Every dad has them. My dad used to make statements that both baffled and challenged me.

“Hold her Newt, she’s heading for the barn.”

I spent years wondering who Newt was. When I finally rode a horse, I understood. If I apply that to myself in real life, it translates, Hold her Mark; she is heading for the chocolate.

“Close the door! Were you born in a barn?”

Who hasn’t heard that battle cry? Money was tight in our family, and the a/c was running. Sadly, as kids, we were lax in closing the door.

“Offer it up!”

Oh yeah, we heard that a thousand times. As children, we didn’t understand. My father was paralyzed in his thirties and suffered chronic pain. Subsequently, when my times of suffering came, I appreciated Dad’s wisdom. Don’t waste suffering.

“Suffering is a great grace; through suffering, the soul becomes like the Savior; in suffering, love becomes crystallized; the greater the suffering, the purer the love.”
St. Faustina

Our children could fill pages with the dad-isms of their father.

“Hey we should put some of this cool air in a jar, and open it this summer.”

Dad-ism

Much of his quirkiness stems from a good heart that desires to save money and resources. When we run the water for dishes, he always gathers it in large pitchers to water plants.

He signed up for the “time of day” plan to save money. We avoid using electricity between 3-6 pm because it is triple the cost. In winter, he warms me up by lighting candles. The ambiance is excellent. As for warmth, you tell me.

Gas pumps clearly post, “Do not top off.” This dad doesn’t think it applies to him. We were supposed to meet up with the kids a couple of years ago, but we were running late. I snapped a photo of him topping off so they understood the delay. Our youngest texted back, “See ya in two years.”

Dad-ism

If the kids slammed the car door too loud, he responded, “The ouch light is on.”

When he dallies at a green light, he blurts, “It isn’t getting any greener.“

Whenever he has a questionable joke, he gathers his sons, saying, ‘Don’t show Mom,’ followed by a roar of laughter—dad humor.

I know it isn’t unique to my man, but extended bathroom sojourns are a reality. I think there is some kind of force field that is activated when he enters, and time stops. No one dares disturb a man on the toilet. It is the disappearing act that has long exceeded the children who dared not encroach into the dad zone.

Despite all these quirks, my guy is an excellent and generous father. A gift to our family. He has equipped his children with the thinking skills necessary for life. He witnesses the Catholic faith and, is always quick to laugh out loud.

“Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it.” Prov 22:6

Good fathers are irreplaceable.

“Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 Jn 1:4

No father is perfect except our heavenly Father. Earthly fathers, doing their best, can still fall short. Dad’s need all the prayers we can muster for them.

“There are very few men who realize what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves entirely to his hands and let themselves be formed by His Grace.”
St. Ignatius of Loyola

An exorcist I heard once shared, “There’s nothing like the power of a father’s blessing.” Bless your children often in the name of Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Whether they are children or adults, near or far.

Children need a fatherly blessing every day.

Wives should respect, encourage and support the father of the family, and in turn, he must encourage his sons and daughters. We need men willing to put their strength at the service of the family.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift of fatherhood. Our world desperately needs the witness of strong yet humble, faithful and joyful men, who selflessly love God and their families.

“God chooses ordinary men for fatherhood to accomplish his extraordinary plan.” GK Chesterton

Happy Father’s Day to all the men who are fathers in my life.