Happy Father's Day

This is a blog I wrote last year, but did not share. I thought that this year I would share it and say thank you to all those dad's out there doing their absolute best to display God's love to their wives and children so that they, in turn, can accept the love of their heavenly Father and choose to serve Him through accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord through the power of His Holy Spirit.  So.........................
THANK YOU!!!!!  And Happy Father's Day!!

This Father's Day I awoke, groggy from having had surgery three days prior, but intent on teaching Sunday School, when this thought went through my mind:  This is your first Father's Day without a dad on either side of the family.  My husband's dad passed away 9 years ago and mine did in October of 2011.  I teared up, but then smiled at the thought that they were having a wonderful Father's Day in heaven with their heavenly Father and that it would seem like only a moment before I get to see them again compared to eternity.  Thank you to Dad for rearing a son to know the unconditional love of his earthly father so it was easy to accept the unconditional love of his heavenly Father.
Thank you Daddy for rearing me in the admonition and fear of the Lord and revealing His unconditional love through your actions toward me.  Never did a day go by that you did not reaffirm your love for your children.
I am amazed at God's goodness and grace towards me.  I know just how rotten I am inside, yet he continually pours out His blessings on me.  He has given me the most wonderful husband a woman could ask for and all I had to do was say yes.  I didn't and don't deserve such a wonderful man, but He gave him to me anyway.
When we were dating, I was a spoiled brat and when God laid it on my heart that I was to marry him, I knew I would obey, but I just HAD to argue the point for a while.  I thought I had to check and make sure God knew what He was doing.  I didn't realize this at the time, but I see it VERY clearly now.  I was scared He might be making a mistake.  Talk about spoiled and prideful!  I am so VERY grateful that I obeyed.  I am still spoiled, but recognize the fact that it is love from my Father through my husband, family and friends and I no longer simply expect to be treated so well, thinking I deserve it, because I definitely do not. 
My husband is the most generous, self-giving, thoughtful, caring man and I would never have had the intelligence on my own to choose him for a husband, because not only was I spoiled in my thinking, I was self-centered and prideful.  After 35 years of marriage, I look at him in awe of my Father's love, fore-knowledge, grace, mercy and wisdom.  How could there have possibly been a better match?  When I have needed discipline, he has been there to dish it out, but always in love.  When I have needed encouragement, he is there to not only say what needs saying, but to help out physically in each and every situation in some way or another; whether it is hanging decorations, cutting out pictures, making a prop I can't figure out how to make, coming up with a better and easier way to do something, etc.  When I need a shoulder to cry on, he holds me and reassures me that all will be well in the end.  When I am in desperate need of a laugh, he MORE than accommodates.  As a father, he loves our children unconditionally, desires what is the VERY best for them even if it means giving up comfort for a time, is there to lend a helping hand each and every time needed and has reared them with a great work ethic that causes today's society to stand in amazement.
As a grandfather he goes well beyond what is expected.  He plays with them, cooks with them, lets them help with job details that would be MUCH easier to do on his own, walks in patience and takes over for me when babysitting when he sees I am feeling stressed, hugs and kisses them and teaches them without effort.  I sit back and smile as I watch him with them as each thing he does with them is an educational experience without them evening recognizing the fact, because he makes it so fun!
I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for us over the next several years and rejoice in knowing that however long or short the time may be here, I have all eternity to spend with him as He is God's child too!
Happy Father's Day, Handsome!