It's Generational

Happy Father's Day to all the men who dare to follow Embrace the Grace!

I'm so very grateful for the male gender that perfectly offsets and compliments the female gender.  God certainly knew what He was doing, didn't He?!

I've adopted a great concept I read recently, "Men and women look at things differently.  Not wrong.  Not better.  Just Differently."  (Frank would like for me to keep rehearsing this concept.)

Last month, Frank and I attempted a new adventure.  We took a three day trip to visit my dad (not new) with our two oldest grandsons along (definitely new.) You may be wondering, "What's the big deal with that?  Our grandkids spend the night with us all the time."

Please remember with so many grands who are incredibly aware of fair treatment, it's a bit unusual for them to spend the night with Noni and Papa.  They come for the afternoon.  We enjoy all sorts of group activities.  But traveling with two of them and no parents was brand new territory.

Fortunately, they are just as perfect as we suspected! Spencer and Noah were great traveling buddies during the seven hours of drive time.  They are accustomed to much longer road trips having grandparents in New York and North Carolina.  So they thought seven hours was a piece of cake.

We arrived early in the afternoon and they were delighted by all the outdoor barns and equipment Papaw had open for exploration.  My dad maintains the home he and Mom shared her final years.  It's on property where he grew up as a boy and has access to the pond where he learned to fish.  A true country setting.

Learning about Papaw's boat.

At one point, I noticed Noah doing a little dance and asked if he needed to go potty.  "Umm, yes.  But I don't want to stop investigating."  Isn't that adorable?  I assured him everything would still be available for investigation once he came back outside.

There was the urgent need for a fishing trip.  So, off they went the next morning.

Waiting.  A.K.A. Fishing


I think this picture is one of my favorites.

Classic Summer Picture, Right?!

Frank told of all the loud yelling and running and rock throwing and fishing pole tangling that went into the day.  Not the best way to sneak up on fish.  But they managed to catch a few anyway.  (I think the Lord was gracious and knew my dad really HAD gone to catch fish.)

Noah was proud of his fish but didn't want to touch it.

Look at those smiles.

Final Product



I think the fishing trip may have re-sparked something in my dad because he made a change after our visit.  After years of talking about it, he finally called someone to come and build a proper dock on his part of the pond. You can't really see it but he's beaming in this picture.  I'm so happy for him to have a place to sit, relax and contemplate.  Oh, and to fish, of course.

Daddy has always been a patient teacher when someone expresses interest in learning to fish.  I'm glad he got a chance to fish with a couple of his great-grandsons.  Together, they made a memory that won't soon be forgotten.  And who knows but what they may have created a new tradition that will be generational in its passage. 

When we were young parents, Frank and I received good advice from our mentors, Bob and Martha.  They encouraged us that sharing our faith in Christ needed to be a natural part of life in order for our children to take it as their own. They said we needed to be intentional and patient if we wanted our children to love Christ the way we do.

Their wonderful advice was based on a scripture passage from Deuteronomy 6.  "Impress them [these commandments] on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  You can also talk about your own love for Jesus while fishing.

I'm so very grateful that the men of our family are all Christ followers.  They each came to a point in their journey where they chose to give Jesus priority.  Their choices tell me that generational relationship and instruction is indeed the best way to go.

Frank and our "Sons"

How about you?  Is fishing part of your family's traditions?  How did you mark Father's Day?  Please share with us in the comment section.....