"What Dad Did"

I couldn’t see, the lengths that he,

Went to make a way,

The time he spent, the miles he went,

He worked both night and day.

He stayed gone, for oh so long,

Why couldn’t he be close,

But had to go, and don’t you know,

I missed my Dad the most.

But now a man, with such a plan,

I do for those I love,

I can’t fault him, his sink or swim,

When push comes down to shove.

He didn’t wait, nor was he late,

To buy and sell those cows,

To fence the land, and then expand,

And gave to me know-hows,

So I could be, the one you see,

Who followed in his steps,

And still out there, the work I swear,

The discipline of reps.

To show up strong, where I belong,

And earn my living well,

And as they say, go all the way,

It’s time to ring the bell.

“Honor your father and mother…” (Ephesians 6:2, NLT)

I hope you were blessed with good parents. If you were, they gave you a head start in knowing your heavenly Father. If not, they gave you handicap to overcome, but you can still get there. Most of us got a mixed bag of some kind, but much for which to be thankful. If I honor my father and mother, it does not mean that I pretend they were somebody else. It means that I honor the parenthood that God used to shape my life and bring me to the grace I know today. Honoring them may mean I need to forgive them. Honoring always engender thankfulness. And it’s all about the One to whom we ultimately belong.

Lord, help us to honor our parents and all those You use to shape our lives, in Jesus’ name.

Photo by Kirstie Lambert, used by permission. Thanks, Kirstie, and God bless you.