Father's Day

THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED
TO THE MEMORY OF
FRANCIS "RED" ERICKSON,
MY FATHER
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"I Have a Place in Heaven"

Please don't sing sad songs for me,
Forget your grief and fears,
For I am in a perfect place,
Away from pain and tears.
I'm far away from hunger
And hurt and want and pride,
I have a place in Heaven
With the Master at my side
My life on earth was very good,
As earthly lives can go,
But Paradise is so much more
Than anyone can know.
My heart is filled with happiness
And sweet rejoicing, too.
To walk with God is perfect peace,
A joy forever new.

This is a difficult holiday for me, as I lost my Dad on June 8, 2001-- he was 74 years old. However, to just ignore the holiday simply because it's painful would be doing a great injustice, not only to my Dad's memory, but to all the other wonderful fathers and father-figures out there. So Dad, even though you've gone on to a much better place, I can still wish you a Happy Father's Day, and I certainly want to wish all of you fathers who are still here on this earth a very Happy Father's Day, too.

My Father was a wonderful man. He was a good man, a Christian man and I loved him very
much as did my children. He was a wonderful, loving and kind man.
Everyone who knew him would say "he was a good man".
He was, and, he was "my Dad".

God took the strength of a mountain, the majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature, the comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages, the power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring, the faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity, the depth of a family need.

Then God combined these qualities. When there was nothing
more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so,
He called it ... "DAD!"

It is so easy to forget to tell people how important they are to us, especially our parents.

When a man becomes a father he is confronted with a
profound challenge. The challenge is to understand what being a
"father" means to him. Most men are perplexed by this question he must ask himself.

Father's Day is always celebrated on the third
Sunday of June.
It was not proclaimed an official U.S. holiday until
1966.

"The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother."
~Author Unknown~

I cannot think of any need in childhood
as strong as the need for a father's protection.
~Sigmoid Freud~

A father's words are like a thermostat that
sets the temperature in the house.
(Paul Lewis)

It doesn't matter who my father was;
it matters who I remember he was.
~Anne Sexton~

"Any man can be a Father,
but it takes someone special to be a DAD!"
~Author Unknown~

Wanted: Fathers!

Immediate openings
For an honorable job,
With long hours
No time off--
Must be willing to work all hours,
Including the middle of the night,
Week-ends, holidays, and vacations.
Requires survival traits,
Like strength and patience,
Imagination, humor, and flexibility,
Intelligence and understanding,
And above all, a good Heart.
Must be a Human Being,
Kind and gentle,
With Basic Goodness and fearlessness.
Leadership qualities are necessary,
And the ability to instruct and guide is a requirement.
Receive on-the-job training,
With no pay.
There will be unpredictable surprises and rewards--
Like joy, love, pain, fun, and many difficulties.
Want a challenge?
Be a Dad!