Heavenly ‘fathers’ on Earth

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON

“I acknowledge the Creator -- God as my heavenly Father, infinitely

perfect, and intimately acquainted with all my ways.”

-- CHARLES SWINDOLL

“My daddy is so fun, he is the ‘funnest’ person ever,” a little

boy said to another. “My daddy is the ‘funnest’ and the funniest and

the smartest person in the whole wide world.”

The way the boy said “world” sounded more like “wold,” but his

message came through clearly. He was talking and walking with another

boy about his age on a church patio. I chuckled, stopped and watched

a while. The other boy replied, “Well, my daddy is smart, and he is

big; he’s the biggest ever. And he said I could have a doughnut.” The

minute the word doughnut was mentioned, the discussion about fathers

stopped, and the boys took off in another direction.

What comes to mind when you read the word “father?” Obviously, the

word means different things to different people, depending on their

relationship with their father. I love hearing people talk about

their fathers, as well as hearing about how other men have stepped in

as positive father figures when necessary.

When I think of my father, I think of an endless list of wonderful

qualities. A never-ending list also comes to mind when I think of my

husband, Jon, and his relationship with our daughters, and now our

grand-daughter Mary. Our son-in-law, Ryan, has clearly shown great

strength and tenderness in his role as father in the short time he

has been one.

What does it take to be a father? There is no way to list all the

characteristics, so for the sake of simplicity, here are just six of

the many qualities, each starting with a letter of the word “Father”:

F for Fun. Fathers are fun. Whether it was my grandfather chasing

the ice cream truck with me, or my father making up limericks with

me, or Jon playing football with our daughters, or seeing Ryan sing

as he helps care for Mary, fathers can be fun, each in his own way.

A for Available. Fathers do their best to be available to their

children. One friend said that her father made a point of letting his

children know that he was the kind of dad that they could always come

to, no matter why or when.

T for Teach. Dads make wonderful teachers, of big and little

things in life. My grandfather taught me how to make drip castles,

but he also taught me how to fold a flag and to love and respect my

country. My dad taught me how to ski and surf, but he also taught me

about prayer and trusting and loving God. Jon taught our girls how to

ride bikes and enjoy other adventures, but he also prayed with and

read to them, from classics, poetry and the Bible. Fathers coach

different sports as well as volunteer at schools, churches and

throughout the community.

H for Healthy Balance. Fathers offer both love and limits and can

daily model to their children how to keep priorities in balance. We

all need a healthy balance between relationships and accomplishments,

people and projects -- and dads can excel in this area.

E for Encourage. Dads know how to encourage children to grow and

become the man or woman God designed them to be. My father continues

to encourage me as does Jon with our daughters, and their

encouragement is a wonderful gift.

R for Respect, Responsibility and Realization of and for what is

of eternal significance in life. There are so many important roles

fathers can play in the lives of children.

Thank you God for fathers and for being our heavenly father. Happy

Father’s Day, and thank you men for all you do.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at

[email protected] or through the mail at 537 Newport Center Drive,

Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.