A good Daddy

So what makes a good father?  Obviously, I am not an expert on fatherhood.

However. . . . I have had an amazing example of what a great father is.  My own father is 85 and 1/2 years old and each day we have with him is an extra special blessing from God. My husband too has been blessed with an incredible dad that has been an example to my husband as well as to us.

Let me tell you about my Dad.

I think the first think I can say about my dad is that He has a heart for God.  My dad LIVES what he believes.  You see, my dad is a man of limited words.  He definitely lives up to the quote "Share the gospel - and if necessary use words."  My dad lives a life that honors God and has shown that to not only us kids, but to all those he comes in contact with.

Taylor & Opa

My dad has a big soft heart.  I think one of my favorite images I have of my dad is him carrying around my kids when they were babies.  He is a big man.  Tall with large hands.  But when he carried my kids those big hands were as soft and gentle as any woman's hands could be.  Another memory I have of my dad is when I was young and my dad would be milking the cows, I remembered how whenever a cat or kitten would come up to where he was milking, he would spray them with the warm milk, which of course they loved.  One thing you can be sure to find is that on a relaxing afternoon or evening, you will find my dad sitting on the couch, with my mom lying beside him and my dad rubbing her hair.  That is something I remember from quite young and it still happens!

Look who Dad found at the Mennonite Heritage Village

Something that I love about my dad is his mischievous nature.   When I was young and we would go and visit my siblings who were married, I remember all the little tricks he would do while we were visiting at their homes.  Pictures turned around.  Items all switched around from their original places etc.  When I got my home, of course that trend continues.  You could always be sure to find caramel wrappers in the oddest of places after my Dad had been to visit.  When he is here for a visit, you can be sure that he and my son Peyton will "get into it" each and every time.  Sometimes it's a tickle fight.  Sometimes it's Dad getting him into a grip hold so that Peyton can't escape.  And no matter how tired Peyton might be, he always comes back for more!  And it always seems that Peyton tires out before Opa ever will!!!

My Dad is strong.  He is physically strong too, but what I mean is his character.  He is reliable.  He has always made me feel safe.  And it's Dad's strong character, his Godly character that gave me an incredible example of what I wanted to find in a husband.  Those amazing attributes that I saw and loved in my dad were characteristics that I wanted to find in a husband too.  And incredibly enough, the more years I spend with both my Dad and my husband, I am realizing that so many of those characteristics I love about my Dad are now also being display in my husband and the dad that he is to my kids.

Grandpa Klaassen with Peyton

You see, Keith is an incredible Dad.  And he had an incredible example of how to be dad from his dad.  And our children also have been blessed with an amazing relationship with Keith's Dad (Grandpa) And so many of these characteristics that I've described about my Dad are the same characteristics that my kids will some day share about their dad.  Keith is one of the most patient, gentle, involved Dads that I know.  He would give up any project or plans that he has to go and spend time with the kids.  The "daddy dates" that he takes Taylor on are always a time she treasures.  The time that he and Peyton spend down by the pond and stream here in Steinbach are treasured times.  The walks that he goes on with my kids at the cottage are always highlights for them, and of course the stories and treasures they come back with are testaments to that special time he has with them.




And of course, the Godly example that he is to them is the most incredible gift he is giving them.  One thing that Keith is always sure to do is to apologize to them when something has been misunderstood or something has gone wrong.  As he and I struggled through our difficulties in our marriage last year, he was always very quick to reassure the kids that he was not abandoning his family.  That besides his relationship with God, we were his first priority and that was why he was working so hard for us.  The way he talks to our kids about spiritual things warms my heart.  He has a gentle way of disciplining them, all the while teaching them about what God wants for their lives.

So I have been blessed with three amazing men in my life who exemplify God and who put their families first.  And my children have these amazing men who are showing them what Godly dads look like.

Truly I am so blessed.  I know that between my Dad, Keith's dad and my husband, my kids have gotten a really good look at what a Godly man and Godly Father looks like.

But thankfully, when they fail - and they do - I am sure my kids both know that the perfect example of a Father is our Heavenly Father.  And we know that He will NEVER fail.  I am so thankful for all the places in the Bible that show us what a Godly Father truly is.  God is love.  God never fails.  God is just.  God is faithful.  God is merciful.  God is relational - He want to talk to us and us to talk to Him.  God is always there for us.  And these are just a few of the things we read about God.  What better example than to have that example of what a Father is.  For those of you who do not have a relationship with your own father or perhaps have a broken relationship with your father, these are the things that even for those of us with an involved Father - these are things that we know to be true about God our Father.  We may be let down at times by our earthly fathers, but we can be assured that our Heavenly Father is all these things and so much more.  What a great promise.  And all we have to do is read through the Scriptures to know just what an amazing God He is to provide us with the perfect Father Figure.

So today, the day after Father's Day, I am thankful for the father I have had.  I am thankful for the father my children have.  But most importantly, I am thankful for my Heavenly Father.  He will never fail me.  He is always there.  And He will always be with me.  No matter what.

Truly I am blessed by the fathers I have in my life, but most importantly, for my Heavenly Father.  Oh how He loves me!!!