Thanks, Daddy, for being there....

This is a photo of my Dad, from Thanksgiving last year.  We usually always spend the holiday with our dear friends the Delafield's.  This picture shows my Dad visiting with my "uncle" Jack Delafield....

Today, my sister and I were talking with my Mom, about different things that had happened to us as babies, and I got to thinking about all the times throughout my life that my Dad has "been there for me" a loving shoulder to lean on.... a source of strength for his "little girl"....

As Mom talked, she recalled one of the times that I kept having terrible ear infections, high fevers, and ruptured ear drums....

One day, I was having a particularly bad time of it, and Mom and Dad had me at the E. R.  The Doctor told my parents that the only way they could find out what was causing the reoccuring infections, was to stick a needle behind the ear drum and draw out the fluid and see what it was.... so that they would know how to treat it..... now, this was in the early 70's....(I sincerely hope they would not do this to a baby now days, without some kind of medication to deaden the area and help the pain)

Mom said they strapped me down to a board so that I could not move... and she was so upset , she could not bear to watch the Dr. insert the needle....... she ran off down the hall.... but Daddy stayed with me..... She said she could hear me screaming way down the hall and she cried and cried.... and Daddy once told me that it bothered him for a long time.... he could hardly stand to watch it.... but he would not leave me.....they found out that I had a Strep germ behind my ear drum, and they were able to treat it.... and I got better....
I am so thankful that Daddy was there for me.....

As a child I was afraid of the dark.... and I would be so scared...and my Dad would come into the room, a comforting prescence in the night, and kneel down by the bed and pray for me and quote scriptures to me about how that Jesus was watching over me and would never leave me.... He stayed with me until the fear passed, many times....

As I have gotten older, Daddy has been there for me too.... When we had to have our beloved Labrador "Jazz" put to sleep in 2011... I would not leave my Baby alone to take his last breaths.... and no-one else in the family could bear to stay with me and watch..... but I was determined to talk to him lovingly until he left this earth....and, when it was over, I looked up with eyes that could barely see, they were so full of tears...and there was my Daddy.... he let me lean on his arm and guided me out of the vet's office to the car......

I could not recount how many times my Dad has "been there for me"..... the most recent occasion was when I was robbed at gun - point a few weeks ago..... I was terrified and shaking from head to toe.... and stumbled to the neighbors house.... they let me use their phone...and I couldn't remember anyone's phone number, I was so freaked out.... but I finally remembered my Dad's... and when his voice answered.... I just began to sob..... He and Mom made it there to the neighbor's house in record time... and he was the first one through the door to get to me.... and I just ran to him and sort of fell into his Hug......and then there was Mom in the doorway....and I knew everything was going to be alright!  (I don't care how old you get.... it is wonderful to be surrounded by the Comforting love of your Parents)

I am thankful for the steadfast, unconditional love of my Dad.  This Father's Day, I want him to know I haven't forgotten those times he was simply "there for me" when it counted. When I needed him. Thank you, Dad, for always being "there!" I love you, and Happy Father's Day!

As I think about it further, these things remind me of the Constant, Unfailing love of my Heavenly Father.... the One Who never, ever gives up on me....and is always, forever, Faithfully "there for me"....

And, no matter what kind of relationship you may or may not have had with your own earthly father.... God's there for you, too! He says in His Word in Psalm 68:5 that He is "A father to the fatherless...." in verse 6, it says that "God setteth the solitary in families..." Psalm 27:10 says "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up."  

Don't ever forget, my precious friend...that God Almighty.... the Awesome Creator of the universe and all that it contains..... LOVES and CARES about YOU!!!