Fathers

This week I have thought a lot about fathers and how they influence our lives.  When I was younger my dad was the man who always had money for the soda machine at Klondyke store, who enforced the rules, was up before the sun, present at school concerts and programs, always had the cash in his wallet so I could go to a movie, and took us to church on Sunday.  Because I was so busy focusing on me, I missed so much of what he was really doing and sacrificing.  He was up before dawn because he had a lot to accomplish in a day, and still be able to be there for our school programs, and often painful music concerts.  He had money in his wallet because he worked so hard, and sacrificed to care for his family's needs, and he took us to church because he needed strength beyond himself to meet the demands of his work and his family, as well as how to teach and guide us.

Fathers often seem like the background music of our lives, they are there but we are so busy doing what we want to do, we never really stop to see that they are the anchor in our family, the ones that though imperfect, lead, provide, worry, pray and sacrifice more than we will ever even know.  They give us strength, security and courage to do hard things, and if often takes a moment when they are feeble or weak, or being close to losing them for us to realize the depth and magnitude of the importance they have in our lives.

I am so grateful to my father and to my husband for the love they have shown me and the things they have done and continue to do for me.  I am also blessed to know that I have a Heavenly Father, who out of His love for us, sent His son to "mark the path and show the way" back home to His presence.

Happy Father's Day!