My life has been a very long journey and it has taken me decades to understand the complexity of a "Father's" love for me. Whenever I pray selfishly, my answers do not come in the form that I would desire, but I understand the wisdom of His answers. He has allowed me to have those selfish desires of my heart from time to time, and I have learned that "my will" is not the better path to follow., And only God knows the wisdom of keeping me off that path and directing me to a better one.
Oh, that I could have learned these things by another path and at a much younger age, I could have avoided a great deal of heartache. But...would I have learned the lesson? That I cannot answer. Even at my age, I struggle with the lessons of my past and pray that my children and grandchildren...and now, even my great-grandchildren...will do better than I have done.
Through all of life's ups and downs, difficult6 crossroads, times of good health and times when the body fails us, I do not run away from any opportunity to fold my arms, bow my head, and visit with my HEAVENLY FATHER!
If you read carefully, The Proclamation on The Family, "Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives--mothers and fathers--will be held accountable before for the discharge of these obligations."
This is the Divine Role of a Father (and Mother). As I conjure up the memories of my FATHER, .I can honestly say that he fulfilled his obligation. He was a loving and a righteous Father! He definitely provided for our every need. He worked tirelessly--even to the last day of his life--for his wife and family. Did he teach his children to love and serve one another? I can without hesitation say that he did. Even though there are years separating all four of his children, (22 years from oldest to youngest), one of us or another was there to help, support, lift up, and love each other.
My dad was the most honest man I ever have known. He lived the Commandments...He loved his God, he attended and magnified his callings in his church; He loved his wife and family and never broke those sacred covenants made at the Alter of God; and He obeyed not only God's laws, but also the laws of his country.
My FATHER fulfilled his Divine Role. He taught me the way I should go in order to attain Eternal Life. He truly taught me whether it was through the scriptures or through the lessons I needed to learn, that life sometimes introduced bumps in the road for us...and we don't always choose the right path. He was there for me to help place my feet upon the proper path. His love for me (and for all of his children) was unconditional.
I love you, Daddy, and I miss you terribly. I still need you to lead me.
How sad I don't have a picture of Gerry, my first Husband, the FATHER OF MY FIVE CHILDREN on this computer. I shall have to correct that one day in the future. (Oops...I found one!)
Gerald Vernon Henderson was an awesome husband and father. The five children that we brought into this world together are proof of his righteous "discharge of (the) obligations" listed in The Proclamation. My only regret to this day is that I did not recognize his greatness until after he was gone. He provided some of the most memorable family vacations with the children. Each one has their own special memories of those trips...whether it was our annual water-skiing trips to Lake Powell or our skiing trips to Utah, or our special togetherness times in the mountains of Northern California.
His "Fatherhood" was cut way too short, but the legacy he left behind pays honor and tribute to him as a father through his children, Kimberlee, Mark, Debra, JerriAnne and Heather have all magnified the teachings of their father in their lives.
He left us February 7, 1981. Funny, though, he still leads this family and several of us have felt his spirit near in times of happiness or sorrow. He was there holding me up when my father died; he was there doing the same when I lost my mother; he was there in the operating rooms of my many eye and brain surgeries; he has been in attendance at every marriage of his children; he was there to comfort me when I lost my little sister, Patti recently; and he was there at Patti's "Celebration of Life" in St. George, Utah when Dean picked up Gerry's trumpet and played "Journey Home" beautifully.
Dean and I were married (1) April 25, 1982, and (2) August 8, 1999. We both had issues that we had to iron out of our lives and it took nearly 12 years to do that. Our first marriage brought forth a son, William (Billy) Jens Mickelson; Dean's second marriage (to Laurie Phelps) brought Eliot Dean Mickelson into his family. I have had an opportunity to watch Dean develop his FATHER'S role. He loves his two sons, and he loved his little step-daughter, Heather. He felt and feels a great deal of responsibility for being able to teach them all correct principles and how to govern their own lives. In these areas, he has succeeded. Heather, Billy and Eliot have all grown up to be the possessors or amazing minds! Billy and Eliot in music and Heather in the loving, caring aptitude of the Nurse's heart!
I am so grateful for the fathers in my lifer and hope and pray that I have and will live up to their teachings and examples. It is an amazement to me that my grandchildren are having children! I was just getting used to getting to know and love the grandchildren (now numbering 19...and holding). My two sons, Mark and Billy are both developing into loving and responsible fathers. God bless their efforts..
Mark with his Guard Dog!
Billy with Rania and Maya!
My Grandchildren have given this growing family 12 great-grandchildren (number 13 is on the way). All FATHERS are doing their job splendidly!
To all FATHERS in and out of the church--old and young--wise and foolish--beware my watching eye (because I am a people watcher)--allows me to smile when I observe the love exchanged between FATHER and child; or frown when I observe those exchanges of "misguided love." I am praying for all of you. Learn from these words and reflect on the words of The Proclamation.
From the great play (which I loved) "The King and I," and as quoted by President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his article "Happiness...The Universal Quest," let me end with this: "The king of Siam lay dying. Anna's son asks her this question, 'Was he as good...as he could have been?' Anna answers wistfully, 'I don't think any man has ever been as good...as he could have been...but he tried.'" I would say this of all Fathers on this day. You may not be "as good as you could be," but never stop trying. I love you all. I thank my HEAVENLY FATHER for continuing to love and support me; my EARTHLY FATHER for all that he taught me and for the example he was for me and his family; the FATHERS OF MY CHILDREN for carrying on what their own fathers taught them and giving our sons a clear example of what a father should be; and I thank my sons, who are now FATHERS for giving back to your fathers the gift of responsible family oriented love and admiration.
And to my Grandsons, who are now FATHERS, God bless you on your journey...never give up hope for the future. Your children have a great destiny and what you teach them now will help them plow through whatever is in store for them and their posterity. A FATHER'S job is not an easy one, but is a job that follows in God, THE FATHER'S footsteps. He laid down the foundation.
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