I am a dad. I want the best for my children and my grandchildren and all the generations to come. And as I come up to Fathers Day next week, it is my heart to write on 5 things that I think are important to dads. As I listen to my grandchildren pray for their “dad” to return to their life, I cry inside. I hurt for them. So, if as a dad, I can stop one child from going through that, then I feel it is all worth it.

My own dad was a hard worker. He moved to Connecticut to take on a new job before I was born knowing I was on my way. He came and worked as a timekeeper in a foundry. Knowing he and my mom wanted more, he often worked second jobs to pay the bills. My early years were tight from what I learned. But he and my mom soon put enough aside to buy there first home when I was two. They skimped and saved. And one day they moved in to their home. Over the years my dad worked a lot. He often had to work Saturdays and it seemed like I never saw him. Over the years alcohol began to take its toll and I saw even less of him. It was hard for me.

Many years ago I realized that the most important value to me personally was time. All the gifts my parents gave, the toys and such did not mean as much to me as time. In my 15 years as a “pastor” people often heard me say “quality is better than quantity except when you are talking about time, in which case spend as much as you can with family!”

Young parents, especially dads. Be there for your children. You do not want to wake up one day and wonder where you went wrong, where you missed it. Invest today, for it is all you have. Never think about there will be a tomorrow. Your child, your children need you today.

It is not always easy to be a good dad, a good parent. But time always helps!

Make time for your family. Carve out time for them. I often thought my dad did not care. As I got older I often went to work with him on Saturdays just to be with him. He was my hero.

One of the most painful times in my life was when I was moving from Little League to the “majors”. I was a year too young, but an old fire chief who coached saw the potential in me and agreed to take me on after one round of tryouts. My dad was working a second job and between jobs he was in a meeting. (He was president of the Little League in our area.) Someone told him his son had just made majors. He did not even know!

I understand the world is different and life is different and money is different. But there is a constant that is not different. CHILDREN! They need a dad! Will they think your sports, your hobbies, your job, even your ministry is more important than them? I HOPE NOT!

You will never get the words of life into their lives if you can not see this through. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Josh McDowell said, “rules without relationship breed rebellion”. If you do not spend time with your children you will run up against a wall some day. Maybe you are one who is reading this and thinking “it is too late”. I do not believe it is ever too late. Change things. When I find the Lord I often was working 7 days a week, 100 hours a week. And then the Lord touched down in my life. KABAM! No longer was I interested in working and not seeing my children.

Today, I pray for you dads and granddads. You have a lot to offer and children need a lot of what you offer. I pray that you will find the keys that will unlcok time for you and your children.