Father’s Day and Lebanese

16 June 2013

I woke up today with a mind going a million seconds a minute full of ideas, thoughts, and dreams… This happens to me often, but today there were an exceptional amount of ideas, thoughts, and dreams…like I said, there must be something in the air here at Oxford.

First of all, it is Father’s Day. Of course my studies abroad have fallen over not only both my parents birthdays, but Mother’s and Father’s Day as well. For this, I am going to be making a lot of breakfasts in bed when I come home! Earlier in my posts, in May when my Mother was celebrating her birthday, I wrote about how incredible of a woman she is. I cannot even express how much her and my father have been an example to me of how to raise a home of love and compassion. My mother was a blessed woman to have found my dad, a man who has loved and cared for her and his family undoubtedly and with the utmost honor and virtue a father could ever have. My dad is determined to make sure his children are put in situations where they have opportunities to learn, grow, and ultimately succeed. My father has always been there for me, in the big and little things. Helping me finish my homework, discussing problems at school, teaching me basketball skills, or offering a listening ear, he has been there for me EVERY time I have asked. The greatest relationship a father and daughter can have is one of trust, love, and encouragement…and that is what my dad has always offered to me.

I remember a few years ago when I wrote my dad a song for Father’s Day, recorded it, and put it on Youtube for him to listen to on his special day. This year I do not have a song that I have written, but instead I have a song that one of my favorite LDS artists Cherie Call wrote about her relationship with her Father in Heaven. I am so lucky to have the two best Fathers imaginable in my life. It is absolutely true that my Dad has many of the same characteristics as my Heavenly Father, and for this reason the words of this song so perfectly describe our relationship. My dad is my hero.

”
He has always been there to handle the big things, and he can still find a way to help me with tricky equations, dark twisty highways, children with fever…”

My father has always been there for me, through thick and through thin. He has been a great example of service and compassion to me every day of his life, as he helps anyone and everyone who needs it with a loving smile.

Sundays in Oxford are my favorite. Simply because of the Spirit that abounds among each of us BYU students as well as the Spirit that is felt within the walls of such a religious University as Oxford. We walked around this morning and saw some incredible things. Church was incredible, Sister Christensen spoke about experience with both her father and her husband Clayton that have manifest the love and truth of the gospel. It was incredible to be surrounded by such influential people and not only learn from them but converse with them as well. The organization of a worldwide church really is something incredible and it is comforting to know that anywhere you are, you will always have a place to feel the Spirit. The chapels here are gorgeous, the gardens are beautiful, and the buildings are old and rustic. After our Church meetings at the Abingdon Road Chapel we headed over to listen to the New College Evensong. Because I arrived a little late from London last week than most, I missed the Christ Church Evensong on Saturday evening so being able to attend the service tonight was such a blessing. The choirs at Oxford are amazing! The majority of the choir consists of young boys whose voices are so clean and pure they sound like angels.

Have you ever had Lebanese food? Oh my golly gosh…it is incredible! Courses of fresh vegetables, humus, pita bread, seasoned chicken, tender lamb, roasted cauliflower, savory edamame, sweet green beans, sweet crepes, etc… kept coming to our table for nearly 3 hours. We didn’t eat, we dined. Dr. Robinson would be proud of us! I may have to surrender my passion for Indian food to Lebanese… The restaurant we ate at is world famous for its imported wall and ceiling panels from Damascus. The creativity and beauty of the walls and ceilings was astounding. The different panels represent art from different eras throughout Damascus and syrian culture.