Father’s day for a long time was a sad day for me. You see my dad left my mom when I was 2. She suddenly came home after a hard day’s work to find herself cleaned out of furniture with a 2 year old to care for. Yeah, my biological dad was a heck of a guy. Just so you know he was also a “Christian” who by day was a barber by trade and by night was a preacher. Somewhere along his journey he got into drinking and would abuse my mom. She still has a slash on her arm from one of his barber’s tools. Like I said, heck of a guy. Years later, I heard he was in Puerto Rico working for a Christian organization called Hogar Crea which rehabilitates people who are substance abusers. I also heard he remarried and I even got to see a picture of my half sister who looks remarkably alot like me. But I never again reconnected with him. As far as I know Elizier Delgado is dead. Father’s day for a very long time was a sad day for me for I never really got to know the love of a dad. That was until…

I met Jesus. Wow, what incredible love and to know that nothing would separate me from his love, that nothing I could do could make Him love me less. That was a love that still intoxicates me till this day. A little of what that love is like is documented in this presentation of “A Father’s Love Letter”. The great thing about our heavenly dad is that He is not like my dad. Maybe your dad is/was great and I rejoice with you. But if I had to accept God’s love for me based on my own personal experiences, I would have had a hard time (note: that is why preachers need to include this reality when they preach, not everyone loves their dad, had a great dad, or even had dad around). An article that takes this further is here.

But of course, I don’t want to end this post on a sour note! I want to celebrate my man, my honey, Hiram. When I walked down the aisle with this man, I knew he would be a great dad. What I wasn’t prepared for, what I didn’t expect was that he was be an exceptional one. I wrote this article in 2005 about being a dad versus being a father, I want to post it here because it still says what I want it to say. My husband is both dad and father. Not all Latino fathers fit the stereotype. I am so grateful to God for the man I have. What I never had, my children do and for that I give all the glory to God and all my love to my husband.