Watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood with my kids - yes, reruns are still on television - always makes me think of my own early childhood. Sesame Street always me laugh, and Mr. Rogers always inspired me to dream.
Mr. Rogers always reminded me of my dad growing up. I remember learning that Mr. Rogers was a Presbyterian minister,
and I remember that didn't surprise me. My dad was a minister, and that was the way I imagined a minister should be. Gentle and inviting, inspiring and easy to smile around people. I don't know if Mr. Rogers ever got so into his sermon that he danced around and yelled from the fire in his belly, but my dad sure did. I remember finding it funny because church was the only time I saw him do this. He connected with people because he was passionate and inspired them to dream from the pulpit. More than that, though, he connected with them because he really listened, was genuinely glad to see them, and never judged them for anything.
and I remember that didn't surprise me. My dad was a minister, and that was the way I imagined a minister should be. Gentle and inviting, inspiring and easy to smile around people. I don't know if Mr. Rogers ever got so into his sermon that he danced around and yelled from the fire in his belly, but my dad sure did. I remember finding it funny because church was the only time I saw him do this. He connected with people because he was passionate and inspired them to dream from the pulpit. More than that, though, he connected with them because he really listened, was genuinely glad to see them, and never judged them for anything.
And the non-public-speaking part is the part I remember about my dad at home. Dad had been brought up in a hard-working farm family. His dad had watched his own pop walked out the door as a young boy, and though my grandpa could be hard-nosed and set in his ways, he had sworn to be there for his kids. And I'm grateful to my grandpa because my dad was a product of this environment, which he passed on to my brother and me.
My dad was a lot gentler than his grandpa had been, and while he always knew the value of hard work, he made sure to take plenty of time for vacations. I remember taking trips to Disney World, Six Flags, and Silver Dollar City. I also remember visiting every World War II and Civil War memorial below the Mason Dixon Line.
I look at my own children and hope they will benefit from having a theologically astute father to ask deep spiritual questions of the way I benefited from it. While I don't consider myself nearly the theological expert that I remembered my dad being, anytime my girls ask me a question about God, Heaven, or any other spiritual question, I always think of my dad.
Today is Father's Day. And I am a blessed dad to three little girls. But I'm also blessed because I have a great dad. And I'm thrilled to honor him on this Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day, Dad!
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