What is your father's or husband's favourite food, snack or drink? How hard would it be to make a few of them for Father's Day or any day you choose to make it a special day?  Do you have the ingredients or would you need to make a quick trip to the store?

Does your husband or father like a special breakfast roll or coffee cake? How about a special breakfast?
I will share with you a few ideas that are real pleasing around here!

I make cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning... they're a favourite around here. I make them with pecans but not with raisins for this day! Another is an egg dish (several of you are familiar with) that you prepare the night before.  We have this for lunch after church. It is simple to prepare, refrigerate, bake and serve.  We often have it with a "breakfast meat," some fruit and juice. I buy my husband real maple syrup for this occasion!  He really loves the rich maple flavour!

             Blueberry French Toast
12   slices sourdough bread, cut into cubes (crusts removed)
1   8oz pkg cream cheese
2 c.  fresh or frozen blueberries
12   eggs
1 3/4  C. milk
1/2 C maple syrup
Spray a 9 x 13 pan, place 1/2 of the bread cubes in the pan, then drop
"cubes" of cream cheese onto the breadcubes, then sprinkle 1 cup of the
blueberries over all and then repeat with the remaining bread cubes, cream
cheese and blueberries.  Drizzle the maple syrup over all.  Mix the eggs and
milk and pour over all.  Cover with "Saran Wrap" and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from fridge up to an hour before baking... then bake *covered* at 350
for 30 minutes and then another 25 minutes or so, uncovered.
     ******Sauce*******
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, place 1 C sugar, 3 T cornstarch, 1 C.
Water, ----bring to a boil over medium heat  for three minutes stirring
constantly... then reduce the heat and stir in 2 C. blueberries and simmer
for 10 minutes.  Stir in 2 T. butter and mix thoroughly.  This sauce it to
serve over the baked french toast. (I double this recipe for the family and
friends who join us for lunch.)

You can serve the above with breakfast meats... hash browned potatoes,
fruits... sliced melons, grapes, a big bowl of strawberries... served with a
bowl of (non-fat) sour cream and a bowl of brown sugar for dipping---Yum!

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Then, there are several "free ways" to say "I love you."

Gifts don't have to come in packages with tissue and ribbon to make them special.   You can think of many additions to this list that will fit your husband or father... but here are some suggestions to spur you on...

Time...  your time is valuable... give some of it away, and you will be amazed at how much you will get back!!
        Are there errands he needs you to take care of?
        Are there things he has been wishing to have accomplished around the home that you and/or you and the children could do?
        Are there things that he has been wanting to tackle but his shop or tools are in disarray... maybe you could do a *little* straightening.
        Does he have a regular designated place to put his personal things when he gets home from work?  A designated place to read the mail, check his messages, set his things, keys, phone, etc?
        Could you set up such a place for him and then "guard it" for him?

Other good things....
         Order up his closet
         Take a look at his shoes, belts and ties... do they need cleaning or repairing?
         Shoes can washed off, polished, repaired, new lacings, new insoles added.
         Ties can be mended, and or cleaned.
         Suits can be inspected, buttons reinforced, seams mended and then cleaned.
         Jeans or slacks can be ironed, mended, pockets reinforced, hemmed.
          Order up his drawers; pair up the socks and neaten the rows of socks, underwear,
          teeshirts, etc. do any of them need mending or replacing?
          Refold shorts, shirts, sweaters.........but leave everything alone!!

Neaten up his work area...  (I caution against moving *any* thing or throwing *any*thing away)
         neaten the work bench, sweep the floor... Generally, just a tidy up is motivating to anyone!
         Have some of his tools "walked away?"  (try to find them for him!!!)
        Tidy up his den or office... again---please don't throw anything away!!!  I have learned the hard way that my helpfulness is NOT helpful sometimes... just like his idea of cleaning the craft drawers would not be helpful to me. ;-)

Maybe he needs his computer cleaned, desk dusted, floor vacuumed and windows washed... simple things are so refreshing...
       Maybe you have left some of your things on his desk or in his way... just tidy them up... it will speak volumes.
       Does he need paper, envelopes, stamps, rubberbands, paperclips?
       New file folders... or labels?
       My husband has a pretty jar of peanut M&M's on his desk... I try to keep this filled... his visitors like it, too! :-)

Thoroughly wash, clean and vacuum his work vehicle inside and out.  You might consider adding things he needs...
      Does he need quarters for parking?  Duct tape---don't laugh... it has probably gotten him out of many a jam! Tissues?  Garbage container? (this would be for men whose whole floor is not used for the garbage receptacle)
     There are different foods that could be kept in the car in a small Rubbermaid box ---if he spends much of the time on the road and doesn't eat regularly (cereal bars, protein bars, fruit juice, dried fruit, peanuts, etc.).

Maybe he'd like a new book, tablet, pens/pencils, a magazine subscription... a newsletter...  Maybe an e-mail newsletter or an E-zine you think he'd like.  Does he need a new razor or a shaver?  Do the blades simply need to be replaced?
Does he need a battery charger for his phone?
Does his tape recorder or flash light need batteries?

Plant a tree in his honor... I know, an orchard or a forest of trees wouldn't be enough to show the honour and love I have for my husband!!  Make stepping stones with the children's handprints in them... for the garden.

If he plays music or likes to listen to music... perhaps he'd like a new CD or tape... sheet music to a favourite song or hymn... tickets to a movie or play (?)...   a harmonica... something for his guitar....

Make his favorite dinner... snack...
     Let him do the BBQ-ing if that's what gives him pleasure!
     Let him take a nap if that pleases him more!

Take him on a picnic...
Take him for a drive... buy him an ice cream cone or a Blizzard...

Get the family together and take a picture... get the film developed and then frame a picture to set on his desk to remind him of this Father's Day...

The best gift you might give him is a new dedication to loving him... really loving him as the LORD would have you to do.  Let old disappointments and disagreements slip away... give them over to the LORD.... let Him take care of the disappointments and let Him fill those voids with new love for your husband and/or father.  A letter of sincere appreciation written in your hand... you would be giving a treasure and reaping a blessing in return.

May the LORD richly bless you as you serve.... And may God Bless the fathers... the real heroes.  

May the LORD bless and fill your home with His Love.

pamela spurling ~ The Welcome Home ~ 2000