ALL Guys Day 2021
When I wrote my first book, I felt a real sense of pride and accomplishment. When we bought our land not long ago, it was a long-time dream come true. With my grandkids coming in droves, I just have an overwhelming sense of joy. But I also wish, even now at 62, that my dad could have seen it, that he could have sat on the porch at the land, grandkids running about, reading my book and telling me, “job well done son.”
Fathers are critical in the development of a boy into a man. There is a lot of talk today about how wounded our boys are with the rampant social plague of fatherlessness. A timid, abusive or absent father that is in the home can be even worse. Yet so often we just back burner the issue and keep rolling. “I can’t rock the boat, I’m not saying anything, I don’t know them, I am way too busy.”
Father’s Day is June 20. Let’s not make these mistakes with the boys in our churches, communities and families. I have a really hard time when the “Father/Son” camp out, “Daddy/Daughter Dance” is announced or other events that exclude half the boys in the church or our communities.
I know, it’s a battle because honoring a dad for being dad is killer. He deserves it. But being a dad is a mentoring role. A dad is called to be a caretaker, trainer, example to the next generation in his home and community. It is a powerful, maybe the most powerful responsibility a man will ever have. But, we have to acknowledge the social reality the other half our kids face.
Fatherless kids are reminded every day their dad is not there. It hurts. Let’s not forget them.
On father’s day my kids will call me, my wife will be there. I will also be with 17 boys and a few buddies starting a week at a ranch in Texas. Many if not most of the boys coming don’t have a dad in the house. We will tell them, remind them, pour into them this week that they matter, they are loved. We will try hard to let them know that a dad who left them is not who our Heavenly father is. That the word father is not a bad word when we talk about Jesus.
To my dad, I pray you are in heaven looking down and thinking to yourself, “That’s my boy down there. Good job son.” Something I long for even now all these years later.
God Bless,
TJ Greaney
Founder
Kids Outdoor Zone
Fatherless boys: God promises to provide and protect fatherless children!!! Starting with Psalm 68:5
Deuteronomy 24:17-18 Christian Standard Bible
17 Do not deny justice to a resident alien or fatherless child, and do not take a widow’s garment as security. 18 Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I am commanding you to do this.
Isaiah 10:1-2
10 Woe to those enacting crooked statutes
and writing oppressive laws
2 to keep the poor from getting a fair trial
and to deprive the needy among my people of justice,
so that widows can be their spoil
and they can plunder the fatherless.
Exodus 22:22-24
22 “You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you do mistreat them, they will no doubt cry to me, and I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.