Written by Something happened this past weekend that clearly showed me how fatherhood is on-the-job training.
I was taking my 11-year-old son to the city pool when someone else on the road did something that revealed their need for a refresher course in driving skills. And in a moment of weakness I said under my breath (or so I thought), “Moron!”
My son immeidiately said, “That wasn’t a nice thing to say.” Ouch! At first, I tried to defend myself by saying, “Well, what that other driver did was stupid and dangerous!” But I quickly realized that he was absolutely right. So I said, “You know what? You’re right. That was not a nice thing to say.” And then I gently hit him and said, “Buddy, when I do something like that, you call me on it!” He smiled and said he would.
I was not proud of myself, but I was proud of him. Instead of laughing or saying, “That’s right, Dad!” or even imitating my bad behavior, he rebuked me.
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I had a good Father’s Day yesterday. My family got me a nice shirt and Donald Miller’s latest book. For the first time in almost 13 years of preaching, I preached a Father’s Day sermon.
I hope all the Dads out there had a great day.
Good job, Jeff! Whenever I see a Dad who refuses to admit his mistakes to his children, I’m tempted to mutter under my breath, “Moron!”
Good post. I think a good father takes his kids to the pool while his wife sits at home alone for a few hours and just reads! And this is on Father’s day! Thanks and I am glad you enjoyed the day.
Don’t you love it when your kids make you proud? Great job and of course I am not jealous of your gift….but I will buy it soon!!
Parenting is a daunting task, to be sure. The fact that you realize it is also a learning process may be the best lesson you can teach…to your blogging friends, AND to your son.
As your experience demonstrates, our children see our flaws, probably more readily than do we. You handled this admirably. Thanks for sharing.
On a lighter note: My wife gave me a card for Father’s Day that had a sweet note inside. (She always treats me better than I deserve.) The card, itself, reads as follows…
On the front there is a woman sitting on park bench, with children in the play ground behind her children running wild. The little bubble above her head reads, “Honey, the kinds have learned so much from you.”
Upon opening the card I read the following:
…but that’s okay–they’ve been punished.
Blessings to you and yours,
-bill
Jeff – Congratulations! (I think). As Mike Cope is nearing the one millionth visitor to his blog and you are coming close to 10,000, I just had the 1,000th visitor to my blog and I’m pretty sure it was YOU! (The counter said Ashland, Ohio, with the ISP listed as mindspring.com; does that fit?). Since your example is what got me into blogging, and you have graciously passed along tips and tools of the trade, it’s only fitting that you should be the one to hit that milestone with me.
What’s the prize? Mike Cope is giving a free registration to the Zoe Conference to his millionth visitor. Accordingly, I am offering to pay for 1/1,000 of the registration fee to the Zoe Conference. But, in addidion, you get me as a roommate for the next Pastors of Excellence retreat!
Tell you what, Mark — you just buy my breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express during the next Pastors of Excellence retreat, and we’ll call it even.
I always feel like a wretched mom when we’re stuck behind someone really slow in traffic and Abby says, “Come on people, use your gas peddle!” I may be the better driver in the family, but I am certainly not a patient one!
And thumbs up for giving your wife a day off on Father’s Day. It makes sense, really. You’re a father because she carried those kids!
ix-nay on the wife’s day off for father’s day. it sets a very bad example for the rest of us.
Don Eudaly!!!! What a small world!! I LOVE your wife! She is such a neat woman!!
Wait until you teach them to drive! That’s when you begin to see your kids parenting you, reminding you what a “full stop” means and what the speed limit is near your house. Thank God — if it wasn’t for my children I wouldn’t be much of a Christian at all. While I raised them, they saved me.
tiffany, thanks for the shout out. (I love my wife, too, by the way.) I linked over to your blog, and really enjoyed reading about your house, and ringlets, and all. We miss seeing Abby’s bald head, but mainly her contagious smile, at church. And her hair seems to have gotten darker, judging by the photo.
Anyway, glad to hear from you and that things are going well. I’ll tell Suzi you said hey, but she doesn’t do the blog thing much. I’ll try to walk her through it.