Father's Day

My Dad. There are many wonderful things about my dad. He is generous, dedicated to his work, has a sharp wit, loves my mom, loves spending time with his grandchildren, and above all loves God. It's that love that changed my father's legacy. See, my dad wasn't raised in a christian home. He didn't have examples of Godly fathers or husbands. Oh, there were good men~but not ones that took him to Sunday school or read him the Bible~or were living pictures of God. When he and my mom were newlyweds living in Turkey, a sweet man taught my dad the Gospel. He could see the power in the truth and couldn't get enough of Gods Word and teaching. He went to school and became a preacher. That forever changed the path my dad has traveled down. My sister and I reaped the benefits of that daily. We played Bible quiz on long car rides, had family devos, went to church camp, and had limited access to tv and radio {I didn't even know Billie Jean was a song on the Thriller album until I was in college}. We witnessed the love he had for my mom everyday, saw what God wants husbands to be. He was a dedicated father. Doing his best to be at each activity, coach my softball team, listen to my unending singing, and build quilt forts over the ping pong table. He disciplined us when needed and delighted in seeing our faces when we got the special gift our little girl hearts were longing for. All of those little moments taught us about God. About how God, our Father, loves us and cares for us. About how He disciplines us, and delights in our joy when we get our hearts desire. On Father's Day, 23 years ago, my dad baptized me. I was living out the legacy. Years later, I married a Godly man. So too, my sister. Again, living out the legacy. We both now have children and are doing our best to raise them as God wants us too. I have no way of knowing how life would have turned out had my dad never obeyed the Gospel, but I do know the legacy he has created by doing so. We know the promise of heaven, the hope of things to come, the peace of a loving Father. Every Father's Day I think of my dad and how the legacy he has created is touching generations to come. He is my earthly example of my heavenly Father. He is my dad. And I am blessed beyond words to have him.