The Influence of Fathers

On this, the first anniversary of my father’s death, I’m thinking about the power of a father’s example. While my dad went out of his way to nurture me in the Christian faith, there was another aspect to his influence on my life for which I am most grateful. My dad learned great lessons from his dad on how to fix just about anything. In turn, my dad would take every opportunity he could to teach me how to diagnose mechanical breakdowns, use tools properly, and fix things. He even put a woodshop in our garage so that I might learn the basics of woodworking. I didn’t always enjoy being sidetracked from my own youthful endeavors to peer under the hood of a car, or take a washing machine apart, but I know now that I learned a great deal. To this day, my wife will often ask me, “how did you know how to do that?” My answer is always the same: My dad showed me. Fathers, don’t underestimate your influence you have on your kids when you patiently give them your time.