Express Your Gratitude for Dad on Father’s Day

As I’m sure you already know, this Sunday is Father’s Day. It marks the 40th year that my Dad has been celebrated and the first year that we’ll be celebrating my husband. As such, I’ve been reflecting on what I appreciate most about these two special dads and how best to show them my gratitude.

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Image via HorizonGoodwill.org

Blogger John Spare summed fatherhood up perfectly in this blog post he wrote for Horizon Goodwill Industries (Hagerstown, MD). Of course, he was speaking of his own experience, but he honestly could have been writing about my Dad. John touches on four important lessons his father taught him, the first of which – the importance of meaningful work – really hit home for me. Just as Mr. Spare showed his son the value of a job well done, my father led by example going over and above his job description simply because he believed that his best was the least he could do. And doesn’t everyone deserve that opportunity? It’s only with a job well done that we can feel proud of ourselves and confident about our place in the world. Goodwill believes in the power of work, too. In fact, on an annual basis, more than 261,000 people in the United States and Canada find employment as a result of Goodwill career service programs enriching lives and the health of local communities.

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Image via GoodwillTulsa.org

What does Dad do to relax after a long day of hard work? It may seem a bit cliché, but in my father’s case it is accurate: golf. One of my sweetest memories was when my Dad gave me a set of golf clubs from Goodwill for my twelfth birthday. At the time I was a little put off, but I swallowed my disappointment out of gratitude and that summer brought us closer together thanks to the time we spent together on the links and at the driving range. I realized that, more than anything else, he was giving me the gift of time. Golfing was really just an excuse to enjoy each other’s company. If the Dad you’re thinking of doesn’t already have a fondness for yelling “FORE!” then you should definitely take a peek at this post from Goodwill Industries of Tulsa. With some of their simple advice for taking up golf, you’ll be putting with Pop in no time.

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Image via 3LittleGreenwoods.com

When it comes to home décor, most dads are probably unconcerned, but if you want to catch your favorite father’s eye this weekend try whipping up a string art display like this one from Ashley of 3 Little Greenwoods. It’s simple enough for kids to do, costs very little if you’re sourcing your supplies from Goodwill, and it looks store-bought. Keep in mind that you can create any image you want, just follow the steps provided in the blog post!

Happy Father’s Day to all of those who go by the name “Dad.” You have earned this day of relaxation so let someone else mow the lawn and do what you can to enjoy yourself. A round of family golf, perhaps?