I play Words with Friends with my big brother and when I went to it yesterday I noticed he had sent a message. We don't use that message area often, but sometimes we send a note, usually a 'hey! you took my spot!" But I had a message yesterday that wasn't like that. It just said "You have a package coming tomorrow. Have a happy day(s)."
I sent a note back "Really? It's not my birthday!" He responded that "It's a happy day. One is it makes me happy to be able to send an occasional gift. It's a Happy Day for you, because you're getting something for no reason."
I feel loved. But it's Sunday.... will whatever he sent really arrive today? We shall see! I have no clue what it could be. He has on occasion sent me gifts and they always surprise me. I love that about my big brother, for he makes me feel so special, so loved. Sometimes the gift has been a puzzle he thinks I'll like. Sometimes it's chocolate. LOL One time he sent really, really good chocolate - I forget where it was from - but when summertime hits... don't send chocolate to where I live! It went in to the freezer to firm up. But it was so good. It's the little things.
I did cook breakfast yesterday and then sat down and finished a book I was over half-way through. YAY! Since I didn't cook breakfast until about 9-ish, skipped lunch and I headed over to see Ms. Diane early afternoon. She is such a hoot and I love her so much! She makes me laugh. She was grumbling about everything - still - but I spent some good quality time with her before heading back home. Hubby and I headed to cracker barrel for dinner and when we got home I wanted to read more... but, sigh... it was movie time. So we watched 'Winter Wedding' on Prime Video and it was a really cute movie. Then of course the channel went to the baseball game.... at which hubby fell asleep. LOL Which reminds me, when I came back from visiting Ms. Diane he was asleep in his chair. I sat down and worked on detangling some yarn I have... he woke up and commented he had only slept 15 minutes. No lie. I had been home 20 minutes. I didn't correct him; it wasn't worth the 'discussion'.
Today is Sunday and Father's Day. I'll send out texts to my brothers and sons in a bit; I try not to wake them if they are still asleep. Although last night I understand I woke my son when I responded to a text he had sent. Oops. I even let him have the 'last word'. Two of my siblings have posted photos of our dad holding them as a baby. I'm don't think I have one of those, but it doesn't matter. I didn't post anything this year. I'm trying to stay off social media... and sometimes I succeed. It's hard to believe our dad has been gone 66 years.... and I find it so interesting that my siblings younger than me have more stories than I do of him. Well, my little brother, anyway. I was 7 when my dad passed away... that made him 4. I guess we all can have our own stories, right?
The one I remember most, other than my dad being sick all the time... we had a hospital bed in the front room, on which my dad laid. I remember I wasn't feeling good one evening and I was allowed to stay up past bedtime and sit next to my dad and watch TV with him on the little black and white TV that we had. It's just a vague memory, grainy in my mind, but it is one in which I remember him. Other than that, I remember him waving to us children on the street as he looked down from the hospital window (at that time the windows of the hospitals could be opened). If I recall correctly, he passed away the next morning. That was my last look at my dad. I was so young my mother didn't take me and my two younger siblings to the funeral in Tennessee. We did get to stay with an aunt and uncle for a couple weeks while Mother figured out what she had to do, which was get a job to support us children. My dad was 39 years old. Much too young to leave a wife and six children.
Ah... I need to change my thoughts this morning! We all have a Heavenly Father who will never leave us nor forsake us. He loves us more than we can ever imagine. He provides for us all that we need. With my past history, people wonder how I 'latched' on to God as my Heavenly Father so easily. I think it is because I wanted a Father's love so badly, that it ws so easy to love Him and allow Him control of my life. Hell, Fire and Brimstone messages from the pastor growing up did not teach me about Jesus and His love for me. But I know that many times in my teenage years, I knew that He was with me.
Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV): "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."
The only negative command in this passage tells parents to avoid provoking their children by exaggerating their faults or discouraging them with unreasonable demands. Small provocations can create major explosions (as we all know!). I find it interesting that the Greek word for fathers is also found in Hebrews, where it is translated 'parents'. Therefore, this scripture is not just for fathers, as we tend to think it is, but it applies to mothers as well as fathers. Have I provoked my children to wrath? I'm pretty sure I have. Or at least to frustration with me. (sorry about that. I definitely am not a perfect mom. I made a lot of mistakes.)
I often have wished that I had been taught how to be a good mom. I did not have a good example growing up, from anyone, and my lack of instruction did influence me as I grew up and learned on my own. All I knew about finances was that mother paid the bills and we often didn't have any money. We were at the poverty level, I'm sure. I never saw love expressed within our family. There was always yelling and fighting. I used to say that the 'Friday night fights' my stepfather always watched wasn't always just on the TV. We often had them in the house. And yet, we were in church every time the doors were opened. The model family - NOT.
I pray for each of my boys, and those in my family who are fathers.... that they will have a blessed day. It takes more than fathering a child to make them a dad.... any male could do that. It takes love to be a father.
Fathers, love your children. Be an example to them, as our Heavenly Father is to us. Love them, care for them, be there for them. Let their memories be of a dad who brought them love and joy, and taught them about life.
Blessings!
