I count my earthly Father among my greatest blessings.
When I was very little, my dad would tell me stories using my stuffed animals. As I was learning to write paragraphs and essays, he would edit my work, making recommendations and giving me pointers on how to better phrase my work. When I reached high school, he came to band competitions as a chaperone and all the parents were stoked to have an R.N. available for any mishaps. He encouraged me to excel and protected me from my young foolish self when I was starting to veer toward shaky ground.
He was always ready with answers about the Bible, history and lots of other subjects. If he didn’t know the answer off-hand, he would find out.
When I got accepted to Cal Poly, UCSB and UCSD, he offered to drive with me to those colleges so I could get a feel for the atmosphere, look around, ask questions and make a more informed decision. As we walked around the Cal Poly campus, surrounded by lush green hills and laid-back surfer/aggie/engineering students, he said to me, “If I were going to college, this is where I’d go.” I was already enamored with the place, but it was nice to hear that my dad approved of it too. I knew he didn’t want me to leave for college, but he was willing to let me go and sail that course in spite of his feelings.
My father was confident, present and sacrificial.
To my father—thank you for teaching me about the Lord, training me up, and showing me love. I appreciate what you have taught me and I am grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made for me and for others.
To my father-in-law—Thank you for being a good example and teacher to my spouse; for being a father to many in the church and a loving grandfather to my children.
To all my adopted fathers & grandfathers in the church—thank you for your strong leadership, guidance, and protection.
To all my friends who are young fathers—May the Lord bless you with wisdom as you raise your children. Be diligent. Be present. Be strong.
Happy Father’s Day to our unsung heroes!
Elihu's Corner 