The longer I am on the race, the more I realize how extremely blessed I am to have the parents that I do and to have grown up in the household that I did. I can’t thank the Lord enough, or my parents for all that they have done to “bring [me] up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). I hear testimonies from other racers of their past hurts in relationships with their fathers or those who have lost their dads all too soon. Especially now, being in Rwanda where the pain of the genocide of 1994 is still so real today, where so many young men and women my very age lost their fathers and were orphaned so suddenly, I realize how truly blessed I am.
Therefore, in an effort to thank my earthly father, as well as my Heavenly Father, here is an ode to my dad. Daddy, here are 26 of my favorite memories to celebrate the 26 years of being blessed with your fatherhood.
I remember playing hot lava monster as little tikes. Those days you got home from work before dinner was ready, so you filled the time with Robbie and I by chasing us while we jumped from couch to couch, keeping away from your lava hands and the lava covered floor.
I remember wrestling with you, playing tickle monster or steam roller on your giant waterbed. I remember all of us jumping on the trampoline with Dad, knowing we would go flying every time. My dad loved playing with us.
I remember you leading our family devotions, I was so proud of you and loved every minute of listening to the Bible stories as you read and then discussing the questions together.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
I remember you reading bedtime stories to us. We would pick out a couple for you to read yet it always went by too fast. It wasn’t until probably years later that we discovered you were reading the first few pages, and then would skip to the end of the story. My dad can be an ornery guy.
I remember snowy days after we got our schoolwork done and got to play outside. My siblings and I would make tons of snowballs, hide them around the house, and wait for Dad to get home from work. As soon as you pulled in, we gave mom the signal and she locked all the doors just so we could chase you around the house, throwing with our numb, little fingers, laughing through our rosy cheeks and then yelling, “Run! Dad found our stash!” After all of us were snow-covered and cold, mom would let us back in with some homemade hot cocoa ready on the stove.
I remember you teaching us kids how to play baseball in our backyard. Oh, how I loved playing outside with you and the whole family! I always wanted to learn quick and do my best because I wanted to make you proud.
I remember going to work with you on Bring your Daughter to Work Day, getting to see a taste of your job in graphic designing and meeting all your co-workers as if I was the newest employee in my little black dress.
I remember every once in a while you would come home after work with a bag of Arby’s Beef ‘n Cheddar sandwiches for dinner. I thought we were the luckiest family on the block.
I remember going fishing with Daddy was always the best. I loved when you helped me reel in a big one and I felt so proud that I could catch fish just like any of the boys. I wanted so badly to be invited to our church’s annual Men’s Fishing Trip and didn’t understand why the women never did one of our own.
I remember you showing me how to dry my hair with a towel after bath time, flipping my long locks upside down and rubbing it with the towel until all the blood rushed to my head, and my hair was sticking up and slightly knotted. But, according to Dad, that is the secret to having thick hair. I still dry my hair in that fashion to this day.
I remember falling onto the road and scraping up my knees so bad that I couldn’t walk. You carried me home, helped me clean my wounds, and told me that every time I get scrapped or scratched up, it meant that I was growing stronger. You lifted my spirit and put a smile on my tear-streaked face.
”Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Deuteronomy 1:29-31
I remember making Derby cars for the open division in Boy Scouts, and how you helped each of us make our own car (or rather we helped you). Then race day came when we would get trophies because of all the research and time you put into making our derby’s be the best.
I remember when you made our science lesson come to life and helped us calculate the distance between all the planets in the solar system, made a sign for each planet, scaled it all down to size, and then we drove down the road and placed the planets according to the scaled distance. That project may have taken you a lot of time, but it sure stuck with me and made the size of space so much more real to me.
I remember our annual Father’s Day camping trips and the delicious pepperoni pizzas and cherry pies you cooked over the fire at night. And of course the fried potatoes and sausage for breakfast was always a must.
I remember driving home with mom, after dropping you off at work in the morning, and feeling so sad. I told mommy through tears in my eyes, that I didn’t know if I would ever find a devoted Christian man that was as honorable, trustworthy and as good as Dad. I thought that by the time I was old enough to marry, I would be hopeless because she must have got the last one.
I remember doing art class with you, when you taught us how to draw houses and different perspectives in drawing. I thought it was so cool to have you as our art teacher since that was what you did for a living.
I remember being insulted by a neighbor while selling lemonade down the street. They were angry and told Amber and me that we were not being good Christians. I bawled. But then you decided to walk down to check on us at just the right moment and I have never been happier to see you coming.
“In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”
Proverbs 14:26
I remember one of the times you preached at church about how Jesus died for us, whether we take the free gift or not. I remember how impactful it was, especially because you had Greg do pushups for each person to “receive the free gift” and used Jacks Donuts to drive your point home.
I remember going out to evangelize, pray for people, and tell them about Jesus around the Ball State campus and around New Castle. I have always been amazed at how bold you are in sharing what you believe, and how good you are with talking to people, even strangers. My dad is an evangelist at heart.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:5-9
I remember when we had dinner with a huge group of your co-workers, and you introduced our family. However, you decided to be nice and introduce your two daughters as the single ladies we were and that we were “looking” for boyfriends. I think we probably both turned red.
I remember how often we had parties at our house, that you and mom would love to host. I grew to love hosting people with all the friends, business, and church gatherings we held. And I was always impressed with how well you got along with so many people. My dad is a people-person and everyone seems to love him.
I remember learning to drive with you and especially learning to parallel park. It was very difficult at first, but you took the time to encourage me and help me practice until I got it down, and also stayed with me while I took the written test for two hours. But hey, I passed and now I drive like you! Which… I’m still not sure is a good thing or a bad thing.
I remember when our church began having Father-Daughter dances for Valentines Day. Even though I was in college by now, you still took the time to get dressed up, buy me a corsage, take me out to dinner, and dance to my hearts content (knowing dancing is not your favorite).
I remember when you took me out to dinner, after my first break-up. You shared your similar story and that you understood what I was going through. You gave me hope that there was someone else out there for me, and encouraged me to keep my head up and trust in the Lord.
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13
I remember when I decided to move to Texas for my student teaching. You chose to take a couple days off work to drive with me all the way and help me move in to my new apartment. I was so happy to be starting this new adventure with you and your blessing.
I remember one night, while the family was praying over me… and you broke down in tears, telling me how proud you were and how much you have learned to love through my example. A simple word of encouragement that I will cherish forever.
Daddy, every year as we celebrate fathers and I thank you for being mine, I am evermore in awe of how truly blessed I am and have always been. These are just 26 of my favorite memories with you, but the point is, they show a lifetime of you being there for us. Maybe in the past you’ve felt like giving up, that you were not enough, that you didn’t know what decision was best for the family, that you made the wrong choice, that you could have been a better dad… but the thing is, you never stopped trying. I know you have faults, as all dads would, but you didn’t leave Fatherhood because of them. Instead, you let God be your strength and source of wisdom. And through your example, you trained us to do the same. Thank you for always being there, for making these memories with us, and for loving each of your children so well.
“A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”
Proverbs 17:24
