Well Papa Murph, you’ve been in my life for more than 27 years now- so today, to honor you, I want to share 27 reasons I am grateful for who you are and for that fact that you were my first understanding of what a dad looks like…
1. Unconditional Love
I have never once questioned whether you love me or not. It may sound simple, but really it’s supernatural. Even at the lowest points of my life, in my moments of darkest disappointments, I have always been sure of your love for me. The way you love me helps lead me to a small understanding of what our Father in heaven loves like. I am so very blessed to know what it feels like to be loved in all circumstances.
2. Sense of humor
If anyone wonders where my silliness comes from, all they need to do is spend some time with you. I love how goofy you are… yes, dad, you are goofy. Being able to joke with you and laugh so hard I cry is one of my most cherished things about our relationship.
3. Sweet dance moves
While we’re on the topic of goofy……. we may as well go ahead and touch on your killer moves on the dance floor. When those knees get to bendin’ and those hips get to swayin’- look out people!
4. Spiritual strength
Your faith has always been an inspiration to me. You are more than a set of rituals or rules, but a relationship with The Lord. My life is changed because you made faith such a priority in our house. (Even if that meant chasing the car down the drive way some mornings so we wouldn’t miss church!) Watching you taught me from a young age that Jesus longs for a personal relationship with us. He wants our time, our hearts, and our day to day. Pursuing Him through involvement, devotional time, and study are all important ways to get deeper intimacy. Seeing you and mom live these things out set a powerful foundation on how to come before the Father.
5. Example of loving relationship
Seeing the way you and mom have fought for your relationship has given me a rare glimpse of what real love looks like. It is easy to look around the world today and see dysfunction and destruction disguised as romantic relationships. I have the great privilege of looking no further than my own home to see what true love and commitment should be. You’ve had to fight for it, It’s not always a pretty wrapped up bow, and sometimes it’s downright messy- but it always comes down to being rooted in a deep love. Through your example, I have seen how love is a stunning thing. It brings passion, it’s fun, and makes your heart feel alive, but true love… the kind that lasts almost 37 years and counting… is all of that and so much more. I mean if wearing matching pajamas with your wife and dogs doesn’t spell l.o.v.e. then I don’t know what does! If they wanna see how true love should be…
6. Support
You have always been someone I know, without a shadow of a doubt, I can count on to back me up. The kind of support you give is so special because you walk right beside me. I know that no matter what I am facing, you’re going to be there to love me through it. You are a person I trust and seek out when I need some guidance or support, and I know you will always be there because you have shown me over and over again, if you can’t catch me before I fall, you’ll hold my hand and walk right next to me to get to the other side.
7. My biggest fan
Having you there in the stands for me and fighting for me, is a gift I will never take for granted. From as young as I can remember, I could look up into the bleachers and see you pumping your fist, clapping your hands, and cheering me on (Or sometimes embarrassing me… cough-JUSTICE-cough). Whether you showed up in your scooby-doo bball tie coming straight from work, or you drove hours on hours to any given game.. you always did anything in your power to show up. Showing up. You were, and are, always there to encourage me come hell or high water- in basketball and in life. An important quality that has shaped my heart, and emphasized how important it is to show up.
8. Real
You’re not perfect. I know, I know… it’s hard to believe- relax… it’s one of your best qualities! Knowing that you make mistakes and sometimes get it wrong, makes everything else about you so authentic. It’s how I know your love is so real, and your support and encouragement are so earnest. Perfection is unattainable, it doesn’t exist for humans… yet how many in our society try to fake it? We are so scared of cracks and imperfections that we miss the powerful beauty of redemption and forgiveness. Being real about the fact that you’ve walked through some stuff in your life, comforts me and makes me value your insights even more.
9. Family oriented
Growing up so close to extended family is a blessing that has been cultivated by the importance you place on staying connected to each other. I love the bonds that have come out of being so involved in the lives of your brothers and sisters and my cousins. There is a strong sense of dedication and support that runs through these relationships. Whether it’s traveling to weddings, baptisms, birthdays, or the beloved trips to Nags Head each year, you have instilled a sense of commitment to nurturing family relationships.
10. Sacrificial
Real love requires sacrifice. There are many ways you have taught this over the years. You have sacrificed in different ways to provide what you believe to be important for your family. Growing up, none of us have wanted for anything- It doesn’t mean that we were given every whim or newest gadget we asked for, yet how blessed are we that we can look back and say our needs were more than met. Your sacrifices were not in vain, and they lead to many opportunities which shaped the person I am today.
11. Passionate
You are a person of love. You stand for love and fight for what you believe is right according to that love. Some may call your fight for love aggressive- I would call it passionate 🙂 I love your passion to stand in the gap for life and love at all levels, no matter how small!
12. Friend
Dad, you are more than just a father. You are a true friend. As cheesy as it sounds, I have always thought how true it is that anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy. You are special, and our relationship is so dear to me. One of the best things about our friendship is that I get to be the real me with you. A quality that, to me, signifies the mark of real loving friendship at it’s core.. allowing people to be who they truly are. Even more than that, you call me up to be the best version of myself. You don’t let me just skate by giving just enough, but you see my potential and you usher me into it.
13. Generous
I’m not even sure you are totally aware of this one… but you have taught me that any blessings I receive are not mine to keep. Not only do you shower your children, but you extend your generosity to the world around you. You take in our friends and treat them as family, simply because they are important to us… you bring communion to the sick because you know providing Jesus should never be withheld no matter what… you give from a place that is so genuine, and that’s what is unique. No one can ever question your motives when it is so evident that you truly delight in blessing others.
14. Fun
There’s no arguing that John Murphy knows how to have a good time! Whether you are boogeying down on the dance floor, boogey boarding at the beach, running down Monument Avenue, or we’re just hanging out on a random Sunday evening- I love that we fun together!
15. Wise
For as long as I can remember, you have always been a place of guidance and wisdom. When I feel lost, confused, or discouraged I know that I have a place of refuge with you. Most importantly, you don’t speak of your own wisdom, but you bring the Lord’s perspective to light. I know I can rely on you to point me in the right direction, even when it’s hard.
16. Accepting
You always air on the side of including. You are so accepting of people- even those who are from vastly different walks of life, and you make them feel welcome. In fact, watching you stress the important truth that differences don’t equal distance has taught me that we are unified in the Father.
17. My best running buddy
These are some of my favorite times together. When you love running, you share this unexplainable bond with other runners… when that “other runner” happens to be your dad- it’s like there is this unspoken secret the two of you share that you could never define. There’s something quite unique that happens when you experience the other side of exhaustion right alongside each other. Between the snot, the falls, the sweat, the talks, the triumphs, the cramps, the frustrations, the celebrations, the encouragement, the hills, the wins, and the losses, there’s something divine that is shared between us out there.. something that is unparalleled and indescribable in the best way possible.
18. Cultivate Freedom
Allowing me to make my own choices and sometimes mistakes, led me to a place where I could learn self-governance. That’s not to say the rules you and mom set for us to live by made me jump for joy at all times… but as we got older, as the freedom increased, so did my ability to reason through and make good decisions for myself. Let’s not get crazy- I still mess up regularly… but the freedom you allow developed this internal compass and taught me what it looks like to create boundaries to live by- it developed a set of morals and values within me which I was able to discover and explore on my own, without being forced into something simply because it’s what worked for you.
19. You See the Best in Me
You don’t look at my flaws, but instead see my potential. You see me for who I truly am, and you love me from that place.
20. Dad Powers
I can always count on you to step up to the plate and take care of your girl. When I roll up to the house after driving on a dangerously flat tire for 2 days, you’re there to put on the spare and send me off safely. When there are a million spiders ALL OVER my bedroom wall, you’re there with a vacuum in hand to take care of it! When I leave the country without moving the last of my furniture out of my apartment… yep- there you are to the rescue to do the heavy lifting! When changing the headlight on my car is like getting into Fort Knox, leave it to Papa Murph to muscle it out! I love that you love taking on the role of dad.
21. Enforce Necessary Consequences
Just because you allow freedom and don’t force your beliefs on me, doesn’t mean that sometimes my actions won’t result in real undesirable consequences. If I decide to disobey established rules, there are consequences in the form of lost freedoms. Discipline is an act of love. I am grateful that you love me enough to teach me the results of bad choices.
22. Yet, There is Always Redemption
You never give up on me. There exists opportunity to regain those lost freedoms. It’s never been a be-all-end-all, no point of return, closed door. Forgiveness is always available and always attainable.
23. You Tell Me You Love Me
Over and over again, you show me your love. Yet, even more than that, you don’t underestimate the power behind words. You tell me you love me, and that you’re proud of me.. phrases that edify and affirm how much you really care.
24. Unique Love
There is a special love for each of your children. You love us each individually, and you share that love in different ways. You could never have our relationship with my brothers, and you and I could never have the relationship you share with either of them. Your love is equal, but manifests in many different ways.
25. You Always Pull for the Underdog
A good battle where you can root for the underdog always gets you fired up! I love that you get behind people who need a few extra cheers in their corner!
26 You go the extra mile for me
I’ll never forget my first season of AAU when I was still playing soccer for school- you didn’t want me to miss the whole soccer game, so we went and left at half time for bball practice… by the time we got there, we had missed the practice! You drove all over town to get me to different practices, you moved me into college for years, you let me and Lola ride with you to the beach.. there are so many other examples to recall. You love me so well by just doing whatever is in your power to help me accomplish whatever the task might be.
27. You Become Cooler Every Day
The more time goes by, the more I want time with you. Dad, you’re a cool dude, and it’s a really beautiful thing to reflect on how our relationship has evolved over the years. Things continue to change and shift, but the love, respect, and appreciation seem to just keep growing. “My old man was born to rock.. he’s still tryin’ to beat the clock” 🙂
Daddio today and every day, I love you. Thank you for who you are, and for who you have been for me. Your love has been like a little window into the love of our Father in heaven. You have led me closer to God just by being you… and for that there is no amount of words or thanks that could do that gift justice. SO, I’ll just settle on I love you, and I’m thankful for you every day.
