The other evening my team walked up to this green house, it's a house and it's green. We had too mistaken it for the green houses we had built earlier in the week. Anyway I was sitting on part of the wood from the broken roof on the 3rd story with green hills and castle ruins behind me and the sun setting in front of me. It was absolutely beautiful.
(photo credit: Jonathan Garner)
As I was siting there I thought of my dad in North Carolina. I wanted a hug from him and thinking about how I have the best dad. I would not want any other person to be my dad.
The next day, Emily Sutton and I were plowing a cornfield and talking. We were discussing different names people use to refer to God while praying. When I speak to the Lord I tend to do so with words such as God or Lord that represent my reverence and honor to Him. Yes there are times when I play and laugh and joke with God, but it is not usually when in corporate prayer. Also in corporate prayer I do not call God my Papa. It does not bother me when people do, but I choose not too. As I as explaining to Emily why I did not, I began to cry. I began to cry because to call God our Papa is so intimate and special. He is my Papa and when I call Him that I am his little girl and I am vulnerable and I am exposed and I am so protected and loved. Those times are intimate and deep and between me and my Papa. This is why I do not usually use this term in corporate prayer, because there are places that me and God to have together without anyone else.
Today is Father?s Day. And today I am so thankful to have a dad to show me pieces of my Heavenly Father.
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My dad is strong, he is a provider, he is a protector and he is a defender. He is selfless and takes joy and responsibility and compassion in caring for the orphan, the widow and the poor. I have never seen him withhold his help. He does not know a stranger and makes every friend feel cherished.
He is so wise. He learns and observes well. He continues to teach me and correct me, but allows me to fully make my own decisions and mistakes. But he forgives me and redeems me when I need. And when I am too worked up, frustrated, ashamed and full of tears he knows how to perfectly reminds me that life is too short. He does this by embracing me and together we ?just laugh it off?.
I have never seen him lose his temper. He is full of peace, wisdom and self-control. He enjoys the company of people so excitedly. He loves to dance. He can play any sport. He can figure out how to fix anything or solve any problem or crossword puzzle. He is a wealth of knowledge and loves to learn. He makes the best blueberry pancakes. He loves my mom so well and puts her first. I could go on forever.
And I am reminded that my dad, Thomas Poston, is only a tiny reflection of my Heavenly Father. And I am so glad that my Heavenly Father is so much greater than Thomas. Because as I said before, I would not choose to have any other person be my dad, but him. But I do get a Father who is a billion times greater than that!
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Thank you dad for being so great and setting an example for our family and our community. Happy Father?s Day. I love you.?
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? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (photo credit: Jonathan Garner)
