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Published: June 15, 2022, 12:32 p.m.

The best Father\u2019s Day gift for 2022 won\u2019t cost you any money. It\u2019s a great gift for the man who has everything. Listen in to learn what it is.

A Father\u2019s Day setback

I don\u2019t know about you, but I sure appreciate Carol\u2019s cheery introduction every week. Especially on days like today when I\u2019m feeling a bit ornery. I\u2019ve been like this for a couple of days ever since I got an email about Father\u2019s Day, which here in the US will be upon us in just four days. I had been looking forward to talking about the best Father\u2019s Day gift for 2022, but this email I got pushed me back a little.

Here I was excited about sharing this Father\u2019s Day gift idea because it solves the problem of what to get Dad when he already has everything. I\u2019ll get into that, but first I have to get this troublesome email off my chest first.

A disturbing email

Not too long ago I signed up for a free account with Canva, an Australian-based software company that helps people design social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents, etc. It\u2019s kind of like Graphic Design for Dummies. It has lots of templates, and I used one for a gift certificate a while back. If you\u2019re interested in this for yourself, you can go to canva.com.

I get occasional emails from them, one of which arrived on On May 22nd, about a month before Father\u2019s Day. The subject line read,

\u201cWould you rather opt out of Father\u2019s Day emails?\u201d

It went on to say

Father\u2019s Day is coming up and we know it can be a difficult day for many. That\u2019s why we want to offer the option to opt out of Father\u2019s Day emails from us.

And then it gave directions on how to opt out.

Troublesome Assumptions

Father\u2019s Day is difficult for Many? Really? For a few, I\u2019m sure. For some, you bet. But Many? And how could the mention of Father\u2019s Day be troubling? A loving father who\u2019s died and is dearly missed, perhaps? But I don\u2019t get that sense at all. I could be all wrong about this, but I find in this email an underlying and troublesome assumption.

Sure, I can understand Father\u2019s day triggering memories of abuse by one\u2019s father, but are we that weak that we need to censure emails to protect us from bad memories? I don\u2019t think so.

The email assumes many of us are victims, which I find distasteful. A bad dad may be part of our story, but it doesn\u2019t have to be an active part. No matter how rotten a father we had, we can celebrate all the far more numerous good fathers that other people have been blessed with. Father\u2019s Day isn\u2019t just about us.

I find the email patronizing and condescending. It\u2019s subtle, but it seems like fathers have become yet another group maligned in today\u2019s cancel culture.

I don\u2019t recall getting a similar email from Canva in the days leading up to Mother\u2019s day last month.

It's hard being a man in these times. For a more balanced view of good men who become fathers, listen to episode 135, \u201cChristmas With a Good Man Brings Joy.\u201d It\u2019s about Joseph, the early father of Jesus. It\u2019s one of my favorites. I\u2019ll have a link to it at the bottom of the show notes, along with other related episodes mentioned here.

2nd runner up to the best Father\u2019s Day gift of 2022

Before I reveal the best Father\u2019s Day gift of the year, here are the runners-up.

In third place: Marcel Marceau sings \u2026.. Classic Rock Songs From the \u201890s. Carol, my boss, and executive producer is a big Marcel Marceau fan. For Christmas one year she gave me Marcel Marceau Sings Famous Broadway Show Tunes. The CD she gave me must have been scratched because it was hard to hear.

For music-loving fathers, Classic Rock Songs From the 90s by Marcel Marceau would be a good choice.

1st runner up to the Best Father\u2019s Day gift of 2022

The second-best Father\u2019s Day gift for 2022 and first runner-up is actually a real gift most dads would love. It\u2019s a wallet from Pro Style Sports made of the same leather as used in making baseballs. I\u2019ve had one for 4 years. It\u2019s the best wallet I\u2019ve ever had.

I just bought another one in case they stop making this model. Genuine baseball leather. So many compliments when I take it to pay a bill. The smell. Well-made. Cleans easily. The patina over time is authentic.

You can buy it on Amazon by clicking on this link: https://amzn.to/3twCsrl.

It will generate a small commission for the sponsor of this podcast, Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry.

If you already bought him a gift, buy him this wallet for Christmas.

The winner: Best Father\u2019s Day Gift for 2022

Ask your father questions about his life.

Talk to your dad, tell him you want to learn more of his story. Come up with a few questions ahead of time based on the initial question of \u201cWhat might it be like to be my father?\u2019

If your father is deceased or estranged from you. Talk to another father, learn his story. If your son is now a father, take off your \u201cThat\u2019s my boy\u201d sunglasses, and look at him as a father.

If you\u2019re new to the podcast, you\u2019ll find a more detailed explanation of how to ask questions in episodes 64 and 65.

It will honor your father, It could draw him closer to you.

I wished I would have asked my father more questions. I think I was afraid of him. Tennis. The War. Growing up without a father. Ice skating - who taught him all that stuff. His half-sister, my Aunt Jo, etc.

He\u2019s gone now and my questions remain unanswered.

Inquiry into your father\u2019s life will not only honor him, but it will give you a greater understanding of your dad. Even if he was the bad father my disturbing email was suggesting. Understanding the story of your bad father will help you forgive, if there\u2019s something needing forgiveness.

This Best Father\u2019s Day gift of 2022 won\u2019t cost you any money, but it will cost you some time, and perhaps a bit of your heart.

And it's a gift you can give your dad year-round. Even for Christmas

So what does all this mean for YOU?

The best gift we can give anyone is to be curious about their story. Everyone has one, you know. When we inquire about a person\u2019s life for the purpose of understanding them better we honor them. It will bring out the best in you. It will bring out the best in them.

Here\u2019s the main takeaway I hope you remember from today\u2019s episode

The best Father\u2019s Day gift in 2022 is to be curious about your Dad by asking him questions about his life. Listening to his story honors him, and it will help deepen your relationship with him.

I\u2019d love to hear any thoughts you have about today\u2019s episode.

Closing

In closing, I hope your thinking was stimulated by today\u2019s show, enough to put into practice what you\u2019ve just heard. Exercise your curiosity muscles by getting to know your father better. I can assure you, you don\u2019t know him as well as you think you do. But it\u2019s not too late to start now.

For when you do, it will help you experience the joy of relationships God intends for you. Because as you know, You Were Made for This.

Well, that\u2019s it for today. Please consider telling others about this podcast if you think it would be interesting and helpful to them. And don\u2019t forget to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them. And I\u2019ll see you next time.

Resources mentioned in this episode

Wallet gift for Father's Day: https://amzn.to/3twCsrl.

Related episodes you may want to listen to:

135: Christmas With A Good Man Brings Joy

064: Start With This Important Question to Ask

065: End With Asking This Important Question

139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast?

Our Sponsor

You Were Made for This is sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry. We are supported by the generosity of people like you to continue this weekly podcast and other services we provide to missionaries around the world.