Father’s Day
According to the Bible, we are commanded to honor thy father. What exactly does that mean? Since I am a believer in the word of God. I have no problem obeying what is written in the Holy Scriptures. Let’s examine the early beginnings of Father’s Day.
The custom of honoring dads on a special day was traced in the ruins of Babylon over 4,000 years old. A young boy called Elmusu carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay, wishing his Babylonian father good health and a long life.
Upon further examination of honor thy father in the Bible, it is the first commandment of the 10 giving any promise. It implies a shorter life, providing there is no set time to die, and suggests that man more or less determines his length of life and destiny. Such a simple request!
I am not one to point a finger, but the latest statistics about children being raised in fatherless homes shed light on an important issue. What comes to mind is the recent riot situation that occurred in Baltimore. We all know some circumstances have left many kids raised by mothers and grandparents. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the single mother who snatched her son out of the violent protests she viewed on television.
As for the statistics, there is a new report released by the Family Research Council’s Marriage and Religious Institute (MARRI) that states that only 16 percent of 15 – to 17-year-old teens in Baltimore have been raised in an intact, married family.
It isn’t just Baltimore; the family structure has been crumbling for decades. I agree with MARRI; the destruction of the family is primarily due to poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, crime, and dropping out of school, as well as emotional problems and high school dropout rates linked to fatherlessness. There is no denying the importance of a father in a home.
Some interesting facts about Father’s Day:
♥Father’s Day was introduced by Sonora Smart Dodd in Spokane, Washington, on June 19, 1910. She wanted to honor her widowed father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran who raised his six children.
◊In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. Then, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day.
♠President Nixon signed the law, finally made permanent in 1972.
♣The rose is the official flower for Father’s Day. As a child, I remember the custom of wearing a red rose signified your father was living. While a white represents a deceased father.
Father’s Day is the perfect day to honor thy father. It’s a time to express gratitude and thankfulness to fathers for what they do every day. Fathers make a difference in being involved in their children’s lives. I congratulate the divorced fathers who still make time for their children.
I am fortunate to have my Dad, Mom, and grandparents, who influenced my positive growth and development. My parents’ existence today reinforces all the discipline instilled early in my life. To my Dad, thank you for the endless trips to the Philadelphia Zoo, walks to the playgrounds, ice skating every winter, trips to Atlantic City every summer, and all my fancy dresses that you shopped for! I appreciate all your hard work over the years.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and the single moms doing double duty! Have a fabulous week!
