Happy Father’s Day

After writing that complaining post about being so tired I came into the true knowledge that I was actually coming down with something. Matt hauled me to a walk in yesterday where, with what seemed like ice age glacial slowness, someone who apparently bore the appellation of doctor gave me something to completely mask the sensation of actually being sick. So I’m going along with that. Hopefully whatever it is will quietly go away while I carry on in this twilight zone of being sick but not really. Part of the not feeling sick seems to include waking up very very early and having nothing to do but remember that today is Father’s Day, and that there are lots of nice things about my own father, and my children’s father, and my husband’s father. This being normally a work day I would never have time to think of them all. But I am on holiday, so here are some lists.

Five Things That are Nice About My Dad

It seems like a rare quality in this brave new world, and maybe it was a long time ago too, but my dad has the right and good quality of being someone who comes forward. He can often seen to be leaning forward or leaning toward whoever it is that he’s talking to.

My father is very curious about almost everything, even whatever strange thing I happened to be doing with my life. He has probably read all the books in the world and speaks all the languages.

My father clearly delineated for me, and I’m not sure how exactly he did this, the difference between God and the church. I really think this is the reason I managed to remain Christian throughout the tumultuous years of adolescence and boarding school and college. He has always had a palpable affection for the church, but was able to clearly distinguish for my young suspicious mind the brokenness and trouble of the church not being a true reflection of the perfection and beauty of God. In other words, the church can err, and it’s ok to notice that it does. You don’t have to chuck out God just because his church is foolish and evil.

My father really enjoys a party and a good time.

My father comes all the way to Binghamton, when he can, and reads to the children.

Five Things That Are Nice About Matt

Matt is someone who also leans forward, or comes toward the person he is talking to. Besides pacing up and down, and feeling like he is standing on a spring, he comes forward toward trouble, conflict and need. This makes him both a good pastor and a really good father.

Matt is a benevolent and kindly father. He sits back and listens to his many children shout all their interests and concerns and nods and smiles at them. When the din becomes insupportable, he gives them small helpful jobs to make them become upstanding and productive members of society.

He is fair and kind. He takes the trouble to find out what really happened and meet out justice in a calm and gracious way.

He causes all his children to respect and honor me, so that my life isn’t a nightmare of me being the terrible mother that I could really be.

He cooks. May God, our Father, be praised. And runs the vacuum and does laundry and digs out the garden and grocery shops and does the bills and carries heavy burdens that we all pile on him and wakes up early to pray and translate the bible out of Greek into English and works out so that he, hopefully, won’t perish and leave me alone with this pack of children and in every way is honorable and kind and patient and good.

Five Things That Are Nice About Matt’s Dad

Matt’s dad is also someone who leans forward, who goes out in front, both physically whenever we happen to be all going somewhere, but also whenever there might be trouble brewing on the horizon.

Matt’s dad is another person who is curious about practically everything. Besides being extremely well read, he is always up on the latest technological wonder and both knows lots about it and probably has tried it out. As someone who quietly reads tech blogs when trying to go back to sleep in the middle of the night, I think this is so cool.

Matt’s dad is unfailingly patient and kind. He is kind to everyone, and patient. Even when his house is full of lots of loud children, his patience and kindness can be felt in every corner.

Matt’s dad is unfailingly generous. His right hand gives without his left hand making a big deal about it. This, not surprisingly, means that his grandchildren are well on their way to being totally spoiled. Also, many years ago, he was able to subdue my own Aunt Kathryn, in the matter of paying for dinner, which no one had ever seen haooen before.

Matt’s dad also makes his way to Binghamton, usually about once a year, and plays with the children and teases them. And they climb on him and jostle everything.

So, happy Father’s Day to all you out there who have managed to survive your children and all the gray hairs and sorrow they bring. May God, our father, be a shield about you, be your glory, and be the lifter of your head.