Steve Sikes Blog  

Generally when Americans think about a day in which we celebrate our freedom, we think about July 4.  However, there is another independence holiday that is celebrated in the United States that I had not heard about until four years ago – it’s called “Juneteenth” (also known as “Emancipation Day” or “Freedom Day”).  It is a holiday observed on June 19 across the nation, but for over a century was mainly celebrated by African Americans in Texas and parts of Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.  The name “Juneteenth” was probably derived from the slang combination of the words June and nineteenth.
. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 and again on New Year’s Day, 1863, during the American Civil War.  This proclamation ordered the liberating of all slaves from every state.  However, without Union troops to enforce Lincoln’s order, slavery continued in the South for over two more years.
. On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger and his 2,000 troops marched into Galveston, Texas and publically declared that slavery in America was ended.  History notes that the reaction of the slaves hearing about their freedom for the very first time was mixed, ranging from shock and disbelief to jubilation! 
. Can you imagine being decreed free but not knowing it for over two years?!  I know I wouldn’t want to be a slave one second longer than freedom’s declaration!  Really?
. Have you not heard?  You were created for freedom (Gal 5:1)! 
. God is good all the time! Steve

“An Ephesian 6:4 father is the compass boys read to find the correct path to masculinity and girls read to find the right road to femininity.”  Steve Farrar, POINT MAN
. Bob Keesee is our oldest son’s father-in-law.  He’s quiet, unassuming and always serving.  I saw Bob again several weeks ago in Chicago at our son’s medical school graduation and reception weekend.
. Two of Bob and Sharlene’s three daughters were in Chicago for the weekend’s festivities (of course, one of them is married to our son, Jordan!).  I watched Annie and Jacqueline sit on their dad’s lap, hold his hand, rest their head on his shoulder, laugh at his corny jokes, sing and pray with him, walk beside him, etc.
. I was reminded of a particular chapter in Steve Farrar’s book, Point Man, entitled: “How to raise masculine sons and feminine daughters.”  All three of Bob and Sharlene’s daughters are godly, spiritual, serving, kind, caring, respectful of others, and feminine.  Sharlene, their mother, has a lot to do with how her daughters turned out but so does their father, Bob. 
. “In gender role development, the evidence points to fathers as having the more important influence, not only in fostering a male self-concept in boys, but femininity in girls.  Mothers do contribute to their daughters’ adoption of the feminine role, but have little influence on the masculinity of their sons.”
. The above is a quote Farrar takes from Ambrom & Salkind’s book, Child Development.  Farrar goes on to say that he believes the key scripture for daughter’s becoming feminine and sons becoming masculine is Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” 
. The following are several of Steve Farrar’s points about this particular passage:
• Fathers should raise their children in fairness (NOT embitter/provoke their children)
• Fathers should raise their children with tenderness
• Fathers should raise their children with firmness
• Fathers should raise their children in Christ
. Six ways fathers can embitter their children:
1. By overprotection
2. By favoritism
3. By discouragement
4. By forgetting that the child growing up has a right to have ideas of his own, and need not be an exact copy of his father
5. By neglect (SPEND TIME WITH YOUR KIDS!)
6. By bitter words and outright physical cruelty
. Four tips that can help a man develop tenderness with his children:
1. Listen to them and respect their feelings
2. If you have been wrong or too harsh, admit your wrongdoing and ask their forgiveness
3. Listen to the input your wife gives you about each child
4. Be “high touch” and dispense liberal doses of encouragement to both sons & daughters

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OH, DID I FORGET TO MENTION BOB’S DAD (the girls’ grandpa)?!  He was a compass to his kids before Bob became a compass to his; an original POINT MAN who kept pointing his life and heart toward the perfect compass  JESUS!
. GIGATTAATTGIG!
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I drove it between the years 1967-1970.  It was a dark blue 1957 Dodge Coronet, with push button gears and big rear fins.  We proudly called it the “Batmobile”.  When started up, it blew out a big cloud of white smoke.  I thought it was cool to sneak in and turn the ignition while my classmates were talking and leaning against it at school.  Man, did they cough!
. This past Sunday, Greg Krinks handed me my birthday card.  (Many of you reading this have received individualized BD cards from Greg.  His is an amazing ministry!)  Anyway, this year’s card really got my attention!  It had a look-a-like picture of my ‘57 on the front with embossed words that read: “May the warm winds of His grace greet you at every turn.”  Amazing!  Not only did my BD card include a picture of my ‘57, but it came with an encouragement of grace as well!  Greg went on to personalize my card even more with added words of encouragement.  What a special gift of grace! 
. Turning 57 this year reminded me that I have become my “Dodge Coronet” in more ways than one!  So, I’m tooting my horn for Greg Krinks – a shepherd of grace, majoring in words of grace, transformed by the God of all grace (I Pet 5:10)! 
. God is good all the time and all the time God is good!   
GIGATTAATTGIG!
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