Happy Father's Day

Today is Father's Day.  

Like so many (and especially my siblings) I think I had the very best when it comes to fathers.

The second son of Ted and Lonnie, Earl Huffingham loved God, Golf, the Gators, and Iva Louise Nesmith.  They were married for 67 years before his passing in 2009 and in my unsubstantiated imagination, I like to think that he was waiting for her when she went to Heaven almost a year ago.

In fact, my daughter's words to her: "It's time for you to be with granddaddy" and our thinking that daddy met her at Heaven's gates with: "What took you so long?" reflect the way that all who knew our daddy knew how much he loved our mother.

I've heard that's the best thing a man can do for his children - love their mother - and our daddy was quite successful.

So much so that I went into marriage "expecting that".

That didn't happen for me.

But my children got something - if not better - at least something that helped them as they were growing up.

When we ended up in Jacksonville in 1982 I was exhausted.  Fortunately, we were welcomed by my family which included some good male role models, daddy, of course, being the most prominent. For the next 13 years, I raised my children with their help,  And even after Tray turned 18 and was off to college, those men remained their role models.  Many of them are still in the three Parker children's lives.

There were other men too - coaches, teachers, youth pastors, the fathers of some of their friends, and some of the friends I made along the way.

And I am not going to discount the fact that they are the children of  Ray Parker.  Those children would not be who they are without him.  Their lives would not be what they are today without him.

And so, in spite of the pain and disappointment that I experienced, I am grateful.

I didn't get to give my children the daddy that I had.  But because of the daddy they had - their lives are truly blessed.

They are not perfect although - I mean really "Have you met my children?"

And the way I see it - the fathers in my little family, Dale, Wally, and Tray, are doing just what my daddy did - Dale loves Becca, Wally loves Renee, and Tray loves Kristen. 

My grandchildren are experiencing what I did and I am truly grateful.

May you have enough sunshine in your life

To make you appreciate the shadows