by Joey Watkins

Last week a young dad was leaving his office for the night, a Christian recording studio business in Garland, Texas.

Shortly after midnight, he phoned his wife to let her know he was finished and on the way home. As he and his best friend left the building, they were shot in the parking lot and their cars were stolen.

28-year-old Matthew Butler never made it home that night.

He left behind his wife, his 2-year-old son, and his 1-year-old daughter.

What a horrible tragedy for this family.

My eyes swell with tears as I type this, knowing that Matthew’s young children will never know their dad on this side of eternity, except through their mom’s stories, photos, homemade videos, and their dad’s work — his music.

It is a painful reminder of how we dads need to live in the now with our family — not in fear — but because of our immense role in their lives, and how fragile life really is.

What are we doing as dads to create lasting memories in our children’s lives? How will they remember us if our lives on earth end prematurely? What are we teaching them? What will be their “take away” from us after we are gone?

FamilyDads will be sending a financial gift to help support Matthew’s wife Jamie and his two children Matthew Jr and McKayla. If you would like to add a contribution as a fellow FamilyDad so that we can send one large check, send your gift by paypal to familydads@gmail.com

or if you want to write a check (made payable to FamilyDads with “Matthew Butler Family” in memo section), send to:
FamilyDads
c/o Joey Watkins
2135 Chadwick Dr
Cumming, GA  30028

This tragic story was covered by the Dallas Morning News and Fox News.

by Joey Watkins

As you know, this past Sunday was Father’s Day.

It was a moving experience for me. My oldest son, who just turned 10, spent over $16 of his own money for a card and gift for me. If you knew my so, you would know that is a lot of money for him to spend on someone other than himself.

In my card, he hand wrote I was the best dad in the world.

Priceless!

My other 2 children also picked out their own cards and hand wrote love notes to me.

I am a blessed man.

Perhaps you were showered with appreciation and affection from your own children… or maybe you weren’t.

In any event, here is a belated Father’s Day gift for you, from one dad to another.

It is a music video of a song recently written by well-known Christian musician Stephen Curtis Chapman.

The song is called “Cinderella” and truly brings into perspective raising daughters.

Let me forewarn you though. If you have a daugther, you are likely going to be an emotional wreck after watching this.

Enjoy–
http://familydads.com/blog/cinderella-song-by-stephen-curtis-chapman

by Joey Watkins

Something that really bothers me is the never-ending blame placed on our “evil culture” for the struggles, failures, pressures, and negative influence on the “younger generation” today.

Of course it’s easy to see the sin and degradation in the world, point our finger, and place the blame “out there.”

But the truth of the matter is that evil and godless culture have been around ever since the Old Testament cities of Babel, Sodom, and Gomorrah. And they will continue to exist into the future.

Instead, let us admit our own failure as parents to fully turn our hearts to our children and personally raise them, bless them, affirm them, and model to them how to overcome “the world” and learn the ways of God, His power, and His instructions for life — not “outsource” this responsibility to a local church, youth group, youth pastor, school, other adults, or youth programs.

As fathers, if our sons and daughters do not grow up to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ, full of faith, love, and bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom, then how dare we place any blame on anything or anyone else except ourselves.

Fellow Dad, God gave you and me the primary influence in our children’s lives.

Not television. Not the Internet. Not their friends. Not movies. Not music.

He gave that primary influence to US as their earthly fathers!

The power of our relationship with our sons and daughters is the strongest earthly influence and the most powerful earthly relationship in their lives. I pray this truth sinks deeply into your heart, your soul, and your spirit as it has gripped mine.

Invest your time, actions, money, and your words DAILY in your children’s lives. Don’t be so busy trying to “do good” out in the world that you miss the limited window of time you have to influence your own “next generation.”

Take maximum advantage of your “father power.”

Use it for God’s glory.

Make the most of it.

Seize the day. Every day.

You can do it. You have what it takes.

But don’t blame culture.

FamilyDads Resource

Father Power: Inspiring Every Dad To Be His Child’s Superhero

Fellow Dad, here’s a gripping thought I am reminded of regularly…

The way we are right now, day-in and day-out, is what we are modeling to our sons about how to be a dad.

In our actions, words, attitudes, priorities, habits, and character traits.

One day down the road, they too will become dads and have their own family. And they may read books on parenting, attend seminars and conferences, and even develop friendships with other fellow dads their own age and trade child-raising stories.

But let us be assured of this… Our sons are watching us… their own dad… every day!

What they are learning from our actions as we model fatherhood to them is going to influence their own fathering perhaps more than anything else.

Amazing thought isn’t it?!

Talk about influence!

Is your little guy learning…
- fatherhood means work comes before family
- fatherhood means lots of time in front of the television or Internet is justified for entertainment purposes
- fatherhood means sports are a high priority for happiness
- fatherhood means expecting Mom to do most of the work in the kitchen and house
- fatherhood means spiritual growth is pursued only through weekly attendance to a local church service

Or is your son learning…
- fatherhood means leading our family through daily acts of serving them
- fatherhood means our wife and children are a higher priority than hobbies and personal interests
- fatherhood means cheating our work regularly to spend time with our family
- fatherhood means consistent daily prayer time with our Heavenly Father
- fatherhood means taking the lead in daily reading scriptures out loud to our family
- fatherhood means being gentle and forgiving our children when they mess up or disappoint us

Remember, dad, he’s watching you… always watching you.

FamilyDads Resource

Choosing To Cheat: What Happens When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley