My father

was born 1901. He died 1969. I was 22 when he died. He

had four daughters, Martha, Sue, Brenda, and Nancy who

preceded me as his children.

Daddy, as

far as I know, never read a book, but did attend to the

daily reading of the newspaper. He never wrote a love

note to any of his children. I remember few times that he

hugged me. I can't remember him cooking a meal nor

washing a dish.

However, as

the nation celebrates Father's Day, I have to pay tribute

to my Father-on this side of 31 years since his

death. Time gives us mighty good perspective.

Unlike many

fathers today, Daddy was always there. We his children

never had to wonder where Daddy was. We could count on

his arrival from work like clockwork every afternoon at

5:30. He was a foreman for a painting crew that kept up

officer housing at Fort Benning, Georgia (Columbus).

Daddy was either at work or at home.

I'm told

that occupations that begin with the letter "p"

are suspect for trustworthiness-like plumbers,

painters, and preachers. Daddy was totally trustworthy.

If he promised something, he would fulfill his

commitment. Daddy had excellent credit. In fact, he had

more credit than ability to pay. The good things,

therefore, he knew his limits.

Another

thing, Daddy knew when he had children he had to give up

the bottle and gambling. Before children, Mama used to

cook fried chicken and biscuits for Daddy's gambling

parties. But when the responsibility of having children

faced him. He quit cold turkey. He would not allow a deck

of cards nor a bottle of wine to be found in the home. We

could only have a deck of Old Maid cards.

So often

today, we see parents who think that he can hang on to

their single lifestyle while also raising children. Not

possible, at least for Daddy. He didn't want to do

anything that could be a negative model for his children.

He loved us. If he could have, he would have bought the

world for us. He loved his wife, my mother. None of his

children were allowed to talk back to our Mother in his

presence.

As one of

his children who became a minister, I naturally want to

look into my Father's spiritual side. He was not a

religious church attender. He thought about twice a month

was adequate for himself. Although his mother and father

were charter members of Mother's Home Freewill Baptist

Church in Boykin, Georgia, he never got that involved.

Yet, one

day, God gave me an insight into my Father's spiritual

side. We were invited to Sunday Dinner at Aunt Gertie's

and Uncle Walt's home. With everyone at the table, Aunt

Gertie called on Daddy to prayer the blessing over the

food. Daddy prayed one of the most genuine, most real,

most appropriate prayers I've ever heard anyone pray to

the Living God. That memory will forever give me comfort

as I anticipate seeing Daddy again in heaven.

Perhaps

many of us children are a little too hard on our parents.

Maybe with the light they had, they did better than

average than we are doing. I know my daughter can't count

on her Daddy being home every night.

How about

your children?

The Rev. Dr. John

Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in

Fayetteville.

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