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My Champions

Posted on July 26, 2016 by fivesonsplusone

I consider myself a strong woman. I like to get things done and I like to keep my word. I don’t have time for dramatic people when I have five sons to raise with my husband. I see women of all ages being and becoming strong women and a strength to their families. Women have come a long way in the world with equality and through women’s rights. I love the fact that I am allowed to dream big and follow those dreams in the United States. Women are blessed in this nation and all this nonsense about how women are so oppressed, is just that; nonsense.

I’ve talked some before about how this new feminist movement doesn’t want equality; they want to be above men and stomp on them to keep them down. I consider myself a strong and opinionated woman who submits to my husband. I am definitely not a perfect wife, but I believe if you took my husband aside and asked him, he would honestly tell you I submit.

My husband never allows me to do things. He excitedly pushes me to pursue things. If I even make a tiny comment about a hope, or a dream, or even something churning around in my head, he immediately believes I can do it. He does everything he can do to make a way for me. That my friends, is not oppression. There are so many men in this nation who are champions for their women; whether it be sisters, mothers, grandmothers, friends, or even workmates they believe in. As always, there are going to be those that take that word submission and turn it into something it was not meant to be, but this is definitely not the majority.

My Dad is the same way. My Dad always believed in me and my dreams. I remember how excited he was at my big dreams when I was younger. He would have done anything to help me pursue my dreams and I think he still would today. My brother believes in me and encourages me to strive for greater things. My brother and I are so different, yet we believe in each other and want the best for the other.

Today, I just wanted to celebrate those men in my life who are my champions. They stand up for me. They believe in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. They choose to see the good in me even when the bad and annoying is flaring up in their faces. I know I can thank many women who have been there for me and fought for me as well, but today I want to acknowledge the men in my life who helped me believe I could shoot for the stars.

So thank you to the love of my life, Chuck, who believes in me probably more than I believe in myself. Thank you to the man who gave me a weird sense of humor and this overly logical and numbers oriented mind, and who told me every day of my childhood that he loved me, my Dad. Last, but never least, my brother, Jesse. You have been a pain off and on, as I’m sure I have never been to you…..well, maybe once or twice! You always believe in me and think I should strive for even greater things.

Women, we stand together and believe in each other. If you don’t, you should be the voice that encourages other women. So many times, we thank those women who helped us and believe us along the way, but I also think it is important to acknowledge those men who have believed in us and encouraged us.

Today, let somebody know how much you appreciate them who has been your champion.

My Dad’s Love

Posted on March 3, 2014 by fivesonsplusone

I’m in love with my husband. I’m in love with my children. I’m in love with so many people. Who taught me how to love? My father did. My father is still alive today. He is fairly young still. He is a good man. He is honorable. He taught me to stand tall. He taught me to be strong. He taught me to forgive. He taught me to be the daughter and woman that he knew I could be. I don’t ever want to fall short. I don’t ever want to disappoint him. I may be a wife and mother now, but I always want to believe that I bring honor to my father. I want to believe that my father is proud of me. My father sees my flaws and my mistakes and loves me anyway. I love my father. I adore my father and I look up to my father. My father is not perfect. I don’t always understand why he does some of the things he does. I don’t always understand certain choices he makes, but it doesn’t make me love him any less. I love because he loves me.

How much greater is the Father’s love? God uses our earthly fathers to teach us love. They teach us a multitude of things, but they teach us to love first. When I see a picture of a father holding his newborn baby, it really touches something inside of me. Of course a mother and her newborn baby is beautiful, but a mother has had 9 months to bond with, and love that life inside of her. A father only gets to experience that first cry before he begins the lifelong bond. That doesn’t mean the father loves any less or more, or even different than the mother. It only means that first moment of wiggles and hiccups that a mother got to experience in her womb, is now what the father is experiencing for the first time. God uses our fathers to teach us how He loves us. Many earthly fathers fail at that, but God never fails. His love never fails. He knew us even before we were a thought in our parents’ hearts; and He loved us.

Mothers, don’t be so critical of the father of your children. Don’t roll your eyes when they put the diaper on backwards, or wrestle too hard with them, or have a hard time getting up in the middle of the night. Dads aren’t made like moms, but it doesn’t mean that boys and girls need their fathers any less. Too many kids are growing up without fathers in this generation. Yeah, some are just plain jerks and terrible guys, but some have been pushed away by the mothers of those kids. Be strong. Stand up and fight for your children.Show them what love is.

So thank you Dad. Thank you for never giving up on me and always loving me. Thank you for making hard choices, sacrificial choices in order to not leave me. I see you Dad. I see the Heavenly Father in you. I see you in the choice I made for my husband. He is a great father too. Because of you, Dad, I have seen, tasted, experienced, touched, felt, and found LOVE. Thank you, and I love you too!