Thanks Dad

Today is Fathers day 2 of my children that are still living with us made me breakfast and gave me my gifts and the other 2 called and wished me well. Now that my father isn’t living Fathers day mean a lot more to me. I reflect the joys my children have brought me and the happy times we’ve had together.

My wife was out of town with 1 of our children helping them move into their first apartment, and my 2 left at home had to work. I’ve wanted to visit a church right by our neighborhood, so this seemed like a good Sunday to do it. I went and enjoyed it. The youth pastor gave the message and one of the verses he read struck a cord with me. It was Exodus 15:2 say “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. He is my God, and I will praise him; he is my fathers God and I will exalt him!” The second part of the verse that says he is my fathers God keep ringing in my head.

I was raised in church and have gone all my life except for high school and a short time after. I started going because my parents went and so did I. Then I went because my parents made me. About the time of high school, I told my parents I wasn’t going anymore. We quarreled for a while, eventually my parents relented and I quit going. I don’t know if I wore them down, or they said to themselves “he’s old enough to decide for himself on whether he’s going to follow God or not. I was on my own with that decision.

After living life for myself for a spell, I realized my parents weren’t a stupid as I thought they were. I remembered the lesson I had learned in Sunday school. I told God if you will have me I want to ask you back into my heart. And 29 years later I know now more than ever I made the best decision of my life.

You see my father had showed me who God is not by harping on me, but by living his life as he felt God wanted him to. I started out knowing God as my fathers God, and he has become my God and I do praise him.

Thanks Dad