�Fatherhood� verses �Fathering�

Words are important and have meaning otherwise we can�t communicate nor understand what others think.

�fatherhood� is a noun meaning: Male parent of a begotten or legally adopted child

Over three million children are sired just in the USA every year. The act of becoming a father comes quite natural to most males of the species. Well over 80% of all males become fathers of at least one child some time in their life. These men belong to the Fatherhood of America. But how many of these fathers are fathering?

�fathering� is an action verb meaning: Mentoring that the male parent does to help his children become responsible fathers and mothers themselves; then become counsel.

A real father is fathering instead of being out-of-service, or AWOL. He takes responsibility to train and later counsel his children before and after marriage whenever necessary until he dies. That�s why the scripture says, �there be not many fathers.� Not that there are not many men begetting children, but that there are precious few men fathering their children and grand children properly in the fear of God. Fathering is work, it�s not for cowards. It�s a full time job that promises true joy for a job well done. 3 John 1:4 Compared to becoming a father, which is but a short moment of emotional pleasure.

America is in a crisis today because of the breakdown of the family which has been caused by the absence of both Godly fathers and Godly mothers from the home. The children were first cut loose to do their own thing at age 18. Then the latch-key generation raised themselves as soon as they could unlock the door and feed themselves after school. Now like communist Russia we have social services, day care, public school, and government care from cradle to grave. And family?, well, we do see someone on certain Holidays if they don't have to work.

This brought forth a return of some wives staying at home to raise their children. Rediscovering children as blessings from God instead of curses to be aborted. Then large families found that daddy was needed at home full-time just as much as mom. To meet this goal, self-employment become the goal of these families, which desired to put their children first and found that time invested in their children was more important than the green carrot of corporate retirement or the higher incomes from being away from home. After all, the only thing you can take to heaven with you is your children. If you plan on going to heaven, are your children going with you?

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