Giving Honor to Whom Honor is Due....

Happy Father's Day....Daddy was blessed with many dollar store practical finds including: dress socks for work, wipes to clean the car, bungie cords, and a paint brush!! It was quite an adventure making these purchases last week with the 4 littles. I'm sure we provided entertainment for all the other shoppers as we walked the aisles and discussed appropriate gift options . He also received candy (which he generously shared with the rest of his pleading family!), a biography about Douglas MacArthur that C thought would make a great read aloud with his Dad, and the dvd Flywheel. We watched it last night and I highly recommend it-it was produced by the makers of Facing the Giants and was an amazing story about God's miraculous redemptive work in the heart of a dishonest carsalesman. I laughed and cried...a great family flick! Probably ranks on my all time favorite list!!

Inspired by my dear friend's public letter to her hubby on Father's Day(it is a beautiful letter-check it out here : http://www.graceunchanging.blogspot.com/) I did not want to miss an opportunity to honor my husband in his role as Daddy to 6! This morning I was reminded of a Father's Day 12 years ago when I had the privilege to honor M in front of our church and his visiting family. He had only been a Daddy for 6 weeks and it happened to be Dedication Day for our eldest son. As we were overjoyed with the long awaited arrival of our baby boy, I remember being overcome with emotion saying , "In my mind's eye, I can see P following his Daddy around coiling cords and setting up chairs each Sunday morning as he joins his father in serving the church." Well, that is exactly what does happen each Sunday morning as our 2 oldest sons eagerly join their Dad ( with the added motivation of seeing a few of their buddies on some weeks) leaving our house at 7:15 to go assist in the setting up of Sovereign Grace church. M has by example taught these 2 to be cheerful servants~ every Sunday for the past 14+ years M has diligently and faithfully served (with the exception of a few weeks of transition when our little Liberians joined the family and the few Sundays we have been away on vacation). I am so grateful for his faithful , unwavering example. I am grateful for the way he has led our family in building our lives around the local church...I am thankful that he is teaching our children to serve cheerfully(well, that's the goal anyway :) in our home and within our church community .
Yesterday during our morning church service, a touching video was shown... children in our congregation were creatively telling their Dads what they loved about them... some were hysterical, others were sentimental-like when Mercy shared in her beautiful Liberian accent," I love my Daddy because he cares for me-Happy Father's Day!!" ...and others were just well- practical. That would have been P when he shared ,"Thanks Dad for teaching me how to work!" Everyone got a good laugh out of that and it became the joke of the day... but truthfully, I am so very grateful that my hubby is instilling in our boys especially, the value and importance of hard work. Already, they have 2 lawn mowing jobs for neighbors and are learning to serve 'as unto the Lord' in our home. This is a gift they will take with them to their future employers and future spouses...a gift they will one day, Lord willing, instill in their own children.
So, to my hubby: I am so grateful for the heritage of service you are building in our family, I am grateful for your faithful provision so that I can be right where the Lord wants me...the best place on earth...here in our bustling home. As challenging as our days can be, there is truly no place I would rather be and everytime I get to go on a field trip with the kids, buy them a new pair of shoes or just a special treat I try to remember to tell them to thank you for working so hard to make it all possible. Thank you for saying ,"yes" to the privilege and call of adoption...knowing it would not be an easy road but one we would be blessed and honored to travel upon together. Thank you for your faithful support of our homeschooling...thankyou for the many times you have given me opportunities to 'be with the ladies' to get refreshed. Thankyou for encouraging me to have a one night 'retreat' just this past weekend...God envisioned my heart and renewed my appreciation for the wonderful gift He has given me in you and our precious children ! I hope you felt honored and loved by all of us yesterday... Happy belated Father's Day!!
You are very much appreciated and loved!!