I Married Santa Claus

What better day to honor the father of my children than that of Father’s Day. While searching for some profound wisdom I could share about Fathers I found the following nugget:

“There are three stages of a man's life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesn't believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus.”

For some reason this quote really hit home for me, perhaps it is because I am married to Santa Claus.

For the past several years my husband has really been Santa Claus. While serving in the Bishopric of the ward, the activities committee came to him with a very big problem. Search as they might, they simply could not find anyone willing to play the role of Santa for the ward Christmas party. Albeit reluctant at first, my husband consented to fill the position required. That night he saw first hand the expression of childlike innocence and unconditional love that was given by the children, to one they held in such high esteem. He was hooked, and now each Christmas Eve my very own Santa makes visits to children in our area and unselfishly provides service for anyone who calls. Yes, Santa is precisely who he is.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'

Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON.

115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET”

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.

“He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.”

My very own Santa, the love of my life, the father of my children, this wonderful man is an example of love, generosity, and devotion. It is simply who he is. He shows unconditional love for me, his wife, as well as for his children, and those who become his children by osmosis. He generously gives to any who has a need, and goes the extra mile to even supply all our wants too. His devotion to his God, his church, his family, his job, and his friends is seen in the life he lives.

“Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.”

My husband has charm. He swept me off my feet the minute I saw him. Those who are fortunate to call him their friend have been made better because of his influence in their life. He has a sense of humor and a quick wit. He is a wonderful conversationalist. All of these qualities pale next to his dedication and love for the Lord. He is prayerful and humble. He is faithful and obedient. He is valiant. He brings light into the home and his presence is continually sought after by his children. He always has, and always will, make his family his biggest concern. He gives all of our lives meaning.

“Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.”

Yet, most of his deeds go unnoticed. Things like, his daily drive to work made as a sacrifice for a better life for his family. He has given support both financially and emotionally to children that are not his own. He has supported missionaries anonymously as they desired to serve the Lord but could not afford the monthly payments. He has supplied numerous family Christmas celebrations for those who would have gone without. Every week he feeds the masses and opens up his home because of the love he has in his heart for his young adult friends. He has become a counselor and a father figure to many who have felt a void in their lives in that area. As an employer he is fair and giving. He is patient and kind. He is compassionate and true.

“You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond.”

My husband has strength and power in his righteousness. He honors his priesthood and the covenants he has made. The fidelity he gives to the Lord, his wife, and his family allows us to part the veil and helps us to see eternity. He understands who he is, and values the important job he has been given as the patriarch of our family. He gives us all clarity and vision. He helps us to see the supernal beauty and glory beyond.

“No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever.”

The way my husband lives his life, and the influence he is for good, will be his legacy forever. My fondest desire is to be by his side in the eternities creating, building, and progressing, with our family close at hand. He is a wonderful father. Through him and the covenants we have made together, we have been promised that the desires of our hearts will be made sure. Yes, we certainly must thank our Heavenly Father for the very opportunity we have been given to receive these blessings in our lives. For the sacrifice He made of His son, who lives so that we too may live forever. That is the perfect example of a Fathers love for His children. The father of my children looks to that example and applies it in his life. For this I will be eternally grateful.

Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.

I should know I am married to him.

My Pioneer Father

Perhaps I am the only girl in the whole wide world that hates shopping. That said, occasions like Father’s Day are particularly hard for me when it comes to the gift buying and giving category. It is not that I don’t want to do it; I am simply at a loss as to what to buy the men in my life who seem to have everything they could need, and certainly are at a point in their lives where they could buy whatever they want. That leaves buying gifts very challenging. Beyond cooking them a special meal, I always feel at a loss for ways of showing my gratitude to them. Typically they both receive electronics or maybe even clothing. This year in lieu of my usual offering, I have decided to pay tribute to them with words from my heart. Today is the post for my Father, and tomorrow is the one for the Father of my children. So until next year, where I will probably be found at Best Buy or The Mens Wearhouse, Happy Fathers Day.

Typically the development of the Father/Child relationship might be something like this:

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

I guess I have always been a sixty year old at heart because I have always understood that my Dad knows literally everything.

Growing up, if anything was ever broken or needed fixing in the house my dad became a MacGyver. He could fix anything. He would even make parts out of the treasures he would find in his garage for the broken items when no parts were available to buy. Having felt the blessings of this talent my whole life, after I was married the first time my husband suggested we call a repair man for a broken item I almost died. I had never realized that not everybody was as talented in that area as my Dad was.

By the standard set by President David O. McKay when he taught, “No other success can compensate for failure in the home”, my Dad would be deemed highly successful. He showed my brother and I unconditional love, while at the same time he taught us the meaning of the word respect. This foundational teaching has stayed with us our whole lives, and has helped us to teach our children that same reverence and respect that many others have failed to learn. He taught us to respect things that are Holy, to respect other people, to respect property, and mostly to respect ourselves. Many times I have been tempted to do something I knew wasn’t right, but the thought of disappointing my dad was the one thing that made me ultimately choose the right.

My Father loves my Mother. That is the greatest gift he could have ever given to his children. His support for her and loyalty to her sets a standard for all of us. When my father became unable to work because of an injury he received on his job, he and my mother switched roles for awhile. During this time in his life, it became necessary for my grandmother to receive constant care. My mother’s mother moved in with them and my father took care of her everyday. Although it was not easy, my fathers example of love and service to my mother and grandmother is something I will never forget. In the last few years that my mother worked as a school teacher my father went to work with her everyday, helping her in her classroom. Those Kindergarten children were blessed to have not only the expertise of my mother, but the influence of my father in their lives as well. I am sure that the role of both a mother and a father was one that was rarely seen by the children my mother taught. How lucky they were to have been influenced by that great model of parenting.

Courage, perseverance, and strength are three words that I would use to describe my dad. As a child growing up, my father faced many challenges. His childhood memories are not the most pleasant. He always made sure that my brother and I had the best of everything. My father showed courage when he decided to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints against the wishes of his family. He persevered in his commitment to the gospel despite many who opposed him, and married my mother in the House of the Lord, for time and all eternity. He had the strength to effect change in his life so that his future generations would be the beneficiaries of that mighty change. I boastfully think of him as my pioneer ancestor. He forged a path for the rest of us to follow, and I will be eternally grateful.

How thankful I am to have been blessed with such a man as my father in my life. Because of him I have come to understand my Heavenly Father better and to feel the love He has for me. I know that when I am broken he can heal me. I know I have Heavenly parents that love each other and that I am their daughter and respect the blessings that go with that knowledge. I understand that courage, perseverance, and strength are needed if I am to return to live with Him someday. These things I know because my father taught them to me by the way he lives his life.

May my own father rejoice in the fruits of his labors which is the firm testimony of Jesus Christ, which his children and his grandchildren have today. For generations his name will be known for good among our household of faith. The love I have for my righteous father will be a light that pierces all darkness, unto me forever.

Thank you for being the best father you could be... Dad I love you.