Love, Loss, and Life

To the father of my children:
Dearest Jason,

After I had already fallen in love with you I was introduced to a part of you I had not yet seen. The first time I saw you interact with your students I was completely captivated and moved by the ways in which you related to them, strived to understand them, and desired to give them the best of yourself so that you could bring out the best in them. If it wasn't clear to me before then, I knew in that moment what a wonderful father you would make someday.

You have not only proved me right, you have done so in leaps and bounds more than what I ever could have envisioned possible. Today your children adore you. They squeal with joy at the sight of you. They race to you. They feel most at home and most secure in your arms. They try to be just like you. And rightfully so.

I have the privilege of being witness to a whole different level of fatherhood through you. I am able to stand on the sidelines, watching as you give yourself to your children, over and over again, every single day. You give them your time, you give them your wisdom, you give them your endless hugs and kisses, you give them moments of sheer, belly-aching laughter, you give them your undying adoration and affection, and you give them to God.

They do not yet realize how blessed they are to be raised under your Christian guidance and love, but I can promise you that someday the daily decision you make to lift them up and hand them over to Christ will reap rewards you've never dreamed possible. The only person who loves them more than you is our Lord, and the gift you give to them everyday by offering them back to Him is unmatchable. They will thank you for this someday, and respect and love you even more then they do now.

I can't imagine raising children alongside anyone other than you. I fall in love with you more and more every time I see you being their Daddy. You make this family whole, you keep this family centered, and you give me the opportunities and the know-how to be a better mother. I have learned much from watching you and the gift you have for working with children. What a blessing it is to see you sacrificially and lovingly giving everything within you to our own.

Happy Father's Day, my love.

To the father of me:
Dear Dad,

Today, more than any other day thus far, I am so grateful for you, the man who raised me. Dad, with every day that my children grow older, and with every new obstacle I face, I gain a new appreciation for the ways in which you brought up me and my siblings. Cyndy recently told me of a time when she was a teenager, and she was giving you a hard time about things she wanted to do in her life which you didn't approve of. You told her that you couldn't simply back off and let her do what she wanted because someday you would be held accountable to God for the way you raised her.

This made so much sense when she relayed this story to me, because that is exactly the philosophy you followed with all of us. You always kept your mind and heart focused on being the kind of father that the Lord commissioned you to be. Regardless of the tough times we put you through, regardless of the times it would have been alot easier to just give in to our whims and desires, you relentlessly and passionately sought out the wisdom of God everyday in the decisions you were to make as a father, and you did all you could to make sure they were in line with His will for our lives.

Dad, sitting here right now, I miss you more than ever. Beyond wanting to touch you, to see you, to hear you, I have so many questions for you, so many answers I seek, so much wisdom I feel was taken with you that I want to be privy to. But I will trust that if I dedicate myself to being the type of parent you were, one who was on his knees everyday for the sake of his kids, God will honor and bless my family as He did yours.

I wonder sometimes about how certain people inherently know that they were made to be doctors, or ball players, or pastors. Did you know, Dad, that you would find much of your calling here on earth in being a godly father? Were you ever aware of how much your kids would end up loving you? How much every single one of us would strive to be like you? You remain our ultimate role model, and we were blessed to have you in our lives to learn from for as long as we did. You are missed, desperately missed, and loved beyond measure. Until the day we die, we will be thankful for your life and the ways in which you continue to inspire us and point us to Christ.

Happy Father's Day, my treasured Dad.

To the Father of all:
Dear Lord in heaven,

I pray this day thankful for all the wonderful father's you have placed in my life. But most of all, I am thankful for You, and the role of Father you play to me and to those You have chosen to give to me.

You, Lord, are the Father who will always be near me to help me raise these children. You love them, more than I ever could, and all I have to do is trust in this and I can feel the pressures of parenthood fade into the background.

You are also the Father that will never leave me nor forsake me, a truth I cling to as I go through these days without my earthly father to hold on to. You love me, You cherish me, You adore me, and You only want the best for me, just as any wonderful father would.

Help me to turn to You always for the wisdom and guidance I need to bring our children up to know You. I cling to the promise You make to us in John 15:7, where You tell us that "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you". All I want in this life, Lord, is for our children to love You and desire to follow You.

Thank you, Lord, for the assurance that You will be a perfect Father to them, just as You have been to me. You are all we need.

Happy Father's Day, my precious Savior.

In Your Name I pray,
Amen