A father has a lot of impact in a boy’s life. Growing up I saw my dad as Superman (as I’m sure a lot of boy’s do) in which nothing in life could stop him and he could do everything he set his mind to. I always admired my dad and wanted to make him proud in everything I did. As with most fathers I’m sure, my dad wasn’t the lovey, cuddly person that you would run to when you just wanted to be pampered. My dad was strict and practical and rarely sought to do things that would just be for my spoiling, but always sought to teach me life values and prepare me for the adult life that I would one day enter into. Not that my dad wouldn’t do nice things for me just because; there are many things that I could point to such as vacations or buying me golf clubs or the random ice cream at Culver’s, etc. The thing is he never just gave me what I wanted for the sake of me wanting it. He loved me too much to just give me everything that I desired. And although that may have been hard as a kid, it’s come to be the thing that I respect the most of my dad.
“Life’s not fair; deal with it.” That was my dad’s favorite motto to say to us when we were growing up. I can’t tell you how much I hated that phrase. He would say it whenever something didn’t go my way or whenever he would fail to give me what I wanted. But after 23 years of living, that saying gets truer every day. Life isn’t fair. Things won’t always go the way I want them to go. I won’t get all the things that I think I deserve to get. Life won’t be happy and good all the time. And it’s through those times where you have to make a choice. Either deal with it or have “it” deal with you. Either persevere or be defeated. And there are still moments even now, where I have to remind myself of that saying. Because there are still times where my circumstances seem overwhelming and it would be easier to just give up. “Deal with it” may not be the most up-lifting or happiest thing to hear during those times, but it’s the thing that will get you through those times.
God doesn’t promise that everything will go our way. He doesn’t say that He will give us all we want. He doesn’t say that everything in life will be fair. What He does say is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He says that nothing will separate us from the love He has for us. He gives us Himself and in actuality, that’s all we need. He is enough. Regardless of the trials and tribulations of life, we have Him and that’s enough. No it doesn’t mean that I won’t experience hurt or rejection or loss or pain. But it does mean that God will be with me every step of the way in those times and that He will deliver me from them one day. That’s the hope my dad taught me and the hope I still hold on to today.
Thank you dad for the man of God that you are and the godly husband and father that you have shown me throughout my life. Thank you for your endless service for providing for our family. Thank you for the lovely vacations that you’ve taken us on. Thank you for the many golfing memories that we’ve shared. Thank you for helping me financially during my college years. Thank you for teaching me the love of God. Thank you for loving me regardless of what I’ve done. Thank you for your humor. Thank you…for being my dad. I love you very much and am thinking of you on this Father’s Day. God’s blessings on you today! Enjoy watching the U.S. Open!! Haha.
