Love Faithfully~

Love faithfully is my lesson today in being a dad. Fathers are to love their wives as Christ loved the church.
Ephesians 5:
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

I want for my son to watch me and learn from me how I love my wife, how I defend her and apologize to her when I totally blow it! It brings amazing security when a child knows his parents are devoted to one another.
I have some awesome kids in my Rock Group who come from a broken home. I have many of "My Kids" that I invest my time and energy into that come from a broken home. It is not my thing as to why this has happened but to start from where we are today and move forward - for these kids to see and to KNOW that they are important and that I care and love them. I also know that kids need encouragement (sometimes daily!) and they need to know they are accepted by their parents or whomever has influence with them - they need to know they are doing good and be praised about it! Nothing satisfies a child more than when they are told by a loved one that they are doing well and that we are proud of them. (even if they are 38!) I may not be their father but I will be the best example I can be of what a dad should be like. Not a perfect dad by any means but someone who is there for them and no matter what they have going on in life - I will walk with them and will be there for them. The relationship I have with their mom or dad is special and God has placed that relationship together for a purpose.
They say it takes a village to raise a child - That couldn't be more true - so even though we live apart and not in the same house or neighborhood - we are to help each other as a family helps one another. Society has gotten away from Church Community - I think its time to put it back into play.

Husbands love your wife and family - faithfully - and let your children and those children you have influence on see it and feel it - to the point where there is NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

Lonnie