My Father's Day Sunday Six

Happy Father's Day

My father wasn't around when I was young. He left our family when I was 7 and I didn't see him again until I was a teenager. He died when I was 22. I am sorry that I did not have more of a relationship with him.... but then life is what it is.


My earthly father never got to know me very well or love me very much.

However, I do have a Heavenly Father who knows me well and loves me.

I am thankful that I know this is true.

I want to share with you how I came to know this...beyond any doubt.

...

As a child my mother taught me to pray. I attended church with her regularly and learned to respect and worship God and Jesus. I grew to love my Saviour. I felt great appreciation for his sacrifice and overwhelmed that He loves me enough to die for me.

...

Somehow, while I worshipped God and prayed to Him, I did not feel like He was really my Father. Maybe it was because I didn't have a relationship with my earthly father it was hard to imagine me having a Heavenly Father.
...

My mother died when I was 41. We were very close and her death came at a hard time in my life. The company my husband worked for had folded and John was out of work. I had to start working to help support our family. I was in my first year of teaching high school and my first year of working on my Master's degree. (I was required to go back to college in order to get my CA credential.) I was overwhelmed with working, being a student , a wife, a mother and taking care of my sick mother.

...

My mother was very ill and lived with us at the time. In spite of her fragile health she was a great support to me. Her love and encouragement were a great source of strength to me.

And then she was gone. I held her in my arms as she drew her last breath and I kissed her goodbye.
...

A few weeks later I decided that I should clean out her things and give them away.

As I knelled on the floor and opened one of her drawers the scent of her perfume hit me. As I looked at her things and saw notes written by her hand I was overcome with great grief.

I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I cried out "Mother, I miss you. I need you. If only I could talk with you I know you would help me and make me feel better."

So great was my grief that it seemed to push me to the floor and bare down on me.

...

While I was in this state, sobbing, I began to feel warm.... like arms were wrapped around me.

I felt a calming peace surround me.

My heart began to pound and felt full of joy.

In my mind I heard these words...

"My dear daughter, your mother is gone, but I am here to help you.

She loves you but I love you even more.

She knows you well but I know you even better.

You can not talk with her for a season, but I am here and you can always talk to me.

I am always ready to listen and to help.

Come to me. I am your Heavenly Father. I wait with open arms."

These words were only in my mind but I heard them as clearly as I would have had they been spoken out loud.

At that moment I knew that God really was my father....

....My Father in Heaven...

and I was his daughter whom He knew and loved.

How wonderful it is to know that I really am a child of God....

...we are all children of loving Heavenly Father.

I am so thankful for that knowledge and testimony.

...

I am also thankful for the wonderful men and fathers that I have in my life now.

...

My John is a dear husband, father and grandfather.

...

My son David and my 3 sons-in-law love their wives, their families, us and their Heavenly Father. They include us in their lives and welcome us in their homes. What a blessing that is for John and me.

...
Today I am smiling as I think of them with thankfulness in my heart.

I think that the pictures I am posting today are self evident.

How wonderful to have these good men in my life.

# 1 is my hubby John

He is a loving husband and father.

He is a great grampy



Just ask any of his 13 grandchildren

(well Evan may be too young to ask but the others will tell you.)

They all adore him

What a sweet Grampy.

What a sweet dad.

...

# 2 Dathan is my oldest daughter Lynell's husband.

Dathan is a hard worker and a kind and tender soul.
We are so glad to have Dathan in our family.

...
#3 is Ernie, our second daughter Mindy's husband.

Mindy and Ernie live close to us and include us in every
family activity and holiday. We also have dinner together every Sunday.

What a blessing it is for us to live close to this sweet family.

Ernie is special to us.

...

#4 is Patrick, our youngest daughter Erin's husband.

It took Erin 10 years to find her dear Patrick but he is worth the wait.

There is not a more loving and devoted couple to be found anywhere.

Patrick is thrilled to be a new father
He just can't get enough of his boy.

...

#5 is our son David.

David is a great dad.

It is so much fun watching him singing and interacting with his children.

I had such a good time watching my baby boy with his new baby boy.

What a blessing it is to have a son like David.

...

So on this Father's day I am thankful to know that

I have a Heavenly Father

and

I have these 5 good men and fathers in my life.

Happy Father's Day to all of you good Father's.

May God Bless you all.

Have a great week. I hope you will have lots to smile about.

(((Hugs)))) Grammy Lura