Enjoying Father’s Day!

I’m privileged to be a father.

I was in a Bible study group recently and we were naming highpoints of our lives, things we wouldn’t trade. One of our fathers in the group mentioned that his was witnessing the birth of his first child. Wow! That resonated with me. Watching our three come out of the womb and into the world was a privilege, a life event, unlike any other. What a blessing!

I salute Bekah today, the woman who enabled me to become a father. We celebrate 39 years of marriage this year! It just gets better and better. One thing that comes to mind when considering our deeply-satisfying marriage is the bank of memories we share of events related to our three children, John, David, and Kathryn. I love them for who they are, and not for what they’ve done…though they’ve all done some pretty amazing things. With more to come! And their mother Bekah, who has been committed with me in unity on how to raise our children to love God and love others, has carried a bulk of responsibility in feeding into their lives as I’ve often been away with work-related travels.

I salute my dad, Fred, Sr., who loved me, brought me into the world with my mom, and gave me the opportunities to live and pursue my dreams. He’s been gone 10 years now. I’m trying to imagine what his thoughts would have been a few days ago on the 75th anniversary of D-Day, an event he participated in as an air traffic controller in England. Goodness, among his many loves, he loved his country! He loved that flag! Whenever we sing the national anthem, I think of him. Usually with tears! He was a patriot unlike any I’ve known. And, he encouraged me to follow God’s will and pursue His best for my life.

I’ve been around a large group of great fathers and role models. I am grateful for each of them. Today, I particularly salute two men who honored me as sons, and who I regarded as ‘fathers’ in a special, extended way. Bekah’s dad, Dr. Bob Bentley, has taught me so many life lessons. I can never repay him for all that he has fed into my life–how he has supported, encouraged, uplifted, and cheered me on. He said yes when I asked if I could marry his daughter! (What if he had said no!? I reckon I would have asked again! 🙂 Those of us who know him have never met a better man.

I also salute Gifford Garner, a man I lovingly called Uncle Gifford. He was my Sunday School teacher, confidant, employer, and a man I spent innumerable hours with. It’s interesting to me: there are some men we can talk to in ways that we can’t talk to our fathers. It’s complementary, not a competition. I think that’s why God gave us men like Gifford, to fill in some gaps. I will always remember where I was when I got the call on his passing–I was in the basement of a monastery in Moscow, there to work with a translation team (a work that he encouraged me to do from day one). It hit me hard. Uncle Giff had passed! And now this year, his beloved wife Ann has joined him in heaven. I miss them both! When daily prayer partners and cheerleaders depart, they leave a hole and a vacuum in our lives. I’m a better man because of them. I think every day about Gifford, and some tidbit of his advice fills my mind. Maybe I’ll blog one day on the wisdom of Gifford!

The words of an old hymn come to mind today, “How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure.” I’m grateful today for the truth of Scripture, in 1 John 3:1: “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are.”

I want to love like God loves!