I know there are some people who do not think there should be such a day as Father or Mother”s day, but why not have a special day to honor those who add so much to our lives. Of course, some argue, that we should always honor our parents and while this is true, it is nice to have a special day to set aside especially for them. We all have a birthday and although everyone knows from looking at us that we have been born and are aging, it is still nice to have our birthday honoured!
“The idea for an official Father”s Day celebration came to a married daughter, seated in a church in Spokane, Washington, attentive to a Sunday sermon on Mother”s Day in 1910-two years after the first Mother”s Day observance in West Virginia. The daughter was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd. Who realized that in her own family it had been her father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran, who had sacrificed-raising herself and five sons alone, following the early death of his wife in childbirth.
Her proposed local Father”s Day celebration received strong support from the town”s ministers and members of the Spokane YMCA. Father”s Day, however, was not so quickly accepted as Mother”s Day. Members of the all-male Congress felt that a move to proclaim the day official might be interpreted as a self-congratulatory pat on the back. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson and his family personally observed the day. And in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that states, if they wished, should hold their own Father”s Day observances,
Many people attempted to secure official recognition for Father”s Day, but it was not until 1972-sixty-two years after it was proposed-Father”s Day was permanently established by President Richard Nixon. Historians seeking an ancient precedent for an official Father”s Day observance have come up with only one: The Romans, every February, honored fathers-but only those deceased.” taken from Good Ideas website. more info
Both our fathers are deceased, meaning we can use the Roman or the American reason to honor them, not that we need either to give credit to two men who did their very best for their families in every way. Both men from very different backgrounds, but were known for their integrity, loyalty, hard work and deep love for their family. Neither man was perfect and would be the first to say it, but they left behind an example for future generations to follow. They were the best of dads and we were extremely privileged to be born into our respective families. We are thankful for the years we had them and just sorry for the grandchildren and great grandchildren, who did not get the opportunity to know them well in person.
But wait, maybe they do get to know them just a bit, through their own parents. In the Bible in Deuteronomy chapter 6, the children of Israel were told to pass on the stories of God”s goodness, the ordinances He set, and the precepts He taught to the next generation. They were to talk about these things in their everyday lives and pass on the information, as a natural part of life. It is our calling in life to do that for our future generations and although all won”t be remembered totally or completely, it will eventually be understood by our offspring. So often, I recall things my father taught me about the Bible or told me about events in history in our own country, and wish I had listened more carefully to the whole story. Probably, until one is married and has children the full impact of sharing the family history does not sink in. How much more important is it to share what God has done for us and what He requires from us?
I see the continuation through the generations in my husband and in our sons. He was and is a great dad and, believe me, our boys were never in any doubt about the wonders God did in our lives, and neither is anyone else he gets half a chance to tell! I see it in my sons, as they also became husbands who make every effort to treat their families in similar ways to what they learnt from their father and grandfathers. What a blessing to witness as they teach their offspring to follow God and His precepts in their lives, and continue the cycle of thankfulness to God for His many benefits.
The responsibility is not only with the fathers but also the mothers to pass on what they have been taught from their folks before them, where even the negative things, show us how to reach out and teach the children better. It is the 2Timothey 2:2 principle of teaching others to teach others! As a support and helpmate, we who spend so much time with the kids, can stress that teaching in everyday life. God never changed His method of passing on the Gospel and the precepts and principles of Christianity, He still chooses us, the “weak and the foolish” humans to be His witnesses by Word and deed. What a blessed day it will be when we all get together in Heaven, to worship and adore the One who is the Father of us all!!! That will be a huge celebration! Meantime, Men, Enjoy your Father”s Day and take seriously your God-given responsibility!