Who's yo Daddy!

Ahhh! I forgot my dad's birthday yesterday. I'm so absent-minded! I even wrote myself a sticky note a couple days before to help remind me, AND I STILL FORGOT. I’m one of those people that tie something to their finger to remind them of something and the next day they can’t remember why they tied the string to their finger. What’s even worse is I talked to him about three times yesterday and didn't wish a happy birthday until about midnight. I'm such a terrible person! So to try to make it up to him, this blog post is in honor of him.

Aren't dads awesome! My dad is the most Godly, humble, and sincere man of integrity I know. If you were to ask me one person that I could emulate, if I had the choice, it would be my dad. I thought of 3 main reasons why I want to be like my dad and here they are:

1. HE’S HUMBLE

My dad is the most honest and humble man I have ever met. His integrity astounds me more and more everyday. To have grown up and seen the example that he set for our family and to see the life that he has lived is a blessing! He's talented, athletic, a fluent communicator, and gifted writer. Every trait that he bears I want to be able to emulate, feed off of, and absorb! But when I say that he's talented, you really wouldn't know it because he would never tell you that. He's confident but never arrogant. He never puts himself before anyone else. His focus is always on how he can serve other people, especially his family. His goal in life, his aim, is that GOD would show off in his life. From what I've seen from my dad he's never lived to try to impress other people, although he's had plenty of opportunities. He's lived a life that is consistent with humility and Godliness, glorifying Jesus in everything that he does.

2. HE’S LOVING

Wow, I know my brother and I have been pains in the you-know-what to put up with before. I look back at a few years in high school that I put my parents through utter Hades. But my dad has always loved me unconditionally; despite the grief I may have caused him at one time or the other. Did that mean I was never disciplined? SHOOT! Of course not! My dad laid into me a few times more than I would like to remember. But it was never out of rage, contempt, or anger. He has always had our best interest at heart. The numerous Sunday afternoons he would take us to the batting cages, or the soccer field, the countless nights spent watching my brother and I play the sports we love, the selfless sacrifices he made so that my brother and I could have all the opportunities we did, all these things amaze me when I look back and reflect on my dad.

He raised two very competent boys, who love Jesus with their heart and he has the most amazing relationship with my mom that I have ever seen from any married couple. When I have a wife and kids, I won't be looking to Oprah, or Dobson, or Dr. Phil for advice. My dad will be first person I turn to when I need some advice on how to handle a situation. My dad is my best friend - someone I know will always pick up the phone and listen to me if I need to vent and pray with me when I need it (and boy do I need a lot of prayer!)

3. HE’S WILLING

My dad has always strove to be in the center of God's will. I remember when we moved to Tuscaloosa right before my Senior of high school. You better believe that he was concerned about uprooting his family and moving somewhere else, but he constantly reminded us that the center of God's will is the only place we will find true fulfillment. I recall one night in particular where our whole family sat in the living room, holding each other, crying, hugging, and praying, not knowing where God was going to lead us, only having each other as stability in this chaotic world.

I trust my life with my dad. I know that he will never purposefully put me in harms way, and I know that he will never compromise his relationship with HIS heavenly Father. My dad has always been willing to serve Jesus with his whole heart, even if that means he will never be recognized for it; even if that means he will live in utter obscurity; even if that means he will never make a lot of money, or have a lot of worldly success; even if that means he will never impress a lot of people, or pastor his own megachurch. My dad is only concerned with one thing: glorifying God with his life!

Reflecting on my dad has reminded me of our Heavenly Father. It's amazing how often we question Him. God sees things from a perspective that we will never be able to see. He always has our best interest at heart, and yet we pull away when he takes us into uncomfortable territory. Remember the 12 spies checking out the Promise Land (Numbers 13). After all God had brought them through, all but Caleb and Joshua refused to go into Canaan because it would have meant placing their ENTIRE trust in God and stepping out of their comfort zones.

When I was little and my dad would punish me or he would place "ridiculous" restrictions me, I didn't understand why. I thought he just wanted to steal my fun. But the reality is that he saw the world from an entirely different and broader perspective than I did. He had plenty more experience than me and he was merely trying to protect me from hurting myself. Our heavenly Father sees everything from a much broader perspective than we ever could. Why are we afraid to TRUST Him with our whole lives?
lives?