You have heard the references to sons – “He is a chip of the old block” or “The apple did not fall far from the tree.” The implication is if your dad was a good athlete, you would be a good athlete or if he was good in business that you would have a good mind for business as well. But if your dad was an alcoholic or a womanizer, the implication is not a positive one. The heritage of a father can be positive or negative.
This is a heads up on three trips available this summer with Faithful Fathering. There will be a father-daughter hiking trip, a father-son backpacking trip and a camping trip for men and young men. Each is a week-long wilderness experience that provides for a wonderful opportunity to tune-out the noise of the world and tune-in to relationship with each other and with the Father.
Dads often ask me what the toughest season of fathering is – ‘Teacher’, ‘Coach’ or ‘Counselor’. The general thought is that ‘Coach’ is the toughest because you are dealing with teenagers. I think the toughest season is wherever you are. With that said, as a counselor, when kids are age 20+ you typically have to wait for the phone to ring before offering advice. That can make it a very tough season for dads and moms.
The season of Lent is forty days long. It starts on Ash Wednesday and goes through Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter, and does not include Sundays. It is a time to step back from the hustle and bustle of daily routine and consider the final steps Jesus walked on this earth. It is also a powerful time to strengthen our relationship with Jesus the Christ by giving up something that is part of our normal routine or by taking something new on.
This team was different. The coach had the infielders rotate every two innings – The first baseman would go to third, third baseman to shortstop, shortstop to second and second baseman to first. The young men knew how to field and throw, now it was time to coach them in the nuances of the game of baseball from a variety of positions. There was no yelling when mistakes were made. Errors were recognized as part of the process of growing as a ballplayer.
Similarly, dads that are intentional in moving from the ‘Teacher’ season of fathering to ‘Coaching’, typically in the early teen years, understand that ...read on
He was not a good reader, never was. A high level of sports activities overrode the importance of reading any book of significance through high school. As a dad, he wanted better for his son. He made time to read Bible stories and other books to his son early and often. At a young age they would alternate reading paragraphs, then he would read a page and his son would read a page. When the boy started reading books, he would shadow read them so they could talk about key aspects of the book. Dad was teaching well.
Kids typically are learning to read up to ...read on
“You don’t understand. Just let me do it!” Dad was used to stepping in to teach proper technique on how to field and hit. His daughter had always been receptive of instruction from him but this year was different, she was pushing back. He had been warned by other dads about the dreaded teenage years but he was determined to push through them doing what he had always done. Fortunately, an older dad and coach offered the advice to stay involved but to step back and let her grow.
Recognizing the ‘Teacher’, ‘Coach’ and ‘Counselor’ seasons of fathering will help you navigate through ...read on
Some men have been blessed to have great dads and others have had to rely on father-figures to step into their lives. For me, I had a brother-in-law and an uncle that stepped in during the critical teen years. Later in life, my father-in-law provided valuable guidance and Dr. Ken Canfield, a pioneer of the fathering movement in the early 1990’s continues to be a spiritual father for me today.
Spiritual fathers help dads navigate through the seasons of fathering and the day to day noise that distracts. On Saturday evening, 7:00p.m., February 10, 2018, in Houston you have an opportunity to ...read on
It was early on a Saturday morning. There were a lot of places these dads could be at that hour but they chose to be here with other men of their church to hear about a new initiative for dads. The church did not need painting, there was no furniture to move or yard work to be done. This was about encouraging and equipping them as the dads they are called to be.
There has been little resourcing and training of men in churches for the most important role in life – to be the Heavenly Father’s representative in the home and family. On that Saturday morning, ...read on
She was not used to this on her shift. Two guys came in for breakfast and when she served their food they said, “We are going to pray over the food, is there anything we can pray about for you?” She responded, “I would like some clarity in my life.” Each of the guys extended a hand to her and they prayed, “Lord, thank You for Monica and her smiling face this morning. We lift up the desire for clarity in her life. May Your Light shine through any shadows on the path You have for her. Bless her. Bless our time here and the food to the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
A couple of weeks later, the men were at the same restaurant but in a different waiter’s section. Monica left her area to ...read on
You have heard the references to sons – “He is a chip of the old block” or “The apple did not fall far from the tree.” The implication is if your dad was a good athlete, you would be a good athlete or if he was good in business that you would have a good mind for business as well. But if your dad was an alcoholic or a womanizer, the implication is not a positive one. The heritage of a father can be positive or negative.
This is a heads up on three trips available this summer with Faithful Fathering. There will be a father-daughter hiking trip, a father-son backpacking trip and a camping trip for men and young men. Each is a week-long wilderness experience that provides for a wonderful opportunity to tune-out the noise of the world and tune-in to relationship with each other and with the Father.
Dads often ask me what the toughest season of fathering is – ‘Teacher’, ‘Coach’ or ‘Counselor’. The general thought is that ‘Coach’ is the toughest because you are dealing with teenagers. I think the toughest season is wherever you are. With that said, as a counselor, when kids are age 20+ you typically have to wait for the phone to ring before offering advice. That can make it a very tough season for dads and moms.
The season of Lent is forty days long. It starts on Ash Wednesday and goes through Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter, and does not include Sundays. It is a time to step back from the hustle and bustle of daily routine and consider the final steps Jesus walked on this earth. It is also a powerful time to strengthen our relationship with Jesus the Christ by giving up something that is part of our normal routine or by taking something new on.
This team was different. The coach had the infielders rotate every two innings – The first baseman would go to third, third baseman to shortstop, shortstop to second and second baseman to first. The young men knew how to field and throw, now it was time to coach them in the nuances of the game of baseball from a variety of positions. There was no yelling when mistakes were made. Errors were recognized as part of the process of growing as a ballplayer.
He was not a good reader, never was. A high level of sports activities overrode the importance of reading any book of significance through high school. As a dad, he wanted better for his son. He made time to read Bible stories and other books to his son early and often. At a young age they would alternate reading paragraphs, then he would read a page and his son would read a page. When the boy started reading books, he would shadow read them so they could talk about key aspects of the book. Dad was teaching well.
“You don’t understand. Just let me do it!” Dad was used to stepping in to teach proper technique on how to field and hit. His daughter had always been receptive of instruction from him but this year was different, she was pushing back. He had been warned by other dads about the dreaded teenage years but he was determined to push through them doing what he had always done. Fortunately, an older dad and coach offered the advice to stay involved but to step back and let her grow.
Some men have been blessed to have great dads and others have had to rely on father-figures to step into their lives. For me, I had a brother-in-law and an uncle that stepped in during the critical teen years. Later in life, my father-in-law provided valuable guidance and Dr. Ken Canfield, a pioneer of the fathering movement in the early 1990’s continues to be a spiritual father for me today.
It was early on a Saturday morning. There were a lot of places these dads could be at that hour but they chose to be here with other men of their church to hear about a new initiative for dads. The church did not need painting, there was no furniture to move or yard work to be done. This was about encouraging and equipping them as the dads they are called to be.
She was not used to this on her shift. Two guys came in for breakfast and when she served their food they said, “We are going to pray over the food, is there anything we can pray about for you?” She responded, “I would like some clarity in my life.” Each of the guys extended a hand to her and they prayed, “Lord, thank You for Monica and her smiling face this morning. We lift up the desire for clarity in her life. May Your Light shine through any shadows on the path You have for her. Bless her. Bless our time here and the food to the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
