We Thank You, Dads...

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads of the world...

What an undertaking you have; the training up of a child! 

It's sweet, watching our son-in-law be 'daddy'!

Photo by lianarhodenizerphotography.com

Praying for all dads and God bless those who look to a higher Abba to lead them

For learning how to laugh and joke

And seek life’s greater good

As you shoulder the salient yoke

Of tender fatherhood

For letting go of dreamer's quest

To tie a tiny shoe

To recognize that living’s best

Is looking up to you

For giving with nothing to boast

But little hands to hold

Because, what a small child needs most

Cannot be bought or sold

For balancing check-books and chores

And learning to love noise

For many interrupted snores

By doors and girls and boys

In place of freedom, love’s sweet bond

The bliss when baby smiled

In place of fantastical Want

Practical need of child

For sacrifices overlooked

And underpaid, for debt

That trains the heart, oft overbooked

To trust God for The Yet

For all the second miles you trod

To make a wee one glad

We ask strength and blessing from God

And deeply thank you, Dad

© Janet Martin

 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Prov.22:6 

So thankful for my dad, a humble role model to a family of ten 'youngsters' :)


‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

Num.6:24-26

To Be A Gentle Man...

In order to raise honest, courageous younger men

we need honest, courageous, older role models.

Thank-you to all the Dads who have made this their goal,

...to love their loved ones with heart, hand and soul 

Strive to do the best you can

Son, to be a gentle man

In this world of haste and greed

Gentlemen are what we need

Men who do not live to please

Desires of selfish ease

Men who stand tall, strong and true

By small kindnesses they do

Men who travel second miles

Though an easy chair beguiles

Men who do not quit the fight
Though their hair is snowy white

Men who know what they believe

And thereby none can deceive

Men of courage, steely nerve

Through remembering Who they serve

Son, learn with humility

To be the best man you can be

…to accept your role with grace

Knowing God made you for this

Glad to stand for what is right

Vow to fight the goodly fight

Dream a dream, work with a plan

But son, still be a gentle man

Learn to value love with deed

One who serves not self, but need

 Listen to That Still Small Voice

Revere the effect of Choice

But mostly help us not forget

You learn by examples we set

© Love, Mom

Aka Janet Martin

Thank-you to my dad who strove to raise strong, gentle sons and daughters by example

Dear Dads,

 The Lord bless you
    and keep you; 
 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

Numbers 6:24-26 

God Bless You Dad

For all the hard work that you do

For sacrifices left unsaid

While we reap the rewards of it

We simply say,

God bless you, Dad

For all the times that you’ve said no

To invitations that you’ve had

To have some fun with just the guys

But you chose home

God bless you, Dad

For all those things you do without

To keep a roof over our heads

Yet never tally or keep score

We pray this day

God bless you, Dad

God bless you Dad, too many times

We criticize instead of praise

It seems to me that you must be

The unsung hero

Of our days

For all those times we didn’t speak

The tender words we should have said

Today we want to take the time

To say, thank-you

God bless you, Dad

© Janet Martin

Some Dads...

Some dads are really, really cool, and some are really smart,
Some dads barely went to school but still have big soft hearts,
Some dads stand up straight and tall and look all sober-like
As if they’ve never thrown a ball or raced on their old bike,
Some dads like to tease and wink and some dads laugh a lot,
I guess, I suppose, it depends, I think, on how many bills they’ve got,
‘Cause dad says, as long as the bills keep a-comin’,
He’ll have to get up an’ keep on a-workin’,
And God bless the dad that keeps on a-hummin’
Even when the bills keep a-comin’

Some dads make lots of money and some, I’ve heard, are broke,
Some say things like sweetheart and honey and some dads never joke,
Some dads work from dawn ‘til dark with little time to play,
Some take their children to the park and some just go away,
Some dads work so very hard so mother can stay home,
Some dads are so very tired, when at last they come,
But, God bless the dad, who at the end of his day
Still gets down on his knees to pray,
And God bless the faithful dad who
Teaches his little ones to pray too

Some dads are really big and tough, while some are short and thin,
Some dads are kinda’ rough and some are gentlemen,
Some dad’s hair is curly and some dad’s hair is gray,
Some don’t really worry ‘cause their hair has gone away,
Some dads drive pick-ups shiny and new, some say any wheels will do,
As long as it takes me to work and such, and the insurance on it isn’t too much,
Some dads whistle and some dads sing,
At home some dads feel as rich as a king,
But for one thing I sure am glad,
God knew how much we’d need some dads

Some dads read God’s word every night, some never read at all,
Some dads teach us wrong from right to guide us lest we fall,
And some dads are a little like God, I suppose,
‘Cause through trial and error this dad knows
Though hearts be broken and sometimes need mending,
A father’s love is never-ending,
And God bless the dad whose love never fails,
When the going gets bad, love still prevails,
Thus, for one thing I sure am glad, God knew how much we’d need some dads,
Some dads’ sure leave big shoes to fill but the One who guides them will be there still,
Someday, when someone says they’re glad God knew how much we’d need some dads

Janet Martin

I wrote this a few years ago for Father's Day