Recipe for making a Dad

Dr. Ross L. Riggs Father’s Day 2018

Recipe for making a Dad

Ingredients:

1. Children… this is a necessary ingredient, they can be any age, shape, size, or variety but they must be included

2. Humility… this is not required at the beginning, if you do not have it, do not worry, your children will give it to you

3. Humor… Without humor the recipe will turn out bland and tasteless

4. Faith… a successful recipe will include a great deal of faith in God the Father who is the model we are attempting to re-create. Without faith the recipe will fail.

5. Strength of character… this too is a vital ingredient but it can be added a little at a time as you get more of it over the years

6. Gentleness… for all the boo-boos and things that go bump in the night

7. Firmness… for the times it is needed to help forge the character of the little person with whom God has charged you

8. Discipline… to be used sparingly in the recipe but still

vital

9. Tears… the recipe will require a lot of these so stock up

10. Patience… again if you do not have this and have trouble getting it for the recipe, borrow from Mom she has extra; remember she is also dealing with you plus the kids!

Place all ten items on the counter at the beginning for easy access. Those items that you must add over time or even borrow later as life provides them for you can be set aside.

Set the children off to one side, they will be a garnishment as well as adding flavor to the life of the ‘Dad’

For mixing the ingredients, use a home. You can begin with a house, that will be fine. As all the ingredients come together, the house will become a home.

Begin by rolling out the faith on a large piece of wax paper. Place the paper on the counter or other surface, Any size portion of faith can be used at the beginning.

Then press the faith out by rolling it with a life-size rolling pin until the faith malleable so that it can be stretched around all the ingredients like a ‘pot pie’ dough. It will grow as the ingredients are added and can be added too, as time passes. The faith will become stronger the more it is rolled and flipped, tossed in the air, regathered and pressed into a ball again and then pressed flat again.

Add a touch of firmness. A secret to the recipe is the addition of tears at various times as they naturally enhance the firmness.

Stir in a large cup of gentleness.

Strength of character can be diced into small pieces to be added over time. As it ages becomes sweeter and the flavor becomes richer as time passes. The smaller pieces at the beginning are helpful since most, when first created, while still necessary are not fully ready for addition all at once.

Humor to taste. Like humility, if you are short on humor, the children will provide it.

Humility will be added by the children as the circumstances call for it.

Add an appropriate amount of discipline, best used as a teaching tool and not as a punisher. A brand of discipline that remembers they are children is best.

The tears will add themselves to the recipe at appropriate times, such as sickness of a child, the birth of a child, the graduation and wedding of children, etc.

A large helping of patience should be added as soon as the faith is rolled out. Again, you may have to rely on Mom to provide the patience.

Wrap all the ingredients together and then gently slide the preparation into the lives of the children and set ‘PRAYER’ to ‘all-times, without ceasing’ and allow to remain throughout the lives of the children.

Of course, only God can make a Dad. Today, thank Him for yours!