“Who do you love more? Your mum or dad?”

Oh man, was anyone else ever asked this question as a kid?

Like how are you supposed to answer?! I always just said ‘Both’.

And I always meant it whenever I said that I loved BOTH my parents equally because I was afraid – afraid that one parent would think I loved the other one over them. It was my crazy childhood irrational fear.

I never wanted either of them to feel like they were in second place so I was constantly balancing out time with both parents, making sure that they both got equal amounts of love – like going to the market with mum in the morning and then accompanying dad to his office on Saturdays sometimes. It was stressful for a primary aged kid…

Even now I always try and make sure that they both know they are both first place in my heart haha.

Anyways it’s Father’s Day here today in Australia, and it always feels as if it’s more toned down compared to Mother’s Day. I guess that’s why some places just combine both days and call it ‘Parents’ Day’.

…Father’s Day
But Father’s Day should be just as important as Mother’s Day. We always hear about how strong and important a Mother is to a child, but a Father plays just as important a role. Our Father on earth plays the role in reflecting what our Father in Heaven is like – well at least our closest example.
I know that not everyone would be as lucky to have grown up with a loving and supporting father. And sometimes not everyone has an earthly father either. My heart really hurts for you. It sucks. But I hope you find comfort knowing that you always have a Heavenly Father watching over you.

…My dad
My dad. He’s always been someone I look up to. When I was younger, he always seemed to be able to do anything and everything. If I was stuck on a question, he’d know the answer. If my light bulb broke, he’d fix it. If there was a bug in my room, he’d help get rid of it (okay that still applies now). That’s my dad.

He’s the most awesome person in the world. I’m sure we all say this about our dads too. All the while he has really been a true reflection of our Heavenly Father. He’s kind, loving, compassionate, intelligent, honest, disciplinary, funny…and just so much more.

One of my fondest memories was when I was little, he’d always cook his famous ‘omelet’ for our dinner. Mum would work night shifts at a restaurant, so it’d be just the two of us and a Barney VCD. His omelet was basically just eggs cooked with some tomato sauce and maybe a bit of seasoning (money was a little tight back then). It was so simple yet to me it was the yummiest thing ever. I still look forward to it whenever he makes it nowadays. I’ve tried replicating it but it just seems to taste better when he makes it. My younger brother and sister love it too, so it is kid approved 😉

Aside from that, he’s always been my biggest supporter too.

We’re both getting older as the years go by. I’m no longer that little girl who watches Barney and needs to be piggy-backed when I’m tired. Yet he still continues to look at me the same way as he did when I was younger. Even through my eating disorder and all the emotional mess I’ve put him through…he still continues to see the good in me.

During my struggle with an eating disorder, all he wanted was for me to get better. Like my mum, he tried everything he knew. He researched possible home treatment options, specially came home to eat with me, pray for me, he even took leave to fly over to Australia whilst I was in hospital.

The more he tried to help, the further I pushed him away. But that only made him want to help more. There was a lot of anger and yelling as a result. I didn’t want to get better, but he wanted me to get better. He was on the receiving end of all the arguments and outbursts that came from my Mum and I during that period too. We were all hurting. It was a pretty tense time.

At the end of the day, he still forgave me. He looked beyond that period of darkness and pain. He chooses to see the good in me and it gives me the courage to see the good in myself.

…Choose to see the good
To this day he still loves me unconditionally. When I call him, crying over the phone when university becomes overwhelming, he always reassures me that everything will be okay. Nothing is too hard to overcome. With my dad by my side, it really feels as if nothing is too hard to overcome.

It hurts me to think about what I put him through in the past. Whenever I think about every hurtful thing I’ve ever said, it makes me feel like a failure as a daughter. But the fact that he still continues to love me regardless….that’s really a reflection of what the love of our Heavenly Father is like. It gives me enough strength to let go of all that guilty baggage and step out into the world with confidence.

Just like our Father in Heaven, he is patient with me. He protects me, and chooses to see the good within me. Through all my faults, he continues to see my worth.

I know he’s only human and no one is perfect. But his heart is truly a reflection of the heart of our Heavenly Father. I see this more and more every day.

So this Father’s Day, I just want to say Thank you to my dad. I’m so grateful for you. It’s through you that I am able to get a glimpse of how much our Heavenly Father loves us. It’s through you that I am able to be who I am today. And it’s through you that I am able to cook up a pretty decent tomato sauce omelet 🙂

I love you dad!
Happy Father’s Day

By Tiff
Currently studying in Australia