(An excerpt from “Fatherhood: The Role of a Lifetime“)

Being a father is one of the most remarkable experiences of my life.

The birth of each child has brought me overwhelming joy and made my life brighter. It has also brought to reality the all-important thoughts of what to teach them and how to help them along the way.

As I have walked each day with each child, I have come to understand how important is to connect with each one of them in a manner that fits their own personal character. Beyond that, certain lessons have been brought to my mind repeatedly about what really matters and what will give them the best that God has to offer them.

I’ll never forget the day we brought our twin boys home. They were our first. And before I go further, if you are going to have twins, I think it is best to have them first.

JoAnn and I had no idea what having a baby was like and, considering the circus that our twins created, our innocence and naivete were huge advantages. When JoAnn delivered Stephen, our third child and first single, we were floored at how easy one baby was.

Compared to the Marx Brothers act of Matthew and Johnathan, Stephen on his own was like vacationing in the south of France.

Now, back to Matthew and Johnathan.

Our hospital stay was wonderful. They had JoAnn and the “boys” stay an extra day out of an abundance of caution and there was no objection from me.

JoAnn got a lot of rest, I wandered over to the nursery whenever the itch struck to play with them, and I ate well in the hospital cafeteria. However, the day of reckoning came and, after the billing office made what seemed to be 25 copies of my insurance card, a nurse ushered us out the door and on our way.

The false peace of the hospital was quickly a distant memory.

That journey home changed my life for the better in ways I could never have imagined. And while I expected fatherhood to bring me great happiness, the love, the memories, and the joys that came with it are indescribable.

One of the most amazing things about fatherhood is that it does not require advanced degrees or years of training and certification, they are simply ours to raise in the best way we know how. It is through our efforts and our willingness to learn on the job that we find joy and a sense of satisfaction.

When I brought our new sons into the house and stared at them, I realized that I had a great responsibility. I also knew that I had many examples to lean on such as my own father and my Heavenly Father.

My father was the most remarkable man I ever knew. He had great faith in the Lord, he had a love for all mankind, and he found joy in serving others. He also understood priorities and possessed a sense of what mattered unlike anyone I have ever met.

His life and his cadence were all about peace, and he led by example. I don’t recall ever being told what I had to do. I simply did what my dad did because I saw his joy and I wanted to be like him.

From my dad, I learned my first lesson on leadership; the greatest leader is the one who people want to follow.

My own journey has been and continues to be one of hope, faith, and discovery. And through it all, the wisdom gained from the lessons I have learned and observed have enhanced my experience as a father.

These lessons provide a continual source of enlightenment and bless us and those around us.

My reflection from Poplar Grove today is this; If you don’t teach your children how to have faith, how to
work, how to have priorities, and who to look to, who will?