I wrote this twenty years ago and presented to my congregation in hopes of encouraging people to step forward and help teach Sunday School.
Happy Fathers Day 2003! This is my 13th Fathers day. I was out on the patio a few weeks ago after church when I heard someone say “Hey Frank, you’re so fit. You have no gut! I turned to Lesley and said, hey honey did you hear that? She said, “Yes. He said ‘Hey Frank move a bit. I too want to get a doughnut.”
Sometimes we listen, but we may hear only what we want to hear.
One piece of wisdom I’ve heard from slightly older friends of ours is, “Savor the time you spend with your children like a fine meal, ’cause it goes by so fast”. As a father of two, I’ve experienced this meal first hand. However, the savor part sometimes felt more like fast food indigestion.
I often wished I could take the first 20 years of my children’s life and at any particular time, like watching a DVD movie, stop, and select a different scene to play. Clicking “change scene” when the fun I was having with my six month old daughter changed to time for diaper duty. Or more recently when I was having an argument, ah… I mean discussion with my 10-year-old son over wearing a black baseball cap with ornamental fire and skulls; I could hit change scene and he’d once again be that admiring toddler who thought his Dad was the best baseball player ever.
While kids growing up, and away, may be an inescapable part of being a father, I may have found my solution. Be a “God” Father. Not a formal God father but a father teaching kids about God. By choosing children’s or youth ministry as your’ “My Ministry” area, you’ll share your talent and time. As a Children’s and Youth minister myself, I get to enjoy time with children of all ages. Once again I get to hold tiny little hands, admire their whatchamacallit crayon drawing, ties loose shoestrings, compare scented markers (my favorite is ‘very cherry’), and notice brand new “big girl” shoes – and that’s when I’m working with our middle schoolers!
Actually our Youth do ask questions like “why is Easter associated with bunnies” and the even more challenging, “why does God let bad things happen”. The youth push me to learn for myself, then share my faith and findings with these fledgling Christians. The children allow me to freely share the love and compassion of Jesus to wide-open, welcoming eyes.
I no longer dread the all-to-fast passing of my time with my own children. As a “God Father” and member of our larger Christian family, I’ll always have children of all ages to love, enjoy, and teach. Being a youth Minister has given me my own personal DVD remote controller. You can see me using it any given Sunday. (NOTE: I still have the privilege of teaching Sunday School to this day.)
Please show Jesus’ love to our children and youth, and everyday can be Godfather’s Day.