just had to share a few thoughts with you and about the special men in my life. I am so blessed to be surround by wonderful fathers.. my husband, my father in law, my step-dad, brothers, brother in laws, friends, and other men in my church and community.. that are such wonderful examples of what being a father really is. These men in my life are supportive and kind and funny and loving and just PRESENT. Which is a wonderful blessing to me. Even to watch the way they treat other people, their own families, their children, wives. What awesome examples to others. I am really surrounded by good.. beautiful men.
I am so grateful for my own dad, for the lessons he taught me, for his kind loving forgiving manner.. as I sat in church today, and listened to one of the speakers, and older man, talk of about his dad, it brought up so many emotions and memories of my own dad. Part of me was sad, that this is the first Father's day.. I didn't get to get him a gift, or have the kids make him a card. That we wouldn't be going over after to church to see him and have dinner with him. Spend the day celebrating him. But I also had a huge sense of joy.. and peace knowing that he was such a wonderful man. A WONDERFUL father and not just to his children.. but he effected so many others lives with his generosity and charity and christlike attributes. I remember at his funeral.. actually at his viewing the night before the funeral. I expected maybe close friend and family to be there.. I was IN AWE at the hundreds of people that showed up. It was crazy. At one point I remember looking at the big open room where us children stood in a line, receiving condolences and my dad in his casket between us.. and looking at the LINE of people waiting to give us their appreiciation for what a wonderful man he was. They had to open up the doors to the next room and the line still went all the way out, through two rooms and down the hall, out the door to outside. I was in shock. It took over 4 hours for everyone to get through the line. I KNEW my dad was loved.. but I had no idea how many people's lives he had affected. People had traveled from many states away.. hours away to come celebrate his life. I had people tell me story after story of some act of kindness he had done for their family. People I didn't even know. Stories of my dad, showing up with food, or giving money when they were in times of need, or taking people in when they had no place else to go. Lending them cars, giving them cars, letting them stay in his rental houses.. for months. sometimes YEARS without paying rent. I HAD NO idea how far his charity really reached. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. My heart was full of love and gratitude for this man. I was blessed to have him as a father and and am even MORE blessed to know I will see him again some day.
I am also so grateful for a kind loving husband. TRULY. I was thinking the other day.. we live such an abnormal life. I mean not too many people get to stay home full time with their spouse and work together.. and when they do, its usually the man's work or business that brings them both together and the wife helps and supports him in that. But our life is just opposite. We work at home and our income is MY job and my business. which HE completely supports and helps and seriously for a lot of it.. just takes over. I think it takes a VERY VERY different kind of man to be able to put aside their own dreams and let their wife live theirs. I can't imagine being married to anyone else and having them understand me or 'Get" me.. the way he does. And we are not perfect by any-means. We fight and argue just like anyone else. Infact probably more so! lol.. we are best friends too and both VERY strong willed and opinionated.. so with that comes a lot of "discussions" which some may think are arguments.. but for us.. it's just this strong mutual respect that we both have great ideas and need to share them. He is the only person I can imagine being married too. Truly. I think about all the other guys I dated in college and have considred what my life would have been like if I had chosen to marry either of those. They were both GREAT guys.. but wow.. THIS man.. my man.. Ben.. is exactly who I need. Good and bad. I am blessed that my husband loves his family. Loves God. He has a strong testimony of the Gospel and holds the priesthood and uses it for good. I am blessed to have that in my life and my home. I truly am so grateful for him. . Dude.. seriously.. just love that boy.
I know we all have men in our lives we are grateful for. Even if you aren't married, or don't have a strong relationship with your dad. We have so many men in our lives who have shaped us in some way or another. Whether it be an uncle, a cousin, a brother, a friend, a son, a father.. a husband. We are surrounded by really really good men. I think society today would love to make men look less than they are. They do.. men get a bad rap a lot of the time. Sometimes we "women" get too caught in what "We" deserve.. or that we deserve more.. or power to the women.. or whatever that may be. BUT TRULY, we need these wonderful men in our lives. We would not be whole without them. They are our strength and our guardians. I am so grateful for all of them. I hope you have men in your life you are grateful for too.
thanks for letting me share..
Happy Sunday..
Thanks for sharing this with us. It bought tears to my eyes. You are blessed to be able to share such tenderness with people. You too are like your dad, in the way that you share your talent very generously.
I stumbled upon your blog today, and know that I will be back.
Thanks
Gail
Posted by: Gail | July 11, 2011 at 01:39 AM
Love this post, Christy. You are so right on, and I wish other women "got it" the way you so obviously do. Thanks so much for sharing about your dad, and many (((Hugs))) for this being the first Father's Day you spent without him here on earth. But I am so glad you know Christ and have the joy of knowing you will spend eternity with him. And what a true pleasure it is seeing you share openly and honestly about your faith on your blog. SOOO many women don't...I have to admit that even I have, over the last year or so, somewhat separated out my faith and family stuff from my artsy stuff on my blog...and it just doesn't feel right. It's not "me," or not all of me, at any rate. I love that you share all of yourself, including your strong faith, especially in this world where it seems that it is increasingly politically incorrect to speak the name of Jesus Christ! God bless you, Christy!!
Posted by: Jen Clark | June 25, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Christy you hit the nail on the head. Nothing else needs to be said. Wonderful post.
Posted by: Carol Miller | June 20, 2011 at 08:33 AM
Such a blessing to hear your wonderful trubite to your Daddy and all the men that your surrounded by. God is so good to have choosen us to be placed among them. Thanks for sharing!! Hugs!
Posted by: Eunice Boger | June 19, 2011 at 11:33 PM
Pushing the "Really Like" button! I too was blessed to have an amazing father...gone for 21 father's Days, but so loved and appreciated...missed. Miss his incredible wisdom and what a prayer warrior he was. Thanks for your post Christy, you are such a sweetie!
Posted by: Marianne VanWingerden | June 19, 2011 at 11:17 PM
One thing you forgot to mention about your hubby is that he is one serious good looking dude.
Posted by: Barbara Konopa | June 19, 2011 at 08:14 PM
You and so many are blessed to have found such an awesome mate. After leaving a very bad marriage decades ago I was not lucky enough to have found a real partner and must say I've not known many "good" men. I don't mind being alone, been doing it a LONG time...but when I read about what is possible, it does make me yearn for that real connection. My Dad did the best he could, and I miss him on days like this - it's my 2nd Father's Day without him. Hug these fine men today - you are blessed !
Posted by: Linda Robison | June 19, 2011 at 07:43 PM
I've heard you talk about your Dad before and I'm happy that you have so many great memories (they don't replace the person) and that you have so many other great men in your life, as do I, not everyone is as blessed. I miss my Dad and Father-in-law and grandfathers tremendously. They were also great. My husband is a great guy also. We, like you, are blessed.
Thanks for sharing so much of your life. Your family is truly blessed by you, your husband and the rest of your remarkable family.
Posted by: Linda Polaretzki | June 19, 2011 at 07:33 PM
I too have been blessed by many good, God loving men and a man that loved me through the good and the bad times. Missing my husband so today. My first Fathers day without him. I know he's in heaven watching over me today and always. Thanks for sharing Christy !!
Posted by: Kristy T. | June 19, 2011 at 06:16 PM
Your father sounds like a wonderful man and with all of Ben's wonderful qualities he's a cutie too !!! Just this past week my husband had a terrible run in with a deer and thankfully someone was watching over him and he survived yeret another life threatening moment. I realized marriage isn't an easy road to travel and we have our ups and downs but this man is the "Rock" of our family and the most AMAZING father. After 28 years I am finally realizing I did marry my "Prince Charming".
Posted by: Lisa Ciaravino | June 19, 2011 at 05:35 PM
Thank you so much for sharing your love for your dad and husband today...you have blessed many with your words!
Cindi
Posted by: Cindi Picou | June 19, 2011 at 05:01 PM
Such a beautiful post, your dad sounded like an amazing man :) You don't get many people like that these days. I have a lump in my throat lol I agree with what you said, men do have a bad rep nowawadys and it's a shame they're all being painted with the same brush :/ I have a husband and a dad that make me so proud and happy to be a part of their lives.
*sigh* I really did love this post :) Thank you.
Carmen xx
Posted by: carmen ferrerra | June 19, 2011 at 04:49 PM
Wonderful post.
Posted by: tenderblue | June 19, 2011 at 04:41 PM
*WONDERFUL post Christy~
Posted by: lorraine lewis | June 19, 2011 at 04:23 PM
Sending you big squishy hugs today xxx
Posted by: Steph | June 19, 2011 at 03:16 PM
I'm so glad you have such amazing men in your life too! I just love hearing of such strong men who take their work as husbands and fathers seriously. God bless you! Xo. Love you sweet lady!!
Posted by: Stephanie Petersen | June 19, 2011 at 02:54 PM