I think it was grade seven, maybe eight, but it is etched in my memory quite clearly as a day of some excitement.  Our “Art Class”  had been given the opportunity to make a Father’s Day gift which I was sure would be of good use to my Dad.  The project was a paper machete pencil holder – using a frozen juice container.   I chose as my contrasting colours orange and black – which in the years to follow I could not quite understand, but I had carefully created a gift of practicality and love.

In the years to follow I began to see it in a different way.  My own maturity allowed me to see the flaws in that gift – where the mistakes had been made, where my desire to hurry had ended up in a product not quite right.

But the pencil holder stayed on my Dad’s desk and he still explained how his son in grade seven had made this wonderful gift.  In his eyes the flaws were not mistakes, they were part of the gift.  The intent of the gift was all that was important to him.  The love of a son was the real gift.

So how will you express your love tomorrow to your Dad.  Some people’s “Dad” may not be their biological father.  It might be an Uncle, Grandfather or Stepfather.  It will be the person who is proud of you and treasures whatever imperfect gift you bring, even yourself. 

Consider some of these options:

• Call them to tell them how important they are to you. 
• Give them a letter expressing appreciation for some of the things they have done for you. 
• Take them out for lunch and “toast” their best qualities. 
• Consider making a donation to their favourite charity on their behalf. 
• Plant a tree to mark their significance in your life.

Or if you are really thankful why not make them a paper machete pencil holder to place on their desk?

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”  – 1 John 3:1