Dear Editor: Over the passage of time, and keeping with tradition, there is a day in June we celebrate our fathers.  Every day is a day to be thankful for, but this specific day is to give thanks for the many men that have begotten a child or children.  John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  In Genesis 1:27 it states that God created man in his own image.  What a blessing it is for fathers to be afforded a fractional opportunity to imitate God and beget children.  As men we are held to a higher standard by God.  We men are to provide shelter and security to our offspring and those children entrusted in our care. 

Being a father is more of a blessing than a job or duty.  We are privileged to see the gift of life and watch it grow.  From time to time in family conversations, discussion takes place around how we learn  from observing our parents and other adults regarding  the raising of children, and that there is no specific training manual on that subject.  I would tender to the readers that the perfect training manual does exist - it’s called the Bible.  Through the reading and discussion of the Bible we can teach our children ethics, morals, humility, and character.  We Fathers are mentioned throughout the Bible in the old and new testaments and the same holds true today as it did then.  Train a child to love God and he will not tarry or stray away from the Word.  Ephesians 6: 4 says “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nature and admonition of the Lord.”  As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  God asks for nothing more.  To God, I would offer thanks for another day to spend time with our children, and to those men who are Fathers in our community – Happy Father’s Day.

Mike Kessler
Rockdale County