HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

I am not sure how many more Father's Day celebrations I shall have with my father. Life moves on and he is 81 and not in the best of health. Today he will sit at our table along with Mary's mother and father. We shall pray together and eat a fine meal prepared by my dear wife. He is my father. I have so many memories of him. I pray for more years of life and happiness with him.
  
I have long since forgiven him of any wrong I thought he did to me. Just as he was never the perfect father so I have never been the perfect son and I am not the perfect father to my children. Who among us is such? We are all frail and we fail often. But, I do remember tons of good about my father and for that I am thankful. I have come to realize how so many have such evil fathers who have done terrible things to them in life. My father always saw to it I had food, clothing and shelter growing up. He also saw to it I had plenty of nice things to play with and enjoy. At 16 he bought my first car for $200. It was a 1965 Chevrolet Super Sport Convertible. He told me to pay him back as I could. I paid him back out of my work earnings over the next year.
 
I feel in so many ways he was a much better father to me than what he had from his father. Although his father was a good man but as I have said already, all fathers have their failures. I have tried to improve on my fatherhood skills from what he showed me. I hope my children do the same with their children.

I remember my father studying the Bible. He has always loved the gospel and the church. He has served as an elder in the church at four congregations in his life. He has always worked hard and done his duty. He served his county in the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant and was ordered to Korea to fight when President Eisenhower ended the conflict and rescinded his orders. He always encouraged me to be a Christian, preach the gospel and serve the Lord. He has always listened to my complaints and endless talk patiently. He was there at my side when the nurse came in and told me I had a baby daughter when our first child was born. He has advised me and helped me through bad times and good times. I am thankful for him.

We have many expectations in life. Often we expect too much from our parents. We forget they are human and were never born with amazing parenting knowledge. Parenting is on the job training. So, fathers have to forgive their children and children have to forgive their fathers. This cycle continues from generation to generation.

I am 58 and my father is 81. I see him as such a great man and love him dearly. I think of all the good in life he has given me. More and more I pray that I could be half the good man that he has been. I will never reach such a lofty height but I am thankful for the bright star that he is and that shines before me.

 
Thank you Dad and may God bless you always! HAPPY FATHERS DAY!
*Allen Ashlock, 2014