My Dad

I am so thankful to have grown up in a family where my dad is just as involved in my life as my mom. My dad is strong, capable, loving, patient, goofy, protective, and faithful. My sisters and I learned numerous lessons from Dad as we grew up, both from straightforward lectures and from observing Dad as he interacted with our family and with others. His role in my life continues to shape who I am to this day, and I am continually blessed because of his leadership.

Here are a few of my favorite things about my dad. 

1. Dad is a strong and godly influence in our family. He led our family in the way that honors the Biblical example for a family and we're all blessed because of it. I've seen him lead middle school trips for my youth group, perform in productions at church, and volunteer in the nursery. His willingness to use his gifts encouraged me to find ways to use mine.

2. Dad works hard, but he plays hard too. I've always appreciated the sacrifices Dad made for our family, the biggest sacrifice being that he works at a job he doesn't always enjoy so that he can provide for us. And on weekends, Dad's the first one at Lowe's so he can get started on some project around the house. But in his free time, Dad's always up for playing games, watching funny movies, swimming in the pool, and burpling peas for everyone's entertainment.

3. Dad is a reader. I guarantee my love of books comes directly from him. While we don't read the same genre, we both read constantly and devour books quickly.

4. Dad is always generous. I never really appreciated his generosity until I had a full-time job that I didn't like and thought about how it'd be to have kids who spent my money on useless stuff. :) But besides being generous to his own children, he was always willing to provide for our friends to come with the family to dinner, movies, or other fun events. He had an open-door policy with the house and the pool which made our house a great place to spend time with our friends.

5. Dad stands up for himself (and for us). While I am not confrontational in any way, Dad showed me that sometimes it is necessary to be so. He encouraged me to stand up for myself instead of letting people walk all over me. Dad guided me through the tedious, annoying process of getting my Internet bill lowered to the amount I was originally told when I was ready to give up and just pay it after one confusing call to the company. Unfortunately, tough conversations are a necessary part of life and as much as I hate them, I'm glad Dad showed me how to navigate through them. 

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!