CHAPLAIN'S CHATS

Father's Day Reflections
by Rev. Kathy Bird-DeYoung
Chaplain, The Suites at Holly Creek and The Village

This month we celebrate Father's Day. It's a time when we remember and give thanks for our fathers' role in our birth and in our lives. For many, this is a fun day filled with the love and laughter of a loving family.

Yet, the truth is that Father's Day, like Mother's Day, can present challenges for many people. I have visited with many people who have confessed, in the privacy of the chaplain's office, that Father's day is difficult.

For some, right here in our retirement community, their fathers have long since passed away. Others, whose fathers are living, struggle in their relationships with them. For those who are fathers, they may be far from grown sons and daughters and this day emphasizes the distance. And some men in our community may have wanted to have children but were not able. It can even be a difficult day for widows in our midst who miss the fun of celebrating Father's Day with their husbands.

Whatever our situation may be, during the Father's Day celebrations this month, it is important to remember that we all have another Father.

Most of us are familiar with the beginning of the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father." God is a father to each of us and He offers us this invitation:

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30