“Be a loving and kind example for your children." ~ Proverbs
22:6
Some fathers try to appeal to
their children by showering them with gifts rather than giving of themselves. Others play ball, take them camping, or build
tree houses. Joe let his son tag along with
him – to his office, while mowing the lawn or to the store. Funny how some kids actually get great joy
from doing things that adults consider work.
Hardware stores were Joe’s idea of heaven. He’d open the door, inhale the signature odor
of lawn fertilizer, sawdust and house paint, and sink in. He admired tools he'd never buy and think up
projects he’d never start. To him, the
hardware store was a dusty temple of useful stuff.
Homer’s Hardware was his favorite: old fashioned, cash only,
not a computer in the place. They’d walk
across an old wood floor – worn smooth and devoid of stain or varnish; complete
with squeaks and uneven joints. It was
the kind of place you went when you needed a whatchamacallit or a thingamajig. You could simply say “I need a little thing
about this big and that color; they knew exactly what it was and where to find
it. Try that at Lowes.
The store had narrow aisles and
tall shelves filled with an vast array of items for just about anything: vacuum
bags, propane tanks, rakes, hoses, watering cans, charcoal grills, tape, glue,
smoke alarms, door hinges and saw blades.
You could even buy a single bolt or screw without purchasing the whole
package. Try that at Home Depot.
Saturday mornings were an educational experience for Jack as
his Dad wandered about, stopping to point out things he thought might impress
his son. Like the store was a kind of
museum and Joe was its docent.
Joe was conversant in sink parts, belt sanders, conduit,
Elmer's Glue and every kind of garden tool. Honestly, Jack wasn't paying much
attention, because his own love of hardware stores was based on things like how
much dryer vent hoses resembled the arms of the robot on "Lost in Space." But it was time their time together – Joe
sharing a small corner of his world with a son he cherished.
Joe knew he only had one chance to be with his son before Jack
grew up. And that if he wanted his son
to respect him in later years, he had to build that relationship before it was
too late; while Jack was still young.
Parents - your children will grow up too soon.
As they reach later and later developmental stages, you’ll
look back wistfully at how quickly it went, how quickly their innocence and childlike
dependence on you evaporated. Your child
also presents you with an opportunity to grow. Seize that opening.
Lord, thank you for my dear parents. Help me to show how much I appreciate them. Forgive me for the times I've made them sad. Bless them with good health and happiness. Keep
them close to one another in this life and in the next. Amen
