Posted by afp on June 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment
“Oh, my pa-pa, so funny, so adorable
Always the clown so funny in his way.
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so wonderful
Deep in my heart I miss him so today.”
- Eddie Fisher (1953)
Among my favorite Warner Brothers’ vintage cartoons is “A Bear for Punishment,” a Chuck Jones classic featuring a bumbling trio of bears – Momma, Poppa and Junior. Junior towers over his parents, yet still wears a diaper and is a few cards shy of a full deck.
In this animated short from 1951, Maw and Junior attempt to honor Paw on his special day. Junior serves him breakfast in bed and spills it all over him, tries to shave “good old Pa” with a broken straight edge razor and fills his pipe with, duh, d-y-n-a-m-i-t-e, “tobacco.” These episodes segue into a hilarious song and dance routine to “I’m Just Wild About Harry.”
Through it all, Father Bear protests, “But I don’t like Father’s Day! I HATE Father’s Day!” his temper and blood pressure rising with each well-meaning attempt of Junior Bear to do something nice for Paw that only backfires. As with many Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, beneath the slapstick humor lies a subtle truth – whatever befalls us as mothers, fathers and offspring, we are family, and we really do need each other.
The elusive question in this complex human puzzle remains: At what developmental stage do I truly deserve the title of father? Just about any male can father a child. There’s no exam to pass in order to become one, but be assured that tons of tests are sure to follow.
It’s an awesome responsibility to be a father. I know I botched this role and responsibility many times over the years that daughters Jenny and Sara were under our roof. I’m still learning what it all entails long after our daughters have left the nest, married and escorted us into the grandparenting stage of life – something we thought old people did.
Parenting is not an exact science. You can try doing everything by the book, drawing from biblical principles and examples as well as guidelines imparted by excellent parenting manuals in seeking to train up a child in the way he should go. But, there’s no warranty, no money back guarantee that your children will turn out just the way you dreamed and planned, accepting your ethics and values. I believe the hardest thing for any parent is not harboring guilt and feelings of failure if indeed a child adopts a drastically conflicting lifestyle.
Certainly my own father, the late J. Vernon Bishop of Doylestown, Pa., provided a role model that I tried to emulate in honing my own parenting skills. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t think about both Mom and Dad Bishop. I stopped by their grave site at the Blooming Glen (PA) Mennonite Church on the last visit to my home community, had a little conversation with them and got a renewed sense that they’re still happy together while keeping an eye on the comings and goings of the congregation and on the offspring they raised and nurtured in such remarkable, loving ways.
I definitely experienced love for all the years that I was privileged to know my own earthly father, which in turn provided a glimpse into what it means to know and to experience the love of God, which in many ways far surpasses human understanding.
Much of what I know of my Heavenly Parent and his attributes arises from the love, support and guidance I received at the feet of my own father. I don’t have a neat answer for those who’ve never experienced a good relationship with their own father. Or, maybe they never knew their father, which in turn has to affect their perception of God.
Dad Bishop left this granite planet in late February, 1998, too soon – at age 76. I realize often that’s just 10 years older than I am now. I don’t obsess or agonize over this fact, but it helps remind me of my own mortality, the transient nature of life and of the need not to fret unduly over how brief a span we mortals have to live, move, have our being and, hopefully, leave an imprint for loved ones and others to follow.
This Fathers’ Day, I salute fathers everywhere – those married with children and grandchildren and those Dads who have lost their spouse or are separated or divorced yet remain committed to being the most loving, nurturing and supportive parent humanly possible.
Is there any nobler calling?
Jim Bishop is public information officer at Eastern Mennonite University. He can be contacted at bishopj@emu.edu.
Posted by afp on June 16, 2011 · Leave a Comment
It’s Father’s Day weekend. Plenty of good sports for dad to watch on his TV.
The U.S. Open visits Washington, D. C. this weekend. So what if Tiger Woods can’t make it? ESPN has coverage Thursday and Friday starting at 10 a.m., and NBC offers afternoon action between 3-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, NBC takes to the air at 2 p.m.
Virginia made the eight-team field for the College World Series. The Cavaliers play California Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN, after a pair of games Saturday – Vanderbilt-North Carolina at 2 p.m. and Texas against Florida at 7 p.m. Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, South Carolina meets Texas A&M.
Play continues in the double-elimination tournament throughout the week – Virginia plays again Tuesday – with the two bracket winners advancing to the best-of-three final series.
It’s an interleague weekend in the major leagues, and the Yankees will be visiting Wrigley Field. FOX shows the contest Saturday afternoon – along with Rangers-Braves – and ESPN has the game on its Sunday night package. The Brewers take on Boston Sunday afternoon on TBS.
The Orioles travel to Washington for the weekend on MASN and MASN2. Thursday, the Orioles play at Toronto in the afternoon before the Nationals host St. Louis at 7 p.m.
NASCAR heads to Michigan for the weekend. The Sprint Cup race is Sunday at 1 p.m. on TNT, while the Nationwide race is Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. The Indy car racers are in Milwaukee Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
The D. C. United are in Salt Lake Saturday at 9 p.m. on Comcast.
Comcast has the Mystics game with Connecticut Thursday at 7 p.m.
ESPN2 has the Major League Lacrosse game between the Bayhawks and Lizards Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
More sports at VaSportsOnline.com
Posted by afp on June 16, 2011 · Leave a Comment
It’s Father’s Day weekend. Plenty of good sports for dad to watch on his TV.
The U.S. Open visits Washington, D. C. this weekend. So what if Tiger Woods can’t make it? ESPN has coverage Thursday and Friday starting at 10 a.m., and NBC offers afternoon action between 3-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, NBC takes to the air at 2 p.m.
Virginia made the eight-team field for the College World Series. The Cavaliers play California Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN, after a pair of games Saturday – Vanderbilt-North Carolina at 2 p.m. and Texas against Florida at 7 p.m. Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, South Carolina meets Texas A&M. Read more
Posted by afp on June 18, 2010 · Leave a Comment
A Dad’s Point of View column by Bruce Sallan
www.brucesallan.com
Father’s Day for me is now a melancholy experience. I certainly appreciate the attention that I get from my two boys and my wife. My younger son tends to make an artistic gift for me, since he’s the artist of the family, while my older one will scribble some sweet sentiments on a piece of scrap or notebook paper, and my wife will usually make me a glorious meal of my choosing.
While I appreciate all this love showered my way, I also get melancholy over the memory of my late father, who was a wonderful man. I’ve written about him before, but I want to always keep his memory present in my mind and the minds of my boys. Read more
Posted by afp on June 19, 2009 · 1 Comment
My dad, J. Vernon Bishop of Doylestown, Pa., has been gone 10 years. It only seems like several weeks ago that he left us too quickly, life drained from him by a blood disease, at age 76.
I used to think that 76 sounded really ancient. Not anymore.
Although Dad is physically absent, his legacy of wit, wisdom and example he gave as a loving, high-spirited earthly father remain. Read more
Jim Bishop: Parental Guidance Suggested
Posted by afp on June 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Always the clown so funny in his way.
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so wonderful
Deep in my heart I miss him so today.”
- Eddie Fisher (1953)
Among my favorite Warner Brothers’ vintage cartoons is “A Bear for Punishment,” a Chuck Jones classic featuring a bumbling trio of bears – Momma, Poppa and Junior. Junior towers over his parents, yet still wears a diaper and is a few cards shy of a full deck.
In this animated short from 1951, Maw and Junior attempt to honor Paw on his special day. Junior serves him breakfast in bed and spills it all over him, tries to shave “good old Pa” with a broken straight edge razor and fills his pipe with, duh, d-y-n-a-m-i-t-e, “tobacco.” These episodes segue into a hilarious song and dance routine to “I’m Just Wild About Harry.”
Through it all, Father Bear protests, “But I don’t like Father’s Day! I HATE Father’s Day!” his temper and blood pressure rising with each well-meaning attempt of Junior Bear to do something nice for Paw that only backfires. As with many Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, beneath the slapstick humor lies a subtle truth – whatever befalls us as mothers, fathers and offspring, we are family, and we really do need each other.
The elusive question in this complex human puzzle remains: At what developmental stage do I truly deserve the title of father? Just about any male can father a child. There’s no exam to pass in order to become one, but be assured that tons of tests are sure to follow.
It’s an awesome responsibility to be a father. I know I botched this role and responsibility many times over the years that daughters Jenny and Sara were under our roof. I’m still learning what it all entails long after our daughters have left the nest, married and escorted us into the grandparenting stage of life – something we thought old people did.
Parenting is not an exact science. You can try doing everything by the book, drawing from biblical principles and examples as well as guidelines imparted by excellent parenting manuals in seeking to train up a child in the way he should go. But, there’s no warranty, no money back guarantee that your children will turn out just the way you dreamed and planned, accepting your ethics and values. I believe the hardest thing for any parent is not harboring guilt and feelings of failure if indeed a child adopts a drastically conflicting lifestyle.
Certainly my own father, the late J. Vernon Bishop of Doylestown, Pa., provided a role model that I tried to emulate in honing my own parenting skills. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t think about both Mom and Dad Bishop. I stopped by their grave site at the Blooming Glen (PA) Mennonite Church on the last visit to my home community, had a little conversation with them and got a renewed sense that they’re still happy together while keeping an eye on the comings and goings of the congregation and on the offspring they raised and nurtured in such remarkable, loving ways.
I definitely experienced love for all the years that I was privileged to know my own earthly father, which in turn provided a glimpse into what it means to know and to experience the love of God, which in many ways far surpasses human understanding.
Much of what I know of my Heavenly Parent and his attributes arises from the love, support and guidance I received at the feet of my own father. I don’t have a neat answer for those who’ve never experienced a good relationship with their own father. Or, maybe they never knew their father, which in turn has to affect their perception of God.
Dad Bishop left this granite planet in late February, 1998, too soon – at age 76. I realize often that’s just 10 years older than I am now. I don’t obsess or agonize over this fact, but it helps remind me of my own mortality, the transient nature of life and of the need not to fret unduly over how brief a span we mortals have to live, move, have our being and, hopefully, leave an imprint for loved ones and others to follow.
This Fathers’ Day, I salute fathers everywhere – those married with children and grandchildren and those Dads who have lost their spouse or are separated or divorced yet remain committed to being the most loving, nurturing and supportive parent humanly possible.
Is there any nobler calling?
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with father's day, jim bishop