When A Father Isn't A Father

As I sit here and think about Father's Day and how awesome my dad is and all that goes with that, I think about another man and how much I know he dreads Father's Day or Mother's Day or any kind of Think-About-Your-Parents Day. I think about how hard it has been and sometimes still is for him to think of God as a heavenly, loving father when his own father beat him as a child and now curses him as an adult. I think about the man who wants nothing more than his parents to be proud of him only to have them disown him and turn away him, his wife, and his children. I think about how cruel people can be.

And it makes me look at Father's Day in a whole new light.

I'm thankful for a dad who never snatched me from my bed by my throat.
I'm thankful for a dad who never repeatedly kicked me in the ribs.
I'm thankful for a dad who never raised a fist to me in anger.
I'm thankful for a dad who never kicked me out of the house.

I'm thankful my dad worked even when he didn't want to.
I'm thankful my dad provided food for my family to eat.
I'm thankful my dad always made me feel wanted.
I'm thankful my dad just said no to drugs.

I'm sure my dad would say that he's not perfect, which is a good thing... I'm far from it. Thank goodness perfection is not required for parenthood. What is required (I think) is a soft voice, a firm hand, words that encourage, and a full cookie jar. My own voice can get too loud and we don't even bother with a cookie jar any more (cookies don't last around here anyway), but every way I know to parent I learned from my mom and dad.

And my childhood was good.
I wish my husband could say the same.
Thank God for fathers that act like fathers.

Happy Father's Day to my dad, the best a girl could ask for.
Happy Father's Day to my husband, the best this girl could hope for.

I am surrounded by miracles.