Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise – “that it may go well with you and you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Erma Bombeck wrote something that is rather intriguing. She wrote:

“When the Lord was creating fathers he started with a tall frame. An angel standing nearby said, ‘what kind of father is that? If you’re going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won’t be able to shoot marbles without kneeling. He won’t be able to tuck a child to bed without bending. He won’t even be able to kiss a child without stooping.’ God smiled and said, ‘Yes, but if I make him child size, who will the children have to look up to?’

“And when God made the father’s hands, they were large…. The angel shook his head and said, ‘I don’t think you want to make hands like that. Large hands are clumsy. They can’t manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails, or even remove splinters cause by baseball bats.’

“God smiled again and said, ‘I know, but they’re large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of the day – yet small enough to cup a child’s face in his hands.’

“Then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. The angel nearly had a heart attack. ‘Boy, this is the end of the week, all right!’ he said. ‘How’s he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?’

“God smiled and said, ‘A mother needs a lap but a father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle, or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus.’

“God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could not be contained any longer. ‘That’s not fair,’ he said. ‘Do you honestly think that those large boats are going to get out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least 3 of the guests?’

“Again God smiled and He said, ‘They’ll work. You’ll see. They’ll scare off mice at a summer cabin, or leave footprints that will be a challenge to follow.’

“God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words, but a firm voice and eyes that saw everything. Finally, almost as an afterthought, he added tears. Then he turned to the angel and said, ‘Now are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?’ And the angel was silent!”

Sunday is ‘Father’s Day’! If you are fortunate enough to still have your father, make a point to tell him: I LOVE YOU DAD! If dad has gone on to his reward: be thankful for the memories.