Blue Ribbon Leaders — Blue Ribbon Followers

Father's day brings a flood of thoughts.

For me it is, at the same time, the most exhilarating and the most sobering of the year's family days. The two words that jump out at me are "responsibility" and "privilege."

The responsibility is sobering. The mere fact that God is called father, and that I carry the same title, is almost beyond comprehension. I will be an anemic and seriously flawed copy; but the fact remains that I have responsibilities as a creator, provider, sustainer, leader, and teacher, with the assignment to love, protect, discipline, and be available. In our culture a frightening number of men have persuaded themselves that their assignment is simply mechanical. Once a seed has been planted their job is over. I don't know what label to put on that; but it is not deserving of the name "father." The word that comes to mind starts with the same letter; but Jesus says that we aren't supposed to call anyone that.

The privilege is exhilarating. As a father I have the enormous blessing of having a life partner — a woman who shares my responsibilities, my commitments, my hopes, and my blessings. As a father I can watch two responsible sons serve, love, and guide their families; and few moments are sweeter than the personal times spent with them, and with their wives and children.

Today, if you have a father who has done "responsibility" and "privilege" right please let him know how grateful you are. I hope that I properly expressed that to a father and a father-in-law who richly deserved to hear it.