Hello God. It's me, Mara

An early observance of Father’s Day, West Virginia, July 5, 1908, was organized by Mrs. Grace Golden Clayton, who wanted to celebrate the lives of the 210 fathers who’d been lost in a mining disaster several months earlier in Monongah, West Virginia. Thirty-one other countries “celebrate” or recognize Father’s Day with various dates from Feb. 23 on through to Dec. 26.

We honor our earthly Fathers with special meals, a homemade card, candy, ties, something to tell Dad that he is important. We thank him for being there, for listening, for being fair, for laughter about the good times shared, for comfort when things are bad and for a shoulder to cry on when we’re sad.

  The Redneck Ten Commandments, 2-5

2. Don’t let nothing come between you and God; not your bass boat, not your pick-up truck, not your golf clubs; not even your wife & kids.

3.  Don’t say nothing bad about God; don’t use His name in a bad way.

4.  Sunday is the Lord’s Day, not your day. Saturday is your day.

5. Always be good to yo’ mama and yo’ daddy.

Lord, we’re to have child-like faith and know that You love children; that’s all of us, Lord, babes to the elderly. Life is complex but You want to take our burdens, hurts and troubles so we can skip and laugh again. We know how we feel when one we love hurts, be they babes, youth, spouse, parent — we want to take their place, take their hurt from them. Heavenly Father, You hurt for us, too; Jesus has already taken our place! Thank you, Lord, for Your love.                                               

We honor our Heavenly Father by following the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Father’s are mentioned in No. 5: Honor your father and mother.

Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you.

Love, Mara