Happy Father's Day

How often do we take the ones we love for granted? I think of this often and always tell my Luscious Man that I thank the Lord for him each day - that I never want to take him for granted, never want to take advantage of him, and each day, I most sincerely mean that I tell him all of these plus, that he is my double portion of joy. The Word of God says that out of your former shame God will give you a double portion of joy. (Isaiah 61:7)

I am thankful that this beautiful man is not only my husband but has claimed my children as his own. The children, now grown, cannot imagine a better Daddy. And not only has he been a blessing to the children and I, he has been an excellent son to my parents. How my Daddy loved him! He would call him his right arm and would tell me quite often how happy he was we found each other.

Now this is also the first Father's Day without my own wonderful Daddy. It is a bitternsweet day, as most "firsts" in the year following a loss. Last year, Luscious and I carried Daddy and Mom to Mabry Mill for Father's Day and we had a wonderful picnic, lots of happy stories from Daddy, and I even got up and flat footed a minute to some great blue grass. This delighted my Daddy as his mother loved to flat foot and taught me how. It was his last really good day.

I don't like to linger on sadness. I have been fortunate to have two wonderful men in my life who are my heros. My Daddy, who taught me to respect myself so that I could respect others, how to hoe a good row, make poor man's gravy, and most of all, Daddy taught me how to laugh at myself. That is an important thing that most don't ever learn. I am thankful to be the daughter and wife of country boys.

God bless each and every Daddy out there. Thank you for loving your wife and children, loving your country enough to stand up for it.