There and Back Again: Week 33 Happy Father's Day!

This is my dad in his prime. A few years later he had an accident. In his own words he says, "Between 33,000 and 57,000 volts, depending on which newspaper you read, went from the lines, through the machine, and arced to me, as I stepped over the outrigger and grounded in a concrete wall. I did not lose conscious, but I wish I had. At first, I thought I was in an explosion, but it kept going and I felt a hammering in every cell of my body. I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I tasted copper on the sides of my tongue and saw bright blue-white flashes reflecting off everything, like arc welding. I smelled burnt flesh and hair. It held me in the air for several seconds, spinning awkwardly, with sparks flying from my body. A first powerline gave way, and the boom continued upward and made contact with a second line. Another jolt hit me. This time it threw me about 10 feet, and out of the electrical field. "

He was in the hospital for a year and told he would never walk nor have children. They had to take the skin off his back and put it on his legs to re cover the muscle and bone. CRAZY. He was given a priesthood blessing while he lay sizzled in the gravel. I am the oldest of his 8 children.

He transferred from Linfield Baptist College to Brigham Young University and met my lovely mother.

And we started rolling down from heaven. LOL My dad is far from perfect...does that even have to be said? My dad is a fantastic example of a disciple of Jesus Christ. He LOVES the Lord and desires to bring all people unto him. His whole life has been a mission since that "shocking" event. I am grateful for his example of perseverance in adversity, trust in the Lord, and making all of us kids feel like we are capable and needed. He never genderized chores, I weilded power tools just like my brothers, they did dishes and helped "feed the baby" just like the girls. Dad was a natural teacher and friend. He also continues to live even in PAIN! At Christmas he fell and snapped his spine in half and had to have his spine screwed back together so it could heal.

No matter how much pain he is in, he keeps doing fun things, showing up for birthdays, baptisms, weddings, showers, mission farewells, mission homecomings. He, right there with mom,is always loving us.

I am grateful that my dad took his abusive childhood, turned to Christ and became a better man, a better dad than he had. I am grateful for his imperfect examples and his perfect ones. I am grateful for my HEAVENLY Father who sent my Older Brother, Jesus Christ to make it possible for all of us to come home to Heavenly Father and Mother where we can be families forever. Happy Father's Day!