Father's Day 2011

Sorry I am posting a day late, but Alessandro held the computer hostage last night doing his schoolwork...but here goes!


Up until Hailey was 12 years old, she grew up without a father. Her dad was not in the picture because of personal challenges he couldn't overcome at the time and I was single. I always worried how it would affect her as she got older...not having a dad around during such formative years. Thankfully God provided our family with Alessandro who stepped in as her dad quickly and wholeheartedly. With her being 12, it wasn't an easy transition and he was met with a lot of resistance from her. It was uncomfortable for her and for him to show affection, afterall, she was just entering adolesence. From an early age up until Alessandro and I met, she had other men like my dad and others from our church who loved her and who were Godly examples of what a husband and a father should be. She has been protected and is a very healthy, well adjusted young woman and my husband has set a standard for her of how she should be treated by men, more specifically her future boyfriends and husband. Hailey is currently on vacation in Indiana, so she wasn't with us this year...boy do I miss her!
I look at my other 2 children, Luca and Nora and am so thankful that they have their dad around with full confidence that he isn't going anywhere by choice. Children should not be fatherless. It is tragic. I am motivated to reach out to children whose mothers and fathers are not around or maybe they are, but those children feel neglected. I am convicted to love on them and open my home to them as best that I can. Whether that means lend an ear, have them over for dinner, buy them some clothes or just take them out for ice cream. It is even more important for men to step in and father the fatherless. If you are a man, and know of a child without the presence of his dad, be that male role model for him. If you are reading this and you didn't have a dad in your life or maybe the memories you have of your dad aren't pleasant, I imagine that Father's Day must be difficult emotionally. Remember that your Heavenly Father will never leave you or forsake you.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, but especially to my dad and my husband!