Happy Father's Day
“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise). - Ephesians 6:2
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and father figures reading this today. Thank you for all you do for your family! One of the joys of being part of the Bridges Family is the amazing dads who have been part of the church. I have learned so much from them. This Sunday, there is a gift for each adult male to honor and celebrate our dads. We hope you will join us this Sunday for Father’s Day.
Being a dad is a great privilege and responsibility, and the world we live in does not make it easy. Yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to make a deep, positive and lasting impact in the lives of our children as dads.
This year, as part of my honoring the memory of my father, I planted two Japanese Maple trees in our front yard, gifts from our across the street neighbor. It seemed like an appropriate thing to do because a number of years ago, for Father’s Day, my dad told me the only thing he wanted for a present was for me to plant a Japanese Maple in our yard for him. That tree grew very quickly and was quite large when we sold the house 6 years ago. It was hard to leave it behind, and I have driven by our old house to see it from time to time. It has flourished in that spot, and I hope that these two new trees will do the same here.
Almost nine years have passed since my father passed, and I still think about him nearly every day and remember his deep impact on my life. This Sunday, I will thank my Heavenly Father for the earthly father He gifted to our family. My father was a man of integrity and compassion, with a love of the Lord and a love for his family. Like many people, I didn’t realize how blessed I was to have him as my father until after he was gone.
It will take a while for the Japanese maples to grow to maturity; years will pass until they grow to a significant size. Being a father is like that too. It takes years to truly make a significant impact in the lives of our children, but also like the Japanese Maples, growth happens day by day, in small increments. Being a father is made up of all the small moments that over time add up to something more. Each moment is an investment of our lives into the lives of our children and each moment can be a sacred moment if we are living it in step with the Spirit. The greatest lives of impact were lived by those who lived lives worthy of their calling. That is what we recognize on Father’s Day, those who have answered the calling to be a dad, a high call indeed.
Being a dad is a great gift and honor. May God bless of all our dads this Father’s Day and may your day be filled with joy.
