My Daddy-o

Today I am insanely grateful for my big teddy bear of a dad.  Today is his 65th birthday!  65?!?  Aside from his silver hair, he doesn't look a day over 50.  He's a handsome one!  Mom chose well.  :)

I'm so thankful for my dad for many, many reasons.  Including, but not limited to:
-his mad BBQing skills (or should I say sillZ?!)
-his intense love of all things nature.  He can often be heard saying, "Look here y'all!  Do you see the deer/turkey/raccoon/eagle/lightning/tree/clouds/etc..."  It makes his heart happy to spot some pretty nature.
-his vast football knowledge, which he imparted to me.  When Ryan and I first met, I told him I loved watching football. I'm not sure he believed me until football season rolled around a few months later and I started calling the game.

But as I've been thinking about him in light of things God has been showing me lately, I found myself thinking about how thankful I am that God gave me my dad.  He has always been such an example of what it means to follow Christ even when it doesn't make sense.  Many times growing up my dad chose to be obedient to God's call.  When I was 4 yrs old, my dad had a pretty good, upwardly mobile job.  But the Father began to show him that He had something more for our family.  So he let go of the job, the retirement savings, the savings in general, and our home in Louisiana and moved our family to Ft. Worth, TX so he could go to seminary.  Two years later, he had his first pastorate job. Twenty-seven years later, I think know that my dad would say that God is always Faithful.  And God honors obedience.  And God will always provide.

Growing up with a dad who believes like that sure makes it easier to live a life by faith.  I feel a little more prepared to do the hard things that don't necessarily make a lot of sense to some people.

I am reminded of the passage in Deuteronomy 6, when God is telling the Israelites to remember what he has done for them, and talk about it at home, and to tell their kids why they do what they do.

So Daddy-o, thank you for being the dad that you are.  I am beyond grateful that God gave me to you. Thank you for always being faithful to the God who has been so faithful to you, and for doing it even when it was the hard thing.  I love you mucho!