Honoring Isn't Optional

Honor your father and mother - which is the first commandment with a promise - so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Ephesians 6:2-3 NIV 

 Father's Day knotted my stomach. Facing troves of "greatest father ever" greeting cards I'd sigh, mumble something like, "Yeah, right!" until I found the most generic card I could find. At least when I was younger all I had to do was scratch my name at the bottom of my sister's card and slide by the honoring part on her coat tails.

Until I was in my late forties, honoring my father never came easy and knowing the statistics of divorce, maybe it doesn't come easy for many of us or our kids. (Now, I'm not saying that it's only fathers that gain a child's disdain in a divorce, if at all, nor am I saying divorce is the only situation that causes us to dishonor our fathers. I only know my story and I'm writing a Father's Day article, so please allow me a bushel of grace).

Since God created the commandment to honor our father (and mother), honoring isn't optional. So, how do we honor our fathers (and mother) when we feel they fall short (divorced or not)? Or as mothers, how do we teach our children to honor their fathers when we feel they don't deserve it? 

(Be brave and join me at the Christian Children's Author blog for the complete article).