Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day

There are so many great fathers out there. My husband, for one. I am so grateful that he is involved in our kids' lives. He loves to hang out with them. He is always looking for something fun to do with them. He will break out the legos and lay on the floor to build something with them. He runs around the park, and tries to fit in all those areas that are not made for adults. I thank my "Heavenly Father" for joining my husband and I. I love you Scott. May God continue to bless you with the love and devotion you have for children.

Another great father in my life is, of course, my own father. My father, is not just a father, he is my dad. My dad taught me many things. I will only name a few here.

He taught me what a real man should be. He lived his life treating my mom and other women with respect, and showing me what I should look for in a man of my own. I don't even want to think of where I would be today without the example and instruction my dad laid out before me in my childhood. He showed me what  a Godly relationship is.

My dad has always been a builder. He is very keen on making things. He does a great job too. I have many memories of holding boards for my dad so they wouldn't fall to the floor while he was cutting them. He was the one who taught me about measurement and fractions. I loved the time we were able to spend together while he was building something. To this day, every time I smell wood, or sawdust in particular, I think of my dad. He has made so many things that I cherish. The cradle that I rock my babies to sleep in was made by him. The rocking horse that my boys ride and pretend they are cowboys was made by him. The rack that I keep my coffee mugs on was made by him.

I remember my dad telling my sisters and I to get fire wood from the backyard for the fireplace. We all walked back there and piled some logs into our arms. There was my dad when we turned around to walk back inside. "No." he said. We were doing it wrong. We were supposed to carry the logs differently. We had to take the log by its end and carry one in each hand. I still haven't figured out exactly why he made us do it that way. All I know is that there were less spiders crawling on me.

My dad was always writing these little poems. He would write something to my mom on special occasions, or for no reason at all, just to let her know she was loved. He wrote me a note on my wedding day that I will keep forever. This is what he has passed on to me. I enjoy writing. I would always write a note to my parents to apologize to them for my bad behavior, or for whatever. I am told that they would come home from a night out, expecting to find a note from me. I wasn't always bad, I just liked to write.

Dad, you have taught me so many things, and I am going to teach my kids those same things. You have guided me in the right direction. You have encouraged me. You have corrected me. You have supported me.

I LOVE YOU DAD!!!

Thank you Lord, for placing this man in my life. Amen.

Of course, on Father's Day, we can not forget our Heavenly Father. The one who has given life to us all. The one who has saved us from our sins. The one who loved us so much, that He gave His one and only son to die on the cross, so that we might be saved. Let us not forget this tomorrow when it is no longer Fathers Day, but let us remember this every day, and give thanks to God.