Since tomorrow is Father’s Day I took a moment to reflect on the many valuable lessons that I learned from my father. He wasn’t a perfect man but he tried to be a good father and husband and I learned a lot from him.
My Dad, sisters, and I on our latest family vacation to Mexico.
Honor my mother – At a young age we learned to respect and honor our mother. Our dad did not tolerate any abuse of her by us. He always respected her. I can’t remember a time when he did not open a door for her.
Value motherhood – Growing up our family was far from wealthy and could have benefited from my mother using her degree to earn extra income. Instead she stayed home and raised her children. Her presence in the home was more important to my father than having worldly possessions.
Hard work – My dad has always worked hard. He taught us to work as well. Getting us up Saturday mornings to weed the garden or mow the lawn. At the time I hated it, now I appreciate the lesson he taught me.
Honesty – Being honest with his fellowmen and paying his debts was always extremely important to my dad. Once when a business partner embezzled funds my dad insisted on paying back the debt himself instead of declaring bankruptcy or filing a lawsuit.
Value of education – School was always a priority. We were expected to do our homework and earn good grades. My mother, who my dad always says is smarter than him, often helped us with our schoolwork. As a result three out of his four children received university scholarships.
Importance of family – Every night our family ate dinner together. We celebrated holidays and had family traditions. Whenever we were involved in an activity my dad was there to support us. My dad saved money and took us on family vacations, foregoing extras for himself.
Honoring God – Religion was a priority in my dad’s life. We went to church every week as a family. He taught us to love and honor the Lord. We held daily family scripture study and prayer. He showed us by example what it meant to keep the commandments of God.
What did you learn from your father?