Happy Father's Day to Men Who Stand in the Gap

I am grateful for the men who choose to live their lives as positive examples for my son to follow. You are truly appreciated.  

Sometimes I notice my son paying attention to influential men. I imagine in his mind he is determining what characteristics and skills he wants to emulate.  My 12 year old is a spiritually based, kind, verbal, intellectual pre-teen who possesses a keen spirit of discernment.  

Rest assured that all of his material needs such as food, shelter and creature comforts  are met. He is a confident young man, who has a personal spiritual relationship with God.  He understands morally right and wrong at the level you would expect a pre-teen to understand.  I see him becoming more and more independent and responsible each day.

It is quite amazing to watch his transformation baby to toddler to preteen.  Realizing that the next 12 years will fly by just as fast as the previous, I choose to be more intentional about the influence I can reasonably expose my son to.  

He has so many positive influences in his life. And to my dismay, he has several not so positive influences; that's just life.  No matter how much I hover, I recognize that I am not the only person who will shape how he views himself as a young man.   My twelve year old is influenced by the men I intentionally expose him to:

• My brothers and brother-in-law
• His older cousins
• His four Godfathers
• His ministry leaders in our church
• His vice principal, teachers, and staff at his school
• His coaches

I have come to realize that he is also influenced by people and images that are beyond my control:

• Professional sports athletes he admires
• Professional singers
• Television stars
• Characters in the books he chooses to read
• People he engages with on social media

Many men stand in the gap by simply living their lives as wholesome examples, leading with integrity, humility, and strength. I am grateful for the impression you continue to make on my son engaging in small, yet impactful actions such as:

• Affirm him as he holds the door for me and others as we walk into a building
• Give him a fist bump after he speaks and looks you in the eye
• Correct him when you see him going astray
• Model a great work ethic
• Demonstrate respect to him and others

Thanks and Happy Father's Day to you and yours.

Angela M. Odom

Grateful parent of an impressionable pre-teen