Thanking God for Godly Father's_ Can I Get an AMEN?

Greetings Everybody,

We went to church this morning and then went to my daughter's home to have a nice Father's Day Lunch.

My son-in-law grilled burgers for us, fried potatoes, made salad, set the table, iced the classes and served us lunch. Amazing huh?...considering that he did all this work, and it's Father's Day!  After all, He's a Father, but instead of sitting around expecting to be pampered all day, he did all the work. Nobody was waiting on him hand and foot, and yet he was happy.

Rather, his approach to Father's Day was from a perspective of service to others...my husband and my dad.

My son-in-law is an amazing man.  He has his priorities right. I love him.

Hold that thought while I segway to a different man in my life...my dad.

Let's also talk about his perspective of Father's Day for a minute.
My dad was up early today, I know because I called him at 7:30 a.m. and we had a nice phone visit this morning.

His day started with going to church, but he was by himself at church today...because as of 3 days ago, my mother is in a psychiatric hospital.  My Dad is 78 years old, has remained faithfully married to my mother for 54 years, and most of that time she has been mentally ill.  

For over a year now, she has been suffering from very agonizing delusions.  Yet he has stayed with her. She has some pretty extreme physical conditions in addition to the psychological ones, and yet he has stayed with her. 

He has endured her rage, and her anguish and her fears...and for years now has changed her adult diapers, and been her nursemaid.  

So yeah, let's talk about his perspective of Father's Day too.  

He got up, went to church by himself, drove to another city to visit my mom, drove back to our city & over to my daughter's home for our Father's Day celebration, and then he took himself home.  

Today he has wiped my moms tears, hugged on me, played with toddlers, eaten ice cream, sipped coffee...and not once did he expect to be waited on hand and foot because it is Father's Day. Not once did he cry. Not once did he whine. Not once did he play the "poor me" card. Despite his age, his own dimished health, and the hardships he is enduring regarding my mom, he was peaceful and pleasant and kind.

BTW...On his way out the door, he slipped a 50 dollar bill into my hand because he knows things are tight with us this month. He didn't take out his wallet, he had the money prefolded in his shirt pocket and slipped it into my hand as I walked him to the door.  Do you GET that??? In the middle of his own troubles today he had pre-planned to give that money to me.  Once he drove away from where my mom is today, his focus was not on himself, it was on me. 

Just like my son-in-law, my dad approached today from the perspective of service to others.

Hold that thought while I segway to a yet Another man in my life...my husband.

My husband got up this morning, took a shower, dressed for church, greeted people, shook hands with some folks and hugged others, listened to the sermon, held my hand, sang songs, drove to the store to pick up ice cream for dessert today, played with toddlers, helped my son-in-law change out the butane tank on the grill and gave the baby a bottle. 

In case you are catching the theme here, he too approached this Father's Day from a perspective of service to others and he did not expect anybody to wait on him hand and foot today.

I have reason to praise all three of the men in my life: my son-in-law, dad, and husband.

They understand that being a good Father is not something that is done passively...it requires action, it requires energy, and it requires putting others before yourself.

I am proud of the men in my family.

They are strong.

They understand that being the man of the family is not a position of entitlement but rather of service.

They do the right thing, even if it's hard to do so.

They put others above themselves.

The give sacrificially.

They bring honor to God by being God-centered men.

They understand: 

Philippians 2:3-4
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

and 

Colossians 3:17
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

I thank God for these men.

If you have men like this in your life, please let them know how much you love & appreciate them. 

Let them know how much their service approach to life means to you.

Pray for them.

 Lift them up. 

Thank God for them.

And then go and tell others about how these Fathers bring glory to God by the way they treat their family.

America used to be so much stronger.

We used be known as a God-based nation.

We need to remember that our country is only as strong as our family units.

We need to claim the strength found in following
God's Ways.

America needs to turn back to God.

We need to humble ourselves and remember HIS WAYS!

2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Can I get an AMEN?????

In Him,
Grace