Remembering My Dad

My dad was a great storyteller and very funny. Being Irish, I guess it is part of the ancestry. He spoke fondly of his college years and was the first in his family to receive a degree. During WWII he was in the Army Infantry. He entertained himself and his platoon by reciting lectures he heard in college. He loved Broadway musicals and was known for singing songs around the house. My dad was not a writer, but I wish we would have written his stories down.

Dad’s career was as a junior high school shop teacher in the Bronx, New York. At his funeral I heard many sweet stories from his co-workers about what a good teacher he was and how he loved his students.

Father’s Day

Think back now on what it was like being your father’s son. What was your dad like? What are some of your fondest memories of him?

On Father’s Day we think about how we are doing as a father. If we have sons with children, we also think about how we see them doing as fathers.

Holidays are like mirrors of our lives

When we get to a holiday, we look in the mirror of that holiday and say, “How am I doing?”  

At New Year’s we look at our year. How was it? Did I accomplish what I wanted to accomplish? Did I grow in my faith? We look in the mirror, especially on Christmas, Easter, New Years, birthdays, and, for us fathers, Father’s Day.

Especially on Father’s Day we look in that mirror and ask, “How am I doing?”

Assess Yourself

I invite you to assess yourself on how you are doing as a dad. We are not perfect and we all make mistakes. We need grace and we need to give grace. We need to forgive, be forgiven, and forgive ourselves. No matter how we try, we will do something that hurts our children’s feelings. Talk about it and be quick to  apologize.

 Our Abba Father

As Christians, we have our Abba Father, Daddy, who loves us and has grace enough for everything that we must face as sons and dads.

Galatians 4:6- “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:15- “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Have a wonderful and  blessed Father’s Day!

Photo by Steven Van Loy on Unsplash

17 thoughts on “Father’s Day Reflections”

  1. Great reflections on your dad, Dave. I like how he was a storyteller and such a great shop teacher that many celebrated his life at the funeral. My dad has also moved on from this world and is in heaven with our heavenly Father. While he was absent from my life for a time during childhood, I was glad to reconnect with him. During Father’s Day each year, I cling to those wonderful memories of him. Happy Father’s Day!

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    • Karen:
      Thank you for your comments. I’m happy to hear that you reconnected with your father. One of the things my dad taught me was to go on a vacation by a lake. I am teaching that to my son and grandson and they love it!

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  4. Your father sounds amazing; thank you for sharing his story. I didn’t grow up with my father around but also reconnected with him as an adult. Good fathers make a profound difference in the lives of their children, especially when it comes to their impressions of our heavenly Father and issues of identity. Happy Father’s Day!

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    • Candice:
      Thank you for your comments. Fathers are so important in a child’s life, as are grandfathers! I love being a grandfather. Personally, I had no experience with either of my grandfathers.

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  8. I love this, Dave! My dad (who passed away about a year and a half ago) was a GREAT storyteller and had such a wonderful sense of humor. I miss him! Reading your blog helped. Thank you.

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    • Jessica:
      I am so pleased to hear that the blog helped you! That makes my day.
      My wife never met my dad, but I tell so many stories about him and the funny things he used to say, that she feels like she knows him.

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