The video plays.
“Prena Sue, where are you?”
I watch the small blonde haired girl respond to her father’s voice as he calls her by her childhood nickname. The moment she notices that she’s being recorded, she lights up and proceeds with a traditional side to side shimmy dance move that has become their routine.
Even as that small blonde haired girl has grown to be a women, she still lights up at each time that home video is played. All the while having the urge to dance away to her father’s voice.
That’s my Dad. He’s the kind of man who gives outrageous nicknames to everyone. He’s the voice behind every home movie; making sure to document every moment of our childhood. He has small lines around his eyes from years of laughter and smiles. He works harder than any person I’ve ever met. He’s taught me what grace and forgiveness looks like. He’s shown me that when life tries to get you down, you keep going with the strength that only comes from God. He cries, but he doesn’t like for others to see it. He worships with true humility. He’s the first to say, “you can do it.” He’s the best Dad that a daughter could ever ask for.
Daddy, there are no words to describe you or how much you mean to me. A mere blog can’t begin to articulate the impact you’ve had on my life but here’s a shot:
Thank you for tying my shoes every morning before school.
Thank you sitting at the kitchen table for hours trying to improve my math skills.
Thank you for encouraging me to sing, even when there was no music.
Thank you for letting me drive up dirt paths on your lap.
Thank you for ice cream dates.
Thank you for letting me learn from my own mistakes.
Thank you for helping me every time I locked myself out of my car.
Thank you for showing me what it looks like to love Jesus.
Thank you for encouraging me to do things I didn’t want to do.
Thank you for surrendering me to the will that God has for my life.
Thank you for how much you have sacrificed for my brother and I.
Thank you for discipline.
Thank you for making mistakes because those mistakes taught me that you are human.
Thank you for always running errands with me and never complaining when I didn’t have it all together.
Thank you for not trying to mold me to fit the society norm.
Thank you for knowing what I needed even before I needed it.
Thank you for allowing me to dream big with God for my future.
But most of all..
Thank you for loving your daughter.
You have shown me what it looks like to live out the gospel. You’ve been an example to more than you know and have impacted the lives of others around you. I may not be able to hug your neck today but know my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for you.
Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. I love you!
