THANK YOU DAD!

HAPPY
FATHER’S DAY!!

When one
talks about a Dad, there is so much more meaning behind the word than what
appears. As I mentioned in a previous
blog, while I have been away from the United States for nine and half
months now, I have grown to appreciate my family more. I have realized just how much they mean to me
and how much I need them. The one I want
to talk about now is my Dad. He has
meant more to me than I will even be able to explain in this blog.

My dad loves
to joke and laugh, travel, have fun, meet new people, spend time with the
family, and much more. He has brown hair, blue eyes,
and like my mom, looks younger than he is ;). He is one of the smartest men I know and the most humble as well. And he is always willing to help anyone out
with anything at anytime. It would take a long time
and a lot of space to describe all the things that are amazing about my dad but
I will try to narrow it down and share as much as possible.

There is
something special about a father-daughter bond that I cannot fully
explain. God has definitely blessed me
with the most wonderful dad ever! He has
worked hard to provide for our family for many years. He has traveled a lot for work and seen the
world but has always made God number one and our family as a priority in his life. He has been there to encourage and challenge
me to strive for more than I think I can do. He has instilled in me the quality of never giving up and not letting
fear stop me from trying new things. Even on his travels around the world, he would slip out of a meeting
just to answer a phone call from me. (A story to go along with that: My sister came home from school one day when she was young and didn’t have a key or garage door opener so she went to a neighbors house and called Dad’s cell phone and even though he was on the other side of the world at the time, he did whatever he could to help, which included calling someone else for her back in the States-it makes me laugh now, but that goes to just show how available he is for us no matter what the circumstances.)  Anytime I needed help with homework or was stressed he would always talk
me through it and impart his amazing knowledge onto me. That is just one way he showed his love. He has also been a listening ear and helped
me talk through so many decisions in life. He is always there ready to give a hug at any time. My dad has made a point to be at my choir
concerts throughout the years, my cross-country meets when most needed, church
events, and any reward ceremonies for everything.

During some
very hard and emotional times of life, my dad has been there to sympathize and
also help me think things through and look at things logically. He has helped me organize jumbled thoughts
and always brings a view to my attention that I have never even thought
about. He seems to always see things the
way they are without bias and his integrity is respectable. When we are apart, he is always so thoughtful
and sometimes sends me just a little email to see how I’m doing or will send me
pictures of what’s going on where he’s at and I love that!

My dad worked it out for him to go to Bangkok for some business work so that I could see him near the beginning of
the World Race and it meant more to me to see him at that moment than
anything! It was a refreshing feeling
and I was able to show him off to all my new friends on the World Race. I only saw him for a couple days for a few
hours but one night we had a meeting and my dad was willing to come so on our
way there, taking public bus, it started pouring.  So my dad and I (and
others on the squad) ended up drenched, completely soaked by the time we got there. My dad would do anything for me. I am so blessed!

Above all,
he has raised me in a home knowing God’s love. No matter what is going on, he is always there to remind me of God’s
promises and relate my situation to someone in the Bible and give me hope by
showing me how God worked in their life. My dad is a reflection on earth of my Father in heaven. He is always there for me, for a hug,
emotionally, spiritually…no matter what I’m going through, even across the
world, he’s there for me. Like my
Heavenly Father he pours out his unconditional love and I have never ever
doubted his love for me. God has truly
blessed me with the best dad in the world!

Thank you
Dad for being who you are; not just to me but everyone around you. Thank you for serving, loving, praying, and
never giving up on me. Thank you for
showing me what God’s love is all about and raising me in a Christian home
surrounded by God’s word and expressing the importance of a relationship with
Jesus Christ. Thank you for making me a
priority even when it may not have been the easiest thing to do or even if
people around you or at work may not have understood completely. Thank you for seeking to live a life honoring
and pleasing to God and continually growing in Him. You mean soooooo much to me and I want you to
know that. I want you to know how much I
appreciate you, respect you, and how much I love you. I don’t think there really are words to
express what I am trying to say, to express my feelings and what role you
really play in my life. I don’t know if
you’ll ever comprehend who you are in my life. I thank God for blessing me in such a TREMENDOUSLY HUGE way by making
you my dad!!