by Joey Watkins, Thursday, September 4, 2008

In less than 60 days, many people across the United States will go to their local polling location and cast their vote for the next U.S. President. Predictably, the news media is fixated on John McCain and Barak Obama. Many, if not most, people look to the President as the individual who will solve the pressing problems facing the country.

However, there is a FAR more important and powerful leader than the winner of the upcoming presidential election.

That leader is YOU and me, Dad!

As dads, we are the most powerful person in our children’s lives. What do I mean by that? I’m talking about the level of INFLUENCE we have with them.

We influence them with our words, our actions, the time we spend with them, the time we don’t spend with them, what we teach them, what we model to them, how we relate to our children and our wife, our attitude toward our work, what we spend money on, what we do with our “free time,” and so on.

We have this unique influence JUST BECAUSE WE ARE THEIR DAD.

And it is FAR greater influence than the President has — both in this life and for eternity.

Dads who are committed to leading their families, demonstrating true loving fatherhood, praying for their spouse and children regularly, and instilling their values, faith, skills, and character into their children are the foundation for solving any country’s problems.

John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barak Obama, Joe Biden, or any other politician is NOT the answer… nor the problem.

Your thoughts? Encourage and challenge other dads with your comments below.

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.