Happy Birthday in heaven, Dad

Our earthly fathers - whether for good or for bad - has significant contribution to shaping us. Whether he was present, or absent, intimately involved with us, or distant - his shadow cast long and far into our own lives. His life, the way he looks at circumstances, and the way he handles life's hurdles, the way he treats his wife, or others will significantly impact our own lives. Fathers act as our guide and a companion to our life's path. Ian Morgan Cron writes, "A boy needs a father to show him how to be in the world. He needs to be given swagger, taught how to read a map so that he can recognize the roads that lead to life and the paths that lead to death, how to know what love requires, and where to find steel in the heart when life makes demands on us that are greater than we think we can endure.”

Today I honor my dad who has shaped me and my siblings in ways that are deeply impactful and influential. He taught us to face life with positive enthusiasm. He showed us how to love unreservedly, fully, passionately. His devotion to our mom and his affection towards her became a standard for us to always strive for. How he respected, and dialogued with us, and allowed us to be who we give us room to grow to be our own persons. He modeled for us a faith that transcends the heartbreaks, and the disappointments. His child-like faith and love for the Lord and the things of the Lord gave us a foundation to build our lives. He instilled in us a belief in the innate goodness of human beings and the inexhaustible grace of our heavenly Father.

Thank you, papa. I love you and I miss you. Happy birthday. in heaven!