“For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” (Gen 18:19)

As Father’s Day approaches, I think it’s good to look to the men in our lives and acknowledge the impact they’ve made on us. From fathers to father figures, from grandpas to uncles, from in-laws to friends, we all know men who have been a positive influence on us and who even now have an impact on our lives and the lives of others.

My dad set a good, godly example for my brother and me, and we were blessed with a childhood during which we felt safe and loved. Not everyone is as lucky as we were. We were blessed with good parents and surrounded by loving family members.

My dad made many sacrifices for us growing up. Those sacrifices started before I was born when he served in the Vietnam War. After he was discharged, he and my mom married. He found work as a welder and then as a welding instructor at the career tech where he still works today. He went to college in his mid-20s, receiving first an associate’s degree and then finishing a few years later with several master’s degrees and most of a doctorate completed. He worked during the day and went to school at night, commuting almost the entire time from Rocky to Stillwater when the speed limit was still just 65 miles per hour on the interstate (a three-hour drive one way). I never wondered if I would go to college. I knew the importance of a college education by watching my dad receive his.

When I was about five years old, we lived in a small apartment in Stillwater for the summer so that my dad wouldn’t have to commute to class every day. I can still remember my dad carrying me on his shoulders into one of his classes. When my dad wasn’t in class, he and my mom taught me to how to hold my feet to walk straight – until that point, I walked with the toes on my right foot pointing in.

My dad is a hard worker who likes to build things. When I was a teenager, I wanted to learn to play piano. I had never played, but I thought learning an instrument would be fun. Knowing how much I liked to write, my dad asked if I would rather have a large desk with a bookcase. For me, it was an easy choice – I picked the desk, and my dad crafted it for me by hand.

The lessons I learned from my dad have served me well throughout my life. The value of education and hard work and never giving up have stayed with me. He taught me to be responsible and dependable and loyal. Because of him, my word means something – if I tell you I’ll do something, then I’ll get the job done. We are alike in many ways, both good and bad. Each day, I’m thankful for my dad, all that he does for me and my family, and the example that he set for me and my brother.

Dear Jesus, thank you for giving me such a loving father here on earth who watches out for his family. Thank you that he shows his love through his actions and has taught us values that have served us well. Amen.