Celebrating Fathers / How to Pray for Your Husband, Sons, Sons-in-Law Every Day / History of Father's Day

CELEBRATING FATHERS
by Susie Cortright, http://www.momscape.com, Copyright 2001, Used by permission

On Father's Day, we celebrate the guys in our lives. Not just our dads and the fathers to our children, but all the men who have made a positive impact on a child’s life.

A number of recently published studies call attention to the effects of good fathering. Men who play an active role in their children’s lives stimulate all aspects of development: emotional, academic, behavioral, and social, even when those men don’t live in the same home as their children.

But we don’t need a study to understand that the men in our lives matter, whether he’s a husband who lives at home, an ex-husband who lives across town, a stepfather, a grandfather, an uncle, or a mentor in the community.

Even from a child’s conception, a supportive father makes a difference in the lives of mothers, their children, and the world-at-large. In fact, research shows that women with supportive partners experience fewer health complications in pregnancy and have better attitudes about the inevitable physical changes to their own bodies. Studies indicate that even labor and delivery may be shorter and easier when your partner is by your side.

Men lend a sense of self-control. They model their work ethic. They make us laugh and help us develop a sense of humor. Men teach self-reliance, self-confidence, discipline, independence, and the ability to deal with frustrations, large and small. They help their daughters understand how to relate to men and the meaning of trust and intimacy in all relationships. They help their sons understand what it means to be a husband and a father and a man.

This Father’s Day, let us remember the father’s role. Let us actively engage him in this day-to-day process of parenting. Let us stand back so he can take charge and do things his way once in a while. Let us see his parenting style as a complement - and not an opposition - to our own.

Let us celebrate our fathers and honor them for making a difference in our world.

About the author:
Susie Cortright is the founder of Momscape.com
( http://www.momscape.com ), a website devoted to celebrating life with children.  Check out her online Scrapbooking magazine here:
http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking  Visit her site today, and get a subscription to her weekly newsletter free: http://www.momscape.com/subscribe.htm

HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR HUSBAND, SONS AND SONS-IN-LAW EVERY DAY
From Wisdom's Way of Learning - Contributed by Barb Campbell in Mississippi
Note from Lois:  Tape this somewhere in your bathroom and pray for your husband, sons and sons-in-law as you get ready for each day.  Imagine if we women all did that!  I'm certain these special men in our lives would all feel the power of answered prayed in their lives!  Try it!

Sunday
*  That he might become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of God. (I Thes. 5:23, Col. 4:12, Eph. 6:18, Eph. 1:18-19, Eph. 3:16-19).
*  That he might daily seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence on Him.  (Psm. 119:1-2, Psm. 27:4, Prov. 3:5-6, John 15:5).

Monday
*  That he might learn to take every thought captive, to not be conformed to the world's thinking and to think scripturally (Rom.12:2, 2 Cor. 10:5)
*  That he would learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness but on God alone (Hab. 3:17-19)

Tuesday
*  That he might have new strength in the midst of his busy schedule and that the Lord might infuse him with His strength (Isa. 40:31, Eph. 3:14-19).
*  That his self-image might be a reflection of the Lord's thoughts toward him (Eph. 1:17-19; Romans 12:3, Psm. 139)

Wednesday
*  That he might become a called man, not driven, with well thought-through and prayed-through goals in life (I Cor. 9:24-27).
*  That the Lord might give him wisdom to lead his family physically, emotionally,  mentally, and spiritually (Eph. 1:17-19, James 1:5-7)

Thursday
*  That he might stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist Satan in all circumstances (Eph. 6:10-18, James 4:7)
*  That he might not be deceived into unbelief or sin (Gal. 6:7)

Friday
*  That the fruit of the Spirit might be exhibited more and more in his life (Gal. 5:22-23)
*  That he might learn to love as God has commanded (I Cor. 13:4-7, Rom. 12;8-10)

Saturday
*  That the Lord might protect him, guarding his course (Prov. 2:8).
*  That he might learn to manage his time well (Eph. 5:15)


THE HISTORY OF FATHER'S DAY
Father's Day is June 18!  The celebration of Father's Day can most likely be credited to Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington State, who first suggested the idea of the holiday in 1909.  Then in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day, but it wasn't until President Lyndon Johnson signed the presidential proclamation in 1966 that it became official.  Ever since that year the 3rd Sunday of June has been set aside for Father's Day.