Happy Father's Day

It's Father's Day! (Well, tomorrow is, but I am writing on Saturday). Just thinking about the wonderful fathers in my life.  I am very thankful for the good men God has placed in my life who have watched over me, my children, and even my grandchild.  God has been very good to me to place Godly men in my life and I am most grateful.

This is one of my most favorite pictures ever...my Daddy and me taking a Sunday afternoon nap.

My Daddy with our whole family.  We were all blessed to have such a good father. 

(I'm the little redhead at the end)

This is another favorite picture of my Dad and me, as I made my "debut" into society. 

Yes, I was one of those...a "debutante", but in our small community it wasn't real hoity-toity like it is in the big cities. However it was a very special occasion, and we young ladies were taught all about proper etiquette and how to hold a teacup and make polite conversation with the lovely ladies of the Women's Club. We learned how to make an appropriate curtsey, and even received an invitation to attend the Debutante Ball in London and be presented to the Queen, but of course none of us were able to go. It was just a nice souvenir to remind us to be proper ladies in society.

At least I learned how to hold my pinkie finger up while sipping tea.  And oh, yes, we had to wear gloves.  LOL.

This picture with my Dad is the most important one of all...the day he truly gave me away in holy matrimony to become the help-mate of my handsome groom forever and ever, until death us do part!

It will be 51 years in August!

To get a better glimpse into the true "character" and fun side of my Daddy, here we are,

Daddy walking with his two favorite girls...(my sister and me)

And then someone snuck up behind us to take our picture, and look at the reaction of my sister and me...I guess I totally forgot all about being a "proper society lady" that day! LOL. You can see my sister and I are two peas in a pod, and Daddy's right there with us.

And here's my favorite picture of him, after winning a horseshoe game...always the champ!

Now, I would be remiss if I did not include my father in law in my memories of good Fathers.

Here he is with his two sons, my hubby on the left and his little brother in the middle, on one of their favorite vacations to Daytona Beach.

And here he is many years later on Christmas, with his three grandsons surrounding him (along with my mother in law and hubby and Ringo their dog).  Christmas was always fun with Granddaddy and Nanny!

And now on to my dear hubby who is one of the best fathers ever.

Here he is on Christmas morning with our three sons. Notice they all have very special hats and guns for the occasion! And pajamas too!

And here he is with our three sons, grandson, one daughter in law and his mother (and me) many years later.

Now, one of our three sons grew up to be a very remarkable Daddy too.

Here is our son Matthew with his baby Noah, about 20+ years ago...

They did many wonderful and fun things together,

like taking Tae Kwon Doh together:

Going hunting for moose...and they got one!

But most importantly, Matthew taught Noah about Jesus and made sure that he knew Jesus as his personal Savior, and was even privileged to perform Noah's baptism:

This was the most important thing he could have done with his son, and especially because Matthew didn't have very many years to spend with Noah, only 14 to be exact. Cancer claimed our son Matthew's life when Noah was only 14 years old.  So it was very important to Matthew to instill as much Godly teaching and setting the right example for him as he possibly could because he didn't have much time.

And now whenever we can his grandfather spends special moments with Noah.

Helping him tie a necktie for his uncle's wedding....

Talking about life and what comes next after his graduation from high school.

Sadly, Noah lives 1500 miles away and we aren't able to be together very often anymore and that is hard for us. But we pray that the teaching his father instilled in him and his own relationship with Christ will carry him throughout his life.

Now here is my hubby sailing away into our pond on the kayak...he just had to try it out since I was having so much fun with it:

Unfortunately, he decided it really wasn't much fun for him. This kayak wasn't built for a man of his "stature" and he did not feel too secure in it, so he headed back into shore pretty quickly:

But I was very proud of him for trying. He is still and will always be my hero!

Now I am sadly well aware that not everyone reading this has had such a good relationship with their earthly father or father in law or husband. Many have had very difficult experiences that brought great sorrow and pain instead of comfort and joy and peace. Thankfully we have a Heavenly Father Who loves us so much that He was willing to send His own Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us so that we might inherit eternal life.  He is our "good Father", and He will never disappoint or fail us. I love these verses:

I John 3:1

."Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 

that we should be called children of God!"

Romans 8:14-17

14.  "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, 

but you received the Spirit of adoption by Whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

"Abba Father" is like calling God our Daddy Father...a close relationship that is filled with comfort and hope and love.  This is not the austere Father that is sitting on the judgment seat, but the loving Father who is sitting with open arms, ready to receive His children when we are afraid or lonely or 

broken-hearted.  

Here is a song that speaks to the truth of Who God is...

"You're A Good Good Father"

by Chris Tomlin

Good Good Father

Chris Tomlin

I've heard a thousand stories of what they think you're like

But I've heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night

And you tell me that you're pleased

And that I'm never alone

You're a good good father

It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are

And I'm loved by you

It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

I've seen many searching for answers far and wide

But I know we're all searching

For answers only you provide

'Cause you know just what we need

Before we say a word

You're a good good father

It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are

And I'm loved by you

It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

Because you are perfect in all of your ways

You are perfect in all of your ways

You are perfect in all of your ways to us

You are…

So whether or not your earthly father was a good father, there is One Who loves you very much, and He is a Good Good Father...and He will never let you down or hurt you in any way. I hope you already know this wonderful Father, our Heavenly Father Who is waiting for us to join Him one day in heaven forever.  

Have a blessed day dear friends.  

Carry Me!

Deuteronomy 1:29-31 "Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them.  The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.'"

"Carry me, Daddy"....I can remember saying to my own daddy as a tired little red-headed girl after a long busy day of play on the farm.  I was too sleepy to walk another step, and I needed someone bigger and stronger to pick me up and carry me up to my bed and tuck me in for the night.

"Carry me, Daddy," I can hear my own three little boys say to their Daddy at the end of a long,  exhausting day of riding bikes and climbing trees and playing cowboys and indians...and finally reaching that point of not being able to make their little legs move any further.

"Carry me, Daddy," I can hear my little grandson say to his daddy, my grown-up son, after a long day spent with his Grandma and Grandpa and Mama and Daddy at the Fryeburg Fair, riding every ride, looking at every cow, horse, sheep, goat, chicken, pig, and whatever else there was to see that he just couldn't bear to miss.

"Carry me, Abba Father,"  I have often said to my Father God at the end of a long, frightening, heart wrenching period of wondering why things were happening the way they were, and what possible good could come out of the difficult trials and tribulations we have often had to endure throughout our lives. 

"Carry me, Jesus," I now hear my grown up son say as he faces an uncertain future, filled with chemo treatments and tests and sleepless nights and concern for his own family's future.

I love what God tells the children of Israel as they faced the giants in the Land of Canaan, the "Promised Land"...

"Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you...according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God CARRIED YOU, AS A MAN CARRIES HIS SON..."

This same Lord, our Redeemer, Abba Father, Jesus...carries us, just as a "man carries his son"...  Oh! What comfort! What peace...What sweet tenderness...

"Jesus loves me, this I know! For the Bible tells me so.  Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak, but HE is strong!  Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so!"

"Carry Me, Jesus."

Amen