Cov...uh...cove...what?!

Covenant.  That's what I said in my last post.  It is vital to your two most important relationships that will firmly establish you as a godly father for your children.  So what exactly is the "covenant" I'm talking about?  Well there are several kinds of covenants the are spoken of in the Bible.  Some people would say that a covenant is a contract but I would beg to differ with that definition because in a contract, if either party is in breach, then the contract is null and void.  in a covenant, there is no such clause.  A covenant is the strongest promise that can be made because it does not matter whether one party or the other is in breach, the promise holds - FOREVER! 
The first covenant that must be made in order to become a Godly father is to establish your covenant with God through his son, Jesus.  You accept Jesus' sacrifice for your sins as the most precious gift ever given to mankind.  You agree to let Jesus become the Lord and savior of your life and God agrees to bestow every promise and blessing that he made to his chosen people going all the way back to Arbaham.  Okay I know it sounds confusing, but its actually very, very simple, and very, very important. 
Before I asked Jesus into my life, I had no idea how to love.  I didn't know how to love my wife and I was very sure I wouldn't know how to love my children.  As a result of allowing Jesus into my life, I learned what true, real love was and I was then able to share that new love with my wife and eventually my children and every other person who came into my life from that point on.
The second covenant we make is to our spouse.  We take our vows and those vows are for life.  That covenant you make with your spouse is just as strong as the covenant you make with God except that it ends upon death of one or the other spouse.
A covenant always requires blood to seal the deal.  In the case of your covenant with God, his son, Jesus, spilled his blood to seal the deal once and for all time.  In the case of marriage, the breaking of the hymen is the blood that seals the deal.  I know what you're saying, "My wife was not my first, or I wasn't my wife's first, etc."  The deal is done any way you slice it.  If you and your spouse were not each other's first, then you will need to take it before God to break the old covenant and begin the new one.  If this is not done it will lead to problems in your current and future marriages.  This is part of the reason people bring their old baggage to new relationships.  You must break off those old ties to those covenants you made in the past and God is the only one allowed to make that change because he writes the contracts.  Get it?  I hope so.  If you really hope to be that Godly father or help your husband become one, then you are going to have to make sure your covenants are in order.
You may be thinking I'm drifting off the subject of fatherhood, but as I get deeping into this blog, you will begin to see how important these topics are to being a great and Godly father.  Remember, we're learning to build a family, not just an idea.  Take your time and do it right.  Your children will thank you for it.

More than "Your Baby Momma"

Here's one that Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey may strongly disagree with me on.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, "I put my kids before that so-and-so any day of the week!"  Now grant it that if there are some situations involving abuse and/or neglect always protect the child from becoming a victim.  Most cases, however, don't involve neglect or abuse but parents of children continually use children as an excuse to hate on each other.  STOP IT!
There is a reason God created Adam and Eve before Cain and Abel.  Part of the reason was that God wanted to firmly establish the marriage as the strongest bond and covenant two people can and should ever have.  The bond between a man and his wife should take precedence over any and all other relationships.  If you're a mamma's boy or a daddy's girl, you need to work on diminishing that relationship while fostering your relationship with your spouse.
BTW, if you're still shacking up, stop dilly-dallying, buy the ring, pop the question, and get on living!  My wife and I haven't always been happily married, but we worked through it and sought God's help and guidance.  Although we eloped over 18 years ago without any witnesses, today we boast on a Godly marriage that is as close to perfect as earthly possible (and gaining steam every day - baby!)
We have five children but each one of them is aware that my wife and I stand together as one.  We will not contradict each other in front of the children and they know that we mean business.  I show my wife as much affection as I can so that they know we love each other. 
The bottom line is this:  If your marriage is firm, your family will be firm as well.  I like to think of God as the concrete foundation, my marriage as the frame, and the children as the furnishing.  Remember, after 18 or so years, they will (or should) fly off to start families of their own, but you and your spouse will still be married so take care of him or her.

OMG I'm a father!

Although I have five children, there are times when I stop dead in my tracks and it hits me...I'm a father!  I know, there's the proverbial "pinch" to make sure I'm awake, but it really feels kind of strange to look at these miniature humans and realize that they depend on me and my wife for pretty much everything.  I decided to start this blog in hopes of helping men and women who have no earthly idea what a father is supposed to do and/or be. 
Just so that we're clear on a few things, I need to mention that I happened to learn how to be a father from four different fathers: God, my biological father, and two step-fathers.  Their knowledge along with my experience in a vast array of fields has been combined to offer you a great picture of a good, Godly father.