Happy Father's Day

My emotions are divided right down the middle today.

On one hand, I feel like the Psalmist. I feel so blessed that I cannot stop praising and thanking God. I have four adult kids, four adult kids-in-law, nine grandkids, all in good health, all loving each other, and all loving their parents and grandparents. I am blessed beyond measure.

On the other hand, I am hurting for many today.

I am hurting for dads who are in prison today, and for whom the day will mean little more than perhaps a touch of extra heart-break. Many won't see their kids, or even hear from them. In some cases, they don't even know where their kids are.

I am hurting for men and women in prison who would like to celebrate the day with their dads, but cannot. In some cases, their fathers have passed on while they were in prison. In some cases, their dads don't even want to see them. In some cases, they don't even know if they have a dad.

I am hurting for dads who have kids in prison, men or women who may have made some bad choices or, in some rare situations, who were wrongly convicted. Either way, incarceration prevents a celebration.

And I am hurting for a group of my friends in prison who were locked up at such a young age that they never had an opportunity to become dads. They are in a state that believes that youngsters must pay the same penalties as adults who commit heinous crimes...a state that is known for its lifers who entered prison in their mid-teens.

I review all of this not to spoil your Father's Day...not in the least. Enjoy it, and give thanks for your blessings. Just don't forget the people who were very special to Jesus, people who he insisted deserved a visit.

Happy Father's Day!

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