Golf Clubs, Starbucks, and a Red Tie

Father's Day. Hope you enjoyed your new golf clubs, Starbucks gift certificate, and red tie. I think it is appropriate that we celebrate Father's Day just before the summer holidays. You know how it goes: Get the old man feeling happy, then spring some weird summer plan on him. My taste in gifts ranges from restaurant gift certificates to 'Canes' tickets to a night or two away at a hotel. A new van would be nice, but that may be a tad more than people want to spend on me. (As a side note, I need to make sure the big spenders in my house proofread this thing before they head off to their weekly shopping spree in Lethbridge.) Seriously, folks: I think it is great to honour the fathers of our households, even if it is only once a year. Like motherhood, but for other reasons, fatherhood can be a thankless task. The demands of putting bread on the table and the challenges of daily leadership in the running of the home, can be overwhelming at times. In addition to that, every man has his own fight with survival to contend with.

I am aware of certain sit-comes that make the father look like an idiot. While some dads may be incompetent, useless, and abusive, not all dads are. In fact, I believe few dads are. My own observation is that most dads are keen to make their family life work; that is, they want to have successful marriages and responsible kids.

What actually makes for a good dad? Well, 100 respondents would give you 100 ideas, so let's shelve that one. Just look at your own dad or a friend's dad. Space forbids the list of adjectives (words that describe a noun, chill'un), but let me suggest some for you: gentle, patient, funny, and considerate; a good listener, a good worker, and a good sport.

My own father has gone to his reward and probably celebrates Father's Day everyday up There. (I'm not sure about the golf, Starbucks and ties, but...oh, forget it.) He was forty-years-old when I was born, so it's not like he was a young man while I was growing up. However, as I do remember him, three things stand out in my mind as to what made him a good dad:

1. He loved my mother and that was evident every, single day;

2. He raised me in a culture of faith, morality, and Scripture;

3. He was consistent in his views, convictions, and lifestyle.

I don't know about you, but I find myself saying and doing things as a father that he said and did, yet I don't recall him ever training me along those lines. As someone once said, more things are caught than taught.

Come to think of it, I would love to play a round or two of you-know-what with him, then hang out over coffee at you-know-where. I'd even wear a red tie to celebrate the occasion.