The Love of a Father

I was thinking of Heavenly Father's love today.
This is from a ponderance of mine from 15 January 2017, but it fit for today:
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How do I know that Heavenly Father loves me?

I thought it was because my plans don't work out the way I hope, so he must love me because he's saving me from my poor planning. Haha, nope. That's not it.

I have the power to choose. There are consequences to my choices, but I have the power to choose what happens in my life. The love of God is shown in the opportunities that come even after I've made my decisions, whether they were good or not. Maybe it's not exactly how Heavenly Father would have wanted things to happen, but he is still there ready to bless me even if I lose my way.

We have the promise, "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (DyC 82:10). It doesn't matter if we're obedient to every commandment and on the straight and narrow, or if we're a off on strange paths and only obedient to some commandments. Obedience brings blessings. Greater obedience results in greater blessings, but even partial obedience brings blessings.

So how do I know that he loves me? He lets me choose, and make mistakes. (Agency is a tough thing to accept, both yours and others', so how much love does he show by letting me chose!) He has provided a way that I can find my way back to him, even if I get a little lost along the way. As I work my way back to the path, he blesses me with additional opportunities and tender mercies.
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Today in sacrament, a girl referenced a talk from...I don't know who; names and I *shrug*...that spoke to the false idea of lost opportunity for promised blessings. Even if we didn't follow that certain prompting to do that certain something and therefore missed that opportunity, it's not the end of hope. Heavenly Father has so many opportunities waiting for us, and ways to fulfill the promises he has made. He loves us, and wants to see us happy. He is standing to the side and hoping we choose to be happy.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

The choice is ours. He loves us enough to let us make it.

Happy Father's Day.


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Happy Father's Day, love. I wish I knew how you've been. Did you go see your dad? Did your girls do anything special for you? 

I miss you. Ha. It's silly. As stupid as it makes me feel sometimes, I still do. I mean, really, the likelihood that you even think of me seems so small. Yet you are often on my mind. And should you ever actually see any of this...I think I'd want to hide, I'd be so embarrassed. But you're still in my prayers, and I hope you and your family are well.