Loved By My Father

I found his love for me to be my security and strength. His love was fully satisfying. I didn't need the love of another. I didn't have to chase after any boys or men. I didn't ALWAYS make wise decisions but my heart wasn't always straying. I stumbled on occasion, but the desire of my heart was to please the one who loved me and cared about me. This truth in my life carried over into my relationship with my Heavenly Father. If a mere man could love me like that how much more did my Heavenly Father love me. This also served and continues to serve to bolster me through life. My Father Loves me and gave Himself for me. What more could a little girl, or a grown up woman, want but to be loved with an everlasting, adoring, self sacrificing love. That’s the kind of love we were made for. Nothing else will do. I know whose I am. My earthly father also loved my mother well. I was told that my father was actually like many men, he had an affair at some point in his marriage. I believe this was told to me in attempt to disillusion me, to “wake me up” from my fantasy. My father had actually shared this with me himself, at one point. He was a mere man. He made mistakes. This infidelity didn’t mar my view of my parents relationship with one another or my father’s love for my mother. In seeing them together one new that this man loved this woman. There was no question. Growing up watching these two was like watching a love story, the type of love story people say isn’t real. Actually, I have heard that often from the pulpit of Christian churches. It is said that love stories in movies ruin women for the reality of life. Well, my example of love, marriage & relationships was a living romance. I guess it could be said that that ruined me for “real life”. Except their story was real life, infidelity and all. They didn’t give up on each other. And my father did not continue in or remain in his infidelity. He admitted his wrong, oftentimes calling himself a wretch. He placed the burden of responsibility upon himself. Instead of ruining them I believe it made them stronger. They clung to one another, by the grace of God, Love stories and romance is something that is quite void in most marriages I see. That takes work! It takes ongoing work. Especially on the part of the man. But also on the woman’s part. When my father left to work my mother was busy all day long managing her household, cooking, cleaning, caring for her grandchildren (once all of her own children had grown up) until about half hour before her husband got home. At that time everything stopped! Every child and every chore seemed to melt away. She made her way to her room and to the shower. She was preparing herself for the arrival of her husband, her knight in shining armor. This was a daily occurrence. I don’t know what was going on on the other side of the story. I don’t know how my father prepared himself for coming home to his bride, but there had to be at least some mental preparation. What I saw when he came home spoke of a man who had been longing for his bride. From the perspective of a child this daily display was quite impacting. My father would open the front door and be greeted by lots of people, faces and voices. Our home was a hub for every and anybody. But this bustling did not deter or distract him. If he didn’t at once glimpse my mother’s face he would ask, looking around over our heads, “where is your mother?” as he continued his trek in search of her. Once he saw her he virtually ran to her, never mind who was under foot, and swooped her up into his arms and gave her one of those kisses only lovers give each other. It wasn’t just a little peck on the cheek. Even retelling it releases a sigh from within me. This sort of loving touches something deep in us. It’s too bad the only time we usually get to see this kind of thing is on a movie screen between two people that aren’t even married. Too bad that our culture, and our churches have bought into the lie that the romance that happened before marriage dies at the altar after the vows, sometimes even before the honeymoon. Too bad we aren’t willing to work hard for the sweet little things that have a great big impact. Men! Romance your wives! Ladies! Receive your husbands in great anticipation. You work so hard and busy yourselves all day long at so many things. Why not take a break for each other. Come up for air and look for the one you were created to be one with. Men, lead in this! Take the risk and see if she doesn’t respond. Ladies! Respond! Allow yourself to be swept off your feet again and again even if it’s just for a moment. Go with it! This is your husband! Men, this your wife! Be swept up in it! Just for a moment! Or two! Or three! It’s legal in the sight of man AND God! See if this love, that has been granted to you from God doesn’t over flow to all those around you. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve experienced it. It is possible.