Father's Day Musings

If last weekend was a disappointment Friday and Saturday for outdoor grad parties (Sunday was perfect) this weekend so far has been a complete turn-around. Tomorrow is expected to bring fine weather for Father's day. I understand the consideration, as folks like to do things on Father's day.

I have found myself thinking a lot about what it means to be a good father this Father's day weekend. Different things have sparked that thinking. I was blessed with a godly father. He wasn't perfect, but he was my hero. I often find myself wishing I were more like him. He was gentle, wise and kind, but still knew how to put things into "perspective" for me if I got out of line. (Laughing here). I have written about him before. http://ourbreadoflife.blogspot.com/2006/06/i-was-blessed-with-good-father.html

Yesterday, I was loading up equipment for a lady. She had mentioned before I started that her husband always did this for her, so she didn't know where to go. I directed her to one of our out-buildings and I recognized her pickup truck as one I had loaded before, so I asked, "So your husband is?"

She told me his name and I told her I had recognized his truck. She added, "He was a good man."
The past tense rang in my ears and unfortunately my mouth went into automatic.

"He passed away?" Felt like not a complete idiot, but a little idiotic anyway as I stared at her in surprise.

"Yes," she answered, "A week-and-a-half ago." I honestly thought she was going to lose it. "You knew him?"

"Just from in here," I told her. My words sounded kind of empty to me.

"I'm going to make it though," she sounded as if she were trying to convince herself, purposely putting conviction in her voice.

"I'm sure he would want you to." I said. I guess I really believed that. Anyway, she and I had a nice chat about her four grown children. They were about fifty feet away from us having their own vehicles loaded with chairs for this gathering in their father's honor and remembrance. They all appeared to be in their twenties somewhere.

I turned and looked at his mother. "I know it is considered impolite to ask a lady her age, but may I ask yours?"

She grinned ever so slightly and said, "I'm forty-three." I guess she knew I was surprised. All of her kids are out of the house, and at the ripe old age of forty three, she has lost her husband to a heart attack. It will be an interesting father's day for all of them. She was very kind to me and I was thankful that I didn't have to spend too much time extricating my foot from my mouth.

So that was one thing, the other thing was hearing about Tim Russert's passing. I always seem to be momentarily surprised when a celebrity type dies, provided they aren't the hard-partying drug using kind. Tim Russert was anything but. I didn't read his book about his dad, but I watched numerous interviews when he was promoting it. I had a great time listening to him about his father, "Big Russ". It really cracked me up when he said his dad told him (about his work on Meet the Press) that he still couldn't believe that they would pay him all that money to go on about the news. I still think that about most of the talking heads I see on TV.

Tim Russert's dad though, came from pretty much the same generation my own mother and father came from. The values he espoused were the kinds of values that my own father passed on to me. My dad and mom sacrificed a lot so that I could get an education, have clothes and food and really not want for anything while we were growing up. I think I can only remember one single time that they ever went out and left us kids with a baby-sitter, and that was to have dinner on the anniversary of their wedding.

I am wondering about sacrifice, and what part that truly plays in father and motherhood. I know our Father in heaven certainly sacrificed His only begotten Son, and that made all the difference in our ability to know Him grow in the values that He gives to us.

More Father's day musings later maybe.