Father's Day

I recently had a heart felt talk about fathers. I learned that fathers were a subject of great complexity, and deep rooted injuries where left. Instead of focusing on the earthly mistakes of those fathers, I asked her to think about Heavenly Father the Creator of our souls. I mentioned that on Father's Day we seem to forget that Father and discount his example for the ones that are around us at the time.

I had a lot on my mind as I thought about what to talk about this post, but what kept coming to me over and over again was that my Father in Heaven loves me, and wants me to succeed. We have been given trials, not to weigh us down, but to give us the need to find strength. It is not a task we can do alone. Like fathers watch their children, Heavenly Father watches us and wishes to protect us from the harm of this life. I know this personally as I watch my two sons grow and make child like mistakes. Liam for instance, fell and cut his lip open, and it would require stitches. My heart ached knowing the damage the cut had done, but I felt a sorrow that, in this his childhood would be left with a scar as well. What I didn't realize was his personal resilience to overcome the injury, and to heal both body and mind. I learned a fraction of how our father must see us, knowing our stumbling blocks and watching us crash against the tides of life. I also felt the joy watching when my boys make a great choice, or help others to follow the example of Christ, and for a instant I feel a portion of our Fathers happiness in them.

Being a father happens over night. You progress through life growing upon what you have been taught and what you have come to understand. When you are growing you have a father to watch, I'm lucky enough to have a father in my life that has shown me traits in which I would like to emulate and use in my own life. I also had the opportunity to have an example not to follow. Though, it still has brought some pain, I'm glad for both the good and the bad, because as in the fall of Adam and Eve, we cannot know pleasure without knowing pain. We cannot give pleasure and joy without first experiencing sorrow, and how to uplift those who are suffering as we have suffered. How could we know how to succor our children if we did not fall and bruise our knees, and have someone there to succor us. In this way we are given the gift of life to follow the greatest example.

 Living with my disability has brought me closer to understanding the love our Father in Heaven has for us. I have gotten to be closer to my children, and have a greater understanding of how to guide them through the turbulant waters of life. I hope that you will feel the spirit in which this is written, and that you will know that Christ our elder brother, suffered your pain that he would know how to succor you. That he felt, the worst pain, that people with mental illness can feel, the seperation of the comforting spirit and from our Father, still to feel the lingering pain in our bodies and minds. Our fathers here on Earth and in Heaven want to guide us. I only hope that fathers will take the time given to them to place their hands on their child's shoulders, place their lips to their forhead and let them know, you our there to love and protect them. Especially now this Father's Day.