By Pastor Don Schatz

Children’s Memories

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud Link

“Honor your father and mother….” 
Exodus 20:12. New International Version

Today would be my father’s 111th birthday.  Just like Bilbo Baggins in the “The Fellowship of the Ring.”  Bilbo was still alive and kicking, of course.  And throwing his own birthday bash.  Dad is in heaven.  There is a continual party (or feast) happening there.  Honoring the Lord, of course.

After I graduated from Seminary, I was trained to use a psychological profile inventory of sorts.  In working through that, and taking a look at myself, something surprising happened.  I saw my dad more clearly.  Growing up, he could seem distant.  He was not overtly affectionate, nor verbally so either when it comes to that.  As I learned about myself, I learned about dad.  I understood the connection between the context in which one grows up and one’s conduct later in life.  I was confronted with the reality of dreams and aspirations that do not come to pass, and how that can affect the way we deal with others, even our family.  Even our sons and daughters.

I loved my dad.  Frankly, it took until I was an adult to realize that.  To say that.  When we visited our hometown, I began to take dad on drives.  We both liked that.  We visited wineries.  We both liked that.  We visited, talking as we drove.  My wife and I would chuckle when she asked him how he liked a wine we were tasting.  He would respond, “It’s okay.  But my wine was just as good.”  He made terrible wine.  But he loved to share it.  And we were privileged to share it with him.

I like to think that in honoring one’s father, one has the opportunity to honor our Father God as well.  How he loves us.  In that love he gave us fathers.  Our heavenly father will discipline us as needed.  And his arms are always spread wide to embrace us in love.  A love we can count on.

We do not need to be taught to love our fathers and mothers.  Children seem to be born hard-wired to love.  Today, I thank God for dad.  Today, I thank dad for introducing me to God.  Fathers both.  And I am grateful.

Copyright, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado