The date is June 21,2009 and it is two events today, first of all it is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. If you had ever desired to burn the midnight oil then this day is the hardest day(or night) to try this as it has the least amount of darkness of the year and it is hard to burn what doesn't exist (the nighttime darkness). The second event of the day is a celebration that many families take part in when they honor the man of the house or the father. Fathers are responsible for many things in the family, they work to bring home money to pay the bills for the household, they look after the workings of the house and property as well as, all or most. of the mechanical devices. The statement is true as long as the man is mechanically inclined to do so but I have talked to many men about this subject and hear a long string of excuses and pitiful depressing statements because these men feel they are a disappointment to the world as they cannot even change a tire on their vehicles. God made man and woman and He gave them gifts of traits and abilities to do different things and not all men have the same gifts. Imagine what it would be like if all men were able to repair trucks, cars, etc but none could build houses. What if all women could create children and raise them but couldn't cook meals for people. This leaves a great void in society with many jobs that would be left undone and to put it even farther, we would have many vehicles on the road but no place to live and no food to eat. That would be a disaster for sure so I see that it is necessary for men to have differing abilities as well as women the same but there is no set of rules in society that says men "HAVE" to be expert mechanics or women have to be homemakers only because I am sure that we need doctors, plumbers, and experts in many different fields in the world.
Let us put aside the work abilities, the fathers have another very important task and position in the family, they are there to be a guide and a person of respect for their children. If the young people were allowed to grow up without a mentor (or a coach) they would have no example of good and bad to go by and to pattern their life after, even as it is, there are so many families where the father or mother has deserted their family unit for whatever reason and gone to do their own thing. The boys usually look up to the man for a pattern of what a man is supposed to do and be like but if the man is not there, the pattern is badly mucked up with something that is like the blind leading the blind. The same goes for girls with a mother or a father missing. When the child runs into a problem, they normally don't have any idea as to what they can or should do to solve the problem, if there is a parent around, then the child can ask that adult what they would do if they were in their shoes. Most of the time this adult will give good guidance and the problem is looked after quite well, if there is not adult, then there is usually trouble brewing and more trouble over the horizon as well.
You see, I am getting to the point that the father is a statue of liberty and justice to a lot of young people in their early years of life, I remember my own father who helped me out many times when I needed it, even when I was grown up, I still had times with questions that needed answers and Dad was there to help me. He has been gone for over 27 years now and I still miss him. Many times I wish he was here so I could show him what I have been doing and wait for a comment of appreciation by saying "well done, son". I am a father of my own family with a wife and two step daughters and a handicapped son (who is living in a good Christian home a distance from here) who is severely handicapped to the point that my wife and I realized we could not properly raise and look after him for the rest of his life. He has been well looked after for many years now and will still be taken care of for quite awhile as well. We do thank the foster parents, and I do appreciate my wife and daughters who treat me as though I am their own true biological father showing love towards me and respect for all of the years that I have known them. I love you family.
I want to wish all of you men out there a very happy and enjoyable Fathers' Day. I pray that you will get many phone calls and wishes from your family on this day.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to one and all!!!!!
Wilf Blakey
