt. I am not used to exercising, but I am walking around here, lifting things, going up and down ladders, so I suppose that qualifies as exercise.
The following day, the canvas canopy on the motor home carport cover had worn out in the middle, and so I had to order another one. But before it could be installed, Roy primed and painted the metal frame so that it would all look new. While he was painting and priming, he had started the ratty old mower for me. It started at the first pull, and I mowed the front yard. Then I knew that my arms were sore from the exercises the day before!
We spent a couple of mornings repairing the fence. My place backs onto a main road, and I like the white wooden fence to be neat. A lady had run into it several years ago and the repair that Jay did wasn’t very thorough. Roy took down all that section of fence, and then we had to cut away a big old weed root which had grown up over the years as it was pushing out the bottom fence board. He replaced the boards and then primed and painted them, too. The welded wire that staples onto the fence to keep animals in or out still has to be re-installed.
On Friday, a man (a wholesaler) came and made me an offer on my house. I discussed it with my daughter, and I think I will take it. It has to be sold sometime as my daughter does not want to have to deal with it on top of all she has to do with her houses. I am tired of paying out all this money on insurance, taxes, utilities etc., and it will be cheaper for me to live in the mini-house. It will have to be made habitable first, though. We had to remove the diverter on the Moen tub faucet as it wouldn’t stop dripping, and a new diverter is $80. I might just put in a cheap faucet for now. If I take the offer, it will be a mad scramble to get all this stuff out of here.
On Saturday, the Sabbath, I left early to go to the other church on FM 830 because they have a Bible Study first. I arrived even earlier than anticipated and watched the band practice their songs. Not just a guitar like the other church, this one had three guitars, two keyboards, a set of drums, and two lady singers. They were very good. The words are on a great big screen for everyone to follow along. The Bible study was from Jeremiah. The Teaching was “A Dad above All Other Dads” . Some very interesting thoughts about child rearing according to the Bible. I took hurried notes, and maybe one day I will decipher what I wrote, and be able to print it out. The potluck afterwards was great and we all had a great time in the dining hall.
Today, my granddaughter, Michelle and her new fiance took me out for Father’s Day. Michelle’s late mother, Becky, used to do that, too, as she said I had to be a mother and father to my children.
So to whom it may concern……….Happy Father’s Day.
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