OP-ED: GET IN GEAR BOY
Proverbs 4: 1-5 “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.”
By Van Yandell
Daddy made statements that still ring in my ears and quickly get my attention. One was “I always know where to find my tools; they’re wherever Van used them last.”
Admittedly, I had the bad habit of not putting the tools back in their appropriate place. Always seemingly in a rush, I still have that bad habit.
Another, if he observed me being lazy was “Get in gear, boy; we’ve got work to do.” Still a third was “Let’s get to work; we’re burning daylight.”
With his attitude that I should be an over-achiever (which at the time, I did not share), to see me wasting time disturbed him to an extent, at the time, was not understood by me.
Dad taught me plumbing, electrical wiring and laying concrete blocks. I still use those skills occasionally and have memories of our precious times spent together.
At the ripe age of ten years old, I was threading and soldering pipe, crawling around in attics stringing electrical wire or mixing mortar to lay blocks. In today’s upside down world, most of that would be considered child abuse.
Daddy was indeed a serious student of the Bible. I well remember walking into his store. He was reading his Bible; the text was Matthew 27. It was the story of how Jesus was mocked and tortured before the crucifixion.
I noticed tears in Dad’s eyes. It was so hurtful to him to read of Jesus’ torture that fateful day nearly 2000 years ago. Many promote we should have a personal walk with our Savior. Dad did!
It was like he was reading about someone he knew personally. Years later I realized he actually did.
The construction trades and belief in Savior Jesus were not the only lessons from my dad. He loved America, the land of the free. He loved his freedom to speak freely, worship, assemble with his friends around a card table or go to church.
Maybe his most valued freedom was freedom of opportunity. Being citizens of a free country, Americans have opportunities many in our world do not have.
Freedom of opportunity to educate ourselves, either to self-educate or in a public education institution is a basic right. Opportunities are abundant in a free society. Any citizen has a right to pursue their goals.
Dad did not encourage me to go to school (high school or college). He expected it and I knew it! Some encouragements are observed in actions that dictate expectations, not words.
He never could come to grip with my blasé attitude toward school. My priorities were not math and science. I learned my math on the job and science in the fields and forests. Dad finally gave up on me and let me be me. Now, that’s great father!
But that doesn’t work in all cases. Children need guidance and discipline. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Wife Margie worked in early childhood education and is a firm believer that environment is a determining factor in a child’s future. In her case she may even say “the determining factor.”
Without a doubt, children are products of their raising. If we teach them hate, they will hate. If we teach them work ethics, compassion and love, they will grow to emulate those qualities.
Dad’s intentions, in retrospect, were all the above. On a job one day when I was probably around twelve years old, Dad gave me a task to solder a fitting on a length of copper pipe.
I knew the pipe was too long for its placement and asked why. One of the few times he became short with me he said “Don’t ask why, just do it!”
I then said “But daddy, I really need to know why we’re doing it that way.” He realized that was a teachable moment and explained to me “why” he wanted it done that way.
Never again if I asked why, did he not stop and explain why it needed to be done in a specific way. As the years have passed I’ve realized that children have a natural curiosity and to want their questions answered is good.
Dad was very serious about his faith in our risen Savior. His exasperated moments trying to raise me at times may not have exemplified that but all in all I could not ask to have had a better father.
Our father in Heaven is even more patient with us. At times we can be assured His patience is tried to the limit but He created us the way we are and when we realize we are not perfect, we can go to Him in confession and repentance.
The Bible teaches there is only one eternal salvation. That is by a faith based belief (Ephesians 2: 8) that Christ Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27: 35) for the remission of sin (Romans 4: 25), resurrected (Matthew 28: 6) and ascended alive into Heaven (Acts 1: 9).
Father’s Day is a special day to me. Dad died in 1984 and I still miss him and am sure as long as I’m alive that missing him will not end. I so much wish at times I could call him with a question being sure he would take time to answer.
Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and missionary. His email is vmy3451@gmail.com