My Dad

This Father's Day I probably thought more about my own dad than usual. This picture is pretty much twenty years this week from my high school graduation. It's been hard for me to admit I love my dad, though I always knew he loved me. As a kid, the bad habits of parents drive you crazy and you're convinced you'll never be like that. My dad had a temper, which seemed the worst thing in the world to me as a little girl. I shared in the talk I gave at stake conference some of my thoughts with this and I've felt guilty ever since because really my dad did so many things right. No issues with fidelity, word of wisdom problems, gambling, porn or a number of things that can tear families apart. He served in the navy during WWII and then a three-year mission to Sweden. After all that, he didn't marry til 30 and had nine children (I'm the 8th)-- the last when he was fifty. I know a lot of men unwilling to do that! He would always do anything the church asked and served a building mission during the sixties in Finland for three years building churches--my brother Brent was born there. He also never hesitated to accept the call to serve a temple mission just 7 or 8 years ago. (My mom, on the other hand, was a little reluctant to leave her family). He had a stroke in the temple but made a miraculous recovery to finish the remaining year.

Now he's a very quiet man, unable to get about and can't hear very good and has had several difficult spells of pneumonia that we thought he may not recover from. And then a few weeks ago we found out he probably has lung cancer, though a biopsy won't be done because that could kill him. So he's just going to live out his days in peace--no chemo, no radiation and only regular trips to the doctor or if he gets sick.

So I've learned to be faithful, to strive for integrity, to work hard and to be greatful for the things that really matter all from my dad. So, yes, it's a few days after Father's Day now, but thanks Dad for the daily lifeskill lessons and unconditional love and support.