CK Hicks

I was reading Proverbs the other morning and came upon a verse that stated: “The glory of sons is their fathers.” Considering that Father’s Day was this weekend, I thought it appropriate to recognize what this means. I am blessed to have 3 figures that I consider “fathers” in my life, so my “glory” (also translated as pride or honor) is far beyond what I deserve.

Father by Forbearance
I have a great dad. Not only has he been a rock when many things have been shifting in my life, but he has also put up with a lot from me over the years: from crazy schedules to lack of motivation, mild rebellion to outright disinterest in life, he’s been there for me a lot. The more I consider, the more I realize that I never really felt stranded or forgotten throughout my younger years. When I was living at home, I always knew it was a safe place; there wasn’t much that could touch me there and he worked hard to make sure we had a stable environment to grow through.

Beyond just safety, my dad put in overtime hours just to help feed my interests. If I showed a passion for something, he would do anything he could to make that come to life so I could explore it. Perhaps this meant extra trips to a hobby store to let me buy model rocket components, sacrificing part of his work-week to take a gun-related instructional class, selling something of his so we could fund a more expensive hobby, the list goes on. I may never know all the things he did for me, but I consider that the mark of someone who truly loves and cares for those he has been entrusted with. I’m sure he still does these things even though I live several states away.

Dad: Thank you for being there, for providing, for making me work hard.

Father by Friendship
The second father-figure in my life lives about 10 minutes from me. This is a blessing I cannot put a price on; he’s an incredible man of God, one of my best friends and one who mentors me even when he doesn’t realize it. The relationship I have with this man has evolved over the years as I grow closer to him and his family, and I thank God on a regular basis for the way his influence has affected me.

This is one of those strange things in life that you can’t really put your finger on, though you know it is both existent and crucial for your survival. God has always taken care of me wherever I went, but He allows me to spend time with this group that I might be blessed and encouraged as I grow in Him. I’m so very thankful for the leadership and wise counsel I see modeled right in front of me on a daily basis; the effects of which stretch further than anyone else will ever know.

Kevin: Thank you for the advice, the patience, the trust.

Father by Faith
I’ve met a lot of people that have never met their fathers, never seen them face-to-face. Maybe this is you, perhaps you’re one who doesn’t even want to. While I consider that a complete tragedy in relation to human fathers, I have no words for what this must feel like to my third and final Father.

Though I’ve never “seen” Him personally, there is no stronger bond in my life than the one we share. He’s been there through everything I’ve gone through, sat next to me while I cried a thousand times, laughed with me as I enjoyed the blessings He gave me. He was still standing there as I embraced darkness in high-school, patiently (and I envision: painfully) waiting until I was done running with things that took me away from Him.

It means more than I can ever hope to describe, this tie to “Father of mine.” Either way, I’m going to try expressing my wonder for the rest of my life; even so I won’t be able to come close. There’s just no way to say thank you for all He has done for me, no words that do His works justice. All I can say is that without Him I would not be here writing this today.

God: Thank you for…everything. I can’t wait to see you face-to-face.

Happy Father’s Day!