Category: Fathers

6/16/2024

Father's Day 2024

Happy Fathers Day to all you dads! It is a fine day, and I look forward to it each year to remember my very good dad who passed away 20+ years ago... and hopefully to be remembered by my 3 kids for being an at least OK dad.

I miss my dad for many good reasons. He was a great dad, fun grandpa, provider, and devoted to my mom. But I also appreciate a less appreciated 'quality'—his dry sense of humor. My dad was funny and even played a drawing game when I was a preschooler, which got me hooked on cartooning. I like to call his sense of humor the art of being 'an introvert trapped in a world full of people.'

I remember an example of this a few years back when I was joking around with my then-15-year-old daughter Erin, trying to get a rise out of her. She laughed and said, “Dad, you are so weird.” I replied, “Weird, like my daughter.” Of course, she nodded in agreement, recognizing me as the source of her quirky sense of humor since her mom’s sense of humor travels a more traditional road.

To console Erin, I said… “You know this strange sense of humor actually comes from her Grandpa Larson.” Then, after a short pause as she let that sink in. I spoke again like my dad. “Oh sure, blame the dead guy.” Erin and I then chuckled over this cringeworthy comment, which only served to reinforce the truth our so-called humor was in the blood.

Similarly, my dad taught me the important and underappreciated art of good-natured teasing. Please don’t confuse this with mean-spirited, cruel teasing; our teasing is more like pestering to get a rise out of someone. You see, no harm, no foul. It is the type of good-natured needling that friends and family do to show they like each other. Well, at least my family does this. Of course the one caveat to this teasing. When one teases another to the point of aggravation, the teaser must continue to tease just a little longer. This is a delicate part of the process. The whole process could be ruined if the teasing goes too long or not long enough. Like baking a cake... maybe.

My dad was particularly good at teasing my wife to that point. Or maybe he was bad at it depending on if you asked my wife or me in private. He could really bug her, but somehow she loved him too. ?? I think so anyways.

Of course, the above is shared with a smile or smirk... with just the right amount of embellishment. My dad was defined by much more than a quirky sense of humor.

My dad, Walter Larson, was a kind man with a big heart and an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life, like strong coffee. No one ever confused him with being a theologian , philosopher , or a CEO of any corporation except Walter Larson Logging. But everyone knew my dad as a good man, and I knew my dad was proud of me and believed in me even in my less-than-bright and shining moments.

So, what greater reward can I have on Father's Day than to know I was blessed with a good father who taught me important lessons about family, friends, and seeing the best in others?

If this would be my legacy for my kids and nothing else, this would make me smile.

My dad never left me a fortune to inherit unless he put it in a lunch box and buried it in the woods (and never told me where!), and at my present rate, my kids are not inheriting much except a hard drive full of cartoons , and my kneaded eraser.

BUT.. I desire to give them what my dad gave me. A home with love, laughter, good coffee, good food, and most importantly, a personal faith in the God of our Bibles’.

May your Heavenly Father bless you on this Father's Day. May God provide healing, peace in hurting relationships, love, and humble appreciation for those who have been so good like me.

Jeff (Father & Grandfather) Larson

And finally let me leave you with...

Satan remembered on Father's Day ->

2 Comments

6/20/2021

0 Comments

Fathers Day 2021

Happy Fathers Day to all you dads! It is a fine day and I look forward to it each year to remember my good dad who passed away I believe now 20 years ago... and hopefully to be remembered by my 3 kids for being an OK dad too.

While I do miss my dad I also recognize him as the source of my strange sense of humor, and my quirky personality of what I like to call being 'an introvert trapped in a world full of people.'

For example, a few years back I was joking around with my then 15 year old daughter Erin trying to get a rise out of her. She laughed and said “Dad you are so weird.” I replied.. “Weird like my daughter.” Of course she blamed her odd sense of humor on me since her mom’s sense of humor is more traditional.

To console her I said… “You know this strange sense of humor comes from Grandpa Larson.” Then after a short pause while we both nodded.. I spoke again like I was my dad saying.. “Oh sure, blame the dead guy.”

Then Erin and I chuckled over me saying that for the next several minutes. So there you have it.. my dad was the guy with a quiet dry sense of humor and irony and is to blame for .. ME.. and my daughter Erin!

I also give him credit for teaching me the art of ‘good natured’ teasing/pestering. Please don’t confuse this with mean spirited or cruel teasing, it was more like.. pestering to get a rise out of someone or a situation but NEVER to disrespect someone or embarrass.

It is the type of good natured needling that friends and family do to show they like each other. Well at least my family does this.

My dad was a kind man with a big heart and an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. No one ever confused him with being a theologian , philosopher , or a CEO of any corporation except Walter Larson Logging.. BUT everyone knew my dad was a good man, and I knew my dad was proud of me, and believed in me even in my less than bright and shining moments.

So what greater reward can I have on Fathers Day then to know I was blessed with a good father who taught me the important lessons in life about family, friends, and seeing the best in others.

If.. IF someday (hopefully today) this would be my legacy for my kids and nothing else.. this too would make me smile.

My dad never left me a fortune to inherit unless he put it in a lunch box and buried it in the woods (and never told me where!), and at my present rate.. my kids are not inheriting much except a hard drive full of cartoons , and my kneaded eraser.

BUT.. what I desire to give them is what my dad gave me. A home with love, laughter, good coffee, and good food … and most importantly ‘a personal faith in the God of our Bibles’.

May God bless each of you this Fathers Day. May God provide healing and peace in those hurting relationships, AND love and humble appreciation for those who had or have is so good like me.

Jeff (Father & Grandfather) Larson

<- Satan remembered on Fathers Day

0 Comments

6/21/2020

0 Comments

Fathers Day - Oh sure blame the dead guy?

Happy Fathers Day to all you dads! It is a fine day and I look forward to it each year to remember my good dad who passed away I believe now 18 years ago... and hopefully to be remembered by my 3 kids for being an OK dad too.

As I share frequently my dad passed away a few years back. While I do miss him I also recognize him as the source of my strange sense of humor, and my quirky personality of what I like to call 'being an introvert trapped in a world full of people.'

For example, a few years back I was joking around with my then 15 year old daughter Erin trying to get a rise out of her. She laughed and said “Dad you are so weird.” I replied.. “Weird like my daughter.” Of course she blamed her odd sense of humor on me since her mom’s sense of humor is more traditional. To console her I said… “You know this strange sense of humor comes from Grandpa Larson.” Then after a short pause while we both nodded.. I spoke again like I was my dad saying.. “Oh sure, blame the dead guy.” Then Erin and I chuckled over me saying that for the next several minutes. So there you have it.. my dad was the guy with a quiet dry sense of humor and irony and is to blame for .. ME.. and my daughter Erin!

My dad was a kind man with a big heart and an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. No one ever confused him with being a theologian , philosopher , or a CEO of any corporation except Walter Larson Logging.. BUT everyone knew my dad was a good man, and I knew my dad was proud of me, and believed in me even in my less than bright and shining moments.

So what greater reward can I have on Fathers Day then to know I was blessed with a good father who taught me the important lessons in life about family, friends, and seeing the best in others. If.. IF someday (hopefully today) this would be my legacy for my kids and nothing else.. this too would make me smile.

My dad never left me a fortune to inherit unless he put it in a lunch box and buried it in the woods (and never told me where!), and at my present rate.. my kids are not inheriting much except a hard drive full of cartoons , a hundred or so unsold mosquito and snoahs ark t-shirts, and my kneaded eraser.

BUT.. what I desire to give them is what my dad gave me. A home with love, laughter, good coffee, and good food … and most importantly ‘a personal faith in the God of our Bibles’.

0 Comments

Father's Day 2024

Fathers Day 2021

Fathers Day - Oh sure blame the dead guy?

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