This is JB’s Father’s Day present. Growing in Wisdom by Simon Dewey. Jim Bob oh-so-subtly hinted that he would love this painting for any holiday: a birthday, Christmas or 4th of July (okay, he didn’t go that far 😉 ). He did make it very obvious that he loved it and showed me where he would love to hang it even. 🙂 I thought it was a perfect painting for Father’s Day. I love how gentle Joseph is as he studies with Jesus. Jim Bob pointed out that they are in his workshop – all the carpenter tools around and hanging in the background. Yet Joseph is taking the time to teach and learn. JB wants to (and does) do the same – and I adore him for that desire.
Sunday School started with us describing ways we show love. Smiles, hugs, & kisses were quickly named. Followed by service, compliments, words of appreciation, teaching, listening, taking time, sharing, respect, sacrifice, protection, and forgiveness. There were a few that wouldn’t have come immediately to my mind – but definitely show love and I’m glad they were mentioned: restraint and God-like correction. Perfect for Father’s Day–thinking of how often my own father has shown love in many of those ways.
We were then asked to select just one of those ways and think of a time when Christ showed love in that way. And in a very real way Christ is also a father figure when we take on his name. There were so many scriptures that flooded into mind. Jim Bob mentioned restraint, how with the money changers in the temple Christ showed serious restraint. He had the power to completely destroy them, yet he did enough to show displeasure with their actions in His Father’s house.
The one that stood out to me was taking time. In 3 Nephi ch. 17 Jesus is visiting the Nephites on the American continent. He is about to leave and in verse 5 they looked “steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.” He does! And for more than just one more bedtime story. He heals their sick, and prays with them, and blesses each of their children. He then says “Behold your little ones. And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes toward heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven…encircled those little ones about…and did minister unto them.” That is a true principle I have seen in my own life. As I look to my little ones, my eyes go towards heaven. They teach me so much about our loving Father in Heaven and Christ. The love that They have for us. The love that is present for each individual.
One of my favorite parenting quotes: “God will send aid to no one more readily than He will send it to a child–and to the parent of a child.” {Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Created for Greater Things, p. 141} Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers in the world. May you be blessed in your efforts to grow in wisdom and to share that with each of your children.
(p.s. If you read Simon Dewey’s bio linked above you can read another loving, encouraging Father story. All about another Joseph {Joe to friends} – a London bus driver that painted in the evenings and gave his five-year-old son Simon a roll of wallpaper to fill with sketches.)
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