• Well, how 'bout that? I'm lost! Looks like we'll have to stop and ask for directions.
• You know, Pumpkin, now that you're thirteen, you'll be ready for unchaperoned car dates. Won't that be fun?
• I noticed that all your friends have a certain hostile attitude. I like that.
• Here's a credit card and the keys to my new car. GO CRAZY!!
• What do you mean you wanna play football? Figure skating's not good enough for you, son?
• Your mother and I are going away for the weekend. You might want to consider throwing a party.
• Well, I don't know what's wrong with your car. Probably one of those doo-hickey thingies--ya know--that makes it run or something. Just have it towed to a mechanic and pay whatever he asks.
• No son of mine is going to live under this roof without an earring. Now quit your belly-aching, and let's go to the mall.
• What do you want to go and get a job for? I make plenty of money for you to spend.
• What do I want for my birthday? Aahh, don't worry about that. It's no big deal.

Here are three ways we as Christians need to look at Father's Day. First, it is a time of celebrating a relationship with our heavenly Father. He is so much different from the father we have known on earth. Even if our father was the best of fathers, that One in Heaven is a bright and shining star by comparison. He loves us, His creation, so much that even in our rebellion he never gives up on us. "How much did He love us?" you ask. He loved us so much that while we were yet sinners He sent His only begotten Son to show us that love by taking upon Himself all of our sins and transgression. He loves us so much that His very name is love.

The second way to look at Father's Day is to honor the father God gave us. For some that is hard to do; there may not have been a kind and loving relationship with that father. For many, like myself, it is very easy. My own father was loving and kind and became my very special friend. But, difficult or easy, it is important that we love and honor our father. It was God's command to us and it is the only commandment with a promise of long life: "Honor your father and mother that your days may be long on the earth,"

Finally, we honor Father's Day when we examine our own role as fathers. We have two possible examples to follow in choosing our style as fathers. We do as our fathers did with us or we follow the example of our Heavenly Father. I highly recommend the latter. We learn to love without expectation of love returned and giving of self for the good of the child. These are the great truths of Father's Day. Have a good one!