Sunday Sermon - Father’s Day
June 17, 2012
I would like to start off by saying sorry to all the ladies as this week’s sermon will mostly be to the guys. This is Father’s day but to me I feel the name should be changed. Why? Father’s Day is a day to celebrate fatherhood but in my opinion there are some fathers that do not deserve to be celebrated. I know that statement will be frowned upon by some but let me explain. Any male individual can be a father. All it takes is a donation of seed. Once that happens he no longer needs to do anything else and, once the child is born he will be a father. He can disappear for life and still be the father. Does that deserve celebration? No. Now say he stays around. What about the fathers that are abusive either mentally by not taking time to spend with their children, yelling constantly for no reason, putting them down with names etc. Is that worth celebrating? Again, I say no. Like I said any one can be a father but it takes something special to be a dad.
A dad is a father that cares about his children. A man that takes the time to spend getting to know them and helping them grow. A dad is someone that takes interest in what his child is doing and teaches them the difference from right and wrong. It is not enough to just be there unless you truly care. That is the difference between being a Father and being a Dad. The love you have for your children should radiate to them in actions not just words. A father punishes their child; a dad punishes and teaches the child why it is wrong.
I was adopted so I did not know my biological father. The man that adopted me was mentally abusive though to this day will not admit it. He constantly called me names and said I was a loser. I was also hit with about anything that could be picked up in one hand as punishment. He also never attended any of the things that I did growing up such as baseball, wrestling, and theater. He was a father but too busy to be a dad. Now that I am a Dad I learned from that influence and choose to never treat my child that way. She is rewarded for good things with “snuggles” and encouragement. She still gets punished for the wrong that she does but also gets told why it is wrong and how to fix it. I encourage her creativity and try to help her with things that interest her. As a special thing we do for the last 5 years (she is 8 now) we spend at least one day each week with just me and her. She calls it “Daddy Daughter Date Night”. What a special day this is whether we go out to eat, visit the zoo, or just hang out; it is just me and her.
It is a very special feeling to be a dad and so hard to describe to those that don’t have children. One great experience that I had as a dad was late at night I was working on some homework at about 2am. Next thing I know my daughter, who was 6 at the time, came into the room and climbed on my lap. I asked her if she was ok and she said “I just needed some snuggles from my daddy” and then fell back asleep with her little arms around my neck. Guys you have not lived until you have a little angel with her arms around you and calling you daddy.
So as I said at the beginning I think Father’s Day should be renamed Daddy’s Day because it is the Dads that deserve celebrating not the fathers. Guys I hope you all strive to be dads. Don’t just be there. Show them that you truly love them. Be interested without judgment. In closing I would like to recommend anyone that has not seen it to watch the movie “Courageous”. It talks a lot about what I am saying here. Also, as my song for the week, listen to the song “Tough Little Boys” by Gary Allen. I will forewarn you to have tissues ready for both.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l_cCKLHRoo
Comments 16
Perhaps it's worth commenting that everything said here holds just as true for Mother's Day too - I guess all these sorts of occasions come down to the difference between being a parent and being a good parent. Your descriptions of how you strive to be the latter warmed my heart.
This was a great sermon!
I agree about the movie you mentioned, Courageous. There are a few times the acting isn't the best, but the over-all message is incredible.
Happy Father's Day.
May the Force be with us all. :)
As the sermon points out, any boy can become a father only a real man can be a Dad.
Thank you for this message that I couldn't agree with more.
It is one of my greatest regrets, that the man who did so much for me, never received all that much in return. And now that I have my own son, that reminder is a constant lesson in how to be the father that i need to be to my only child, the only one I will ever have.
love you daddy, and we all miss you.
Gratuitous on the punishment, light on the praise I thought...
Now, as an adult, and a parent... I wonder what he'd think about me... He tried making amends with me in the later years...
He did his best, it wasn't what i would do, am doing... What i wanted him to do, say, or act like...
But, I think he did as well as he could....
Now, I'm wanting his opinion on stuff, and I've missed my chance... Remembering what a "jerk" he was, I had little to do with him till it was almost too late...
I wished it coulda been more... No sense dwelling...
Boy, was I a jerk....
Thank you Brother Damion, excellent sermon....
Mine is wonderful and I am fortunate to have him still in my life. My husband is a wonderful Daddy, and my son though not a father is wonderful Daddy to his 2 girls.
Thank you for taking the time this fathers day to share with us!!
As the years roll by, I look at my Dad with the highest respect. A man who worked hard for everything. Who educated me in the ways of survival. A man who taught me the ways of life. To be handed nothing and earn everything. This Daddy's Day, I stood beside my father at his church and I realized that I am proud to be his son. There were no fighting the tears...I let them fall. I was letting go everything I was afraid to lose.
I have to agree, Daddy's Day is a much better term!