2.20.2013

Daddy Pile!

 
I am so grateful that my children have this man for their father! They love him so much and he isn't afraid to show them he loves them too. Andrew's work schedule is different almost everyday and so that means that sometimes he does get home before the kids are in bed, but most nights he comes home after bedtime. I love the days he gets to come home "early" because of how excited the kids are when he walks through the door. Last night he was going to be getting home after bedtime and Jonathan was trying so hard to stay awake in bed so that he could see his daddy before he fell asleep. He almost made it;)

There have been many times in my life where I have been blessed by the examples of good, strong, and faithful men. Men who honor their responsibilities as husbands, fathers, and priesthood holders. I am disheartened by the prevalence in media that portrays men as being ignorant buffoons incapable of caring for their children or unwilling to provide for their families. I know that there are men out there who fall into this category, but by that same token there are also plenty of women out there who aren't any better. The frustrating thing is that this is not the normal thing! I firmly believe that the adversary uses this tool to undermine fathers and the duties which they have. I am determined to not allow these lies to affect my sons negatively. With having a hand in raising 3 boys I see the challenges faced by our sons in this world and I pray that they will always find good men to be the examples that they need of how they should be when they themselves are husbands and fathers.

I was studying some of the talks from General Conference the other day and I came across this one by Elder  D. Todd Christofferson entitled "Brethren, We Have Work to Do." The part that first spoke to my concerns was this "...we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home. We cannot afford to have those who exercise the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, waste their strength in pornography or spend their lives in cyberspace (ironically being of the world while not being in the world)."

After reading this talk I thought of each of my boys' unique personalities and interests. I am more determined than ever to help these boys grow into men who will be leaders in their homes, families, communities, and the world. I am grateful everyday that they have a father on earth who sets an example of how to be a man of honor and responsibility as well as a Father in Heaven who loves them perfectly and will always be there to support them and lift them up so that they can achieve their full potential.