Ten Lessons I've Learned From My Dad

Our parents are our first and greatest teachers.  Even when they don't realize it, we are learning from them.  Example is everything.  And often, it's the little things that mean the most. Growing up and leaving home isn't the end of the education either.  Here's a few lessons I've learned and am still learning from my dad. 

1- Choose your love and love your choice. My mom and dad married young and when I came along he was only 20 years old.  Like all marriages, they had their struggles, but he stuck by her side, including years as her caregiver after she had her debilitating stroke, until she took her last breath.  I know it wasn't easy, but that says a lot about how he feels about the institution of marriage.  I appreciate that example.

He has chosen twice, and he has chosen well.

2- Families are important and we support each other.  I grew up knowing that I was loved and supported by my parents and my grandparents.  Holidays and vacations were a time to be with family.  We spent many hours on Nana's farm and at Grandma's house.  We went to the beach every year for vacation.  My dad sat through countless dance and baton recitals, served as the president of the band boosters, was at every half time performance and parade I marched in.  Lesson learned.  Families support each other.

3- On Sundays, we go to church.  We were a church going family. I'm so grateful that I learned at an early age about Jesus Christ. To this day, it warms my heart to hear my daddy pray out loud.

4-The world is an amazing place.  Go explore it.  Whether he's on a plane or in a car, my dad likes to go!  He's been in many places in the world, and all over the US and Canada.  It's nothing for him to load up his car and take a month long road trip.   I'm happy to say I've inherited that same travel bug.   

5- Work hard.  My dad has always been a hard worker, and in the early years, held down two jobs to support his family.  Retirement didn't slow him down much.  Passing along a good work ethic is one of the most important things a parent can give a child.  I don't remember any specific lessons in the home on how to be a responsible person and work hard.  I know we had chores at home to do, and my sisters and I still laugh about our dishwashing rotation.  Maybe we just picked this up by osmosis, because all his children are hard workers. 

6- The best foods are homemade.  I get my love for food honestly.  As with most southerners, food is a big part of our culture.  Even though my mom was a fantastic cook, my dad's pretty good in the kitchen himself.  And he owns the grill.  This is his famous bbq sauce recipe that we all love, written by his hand.

7. Serve others.  Without attention or recognition, I've watched him serve my mom, his mom and two mother in laws with tenderness and patience.  Trips to the nursing homes and hospitals, were a part of his daily schedule for a season.  He takes care of neighbors yards, plans and orchestrates senior activities and works the clothes closet at his church.  Possessing a servant's heart, he would do anything to help you out.  "When you are in the service of your fellow being, you are in the service of your God."   I think he has this one figured out. 

8- Teach your kids to dance.   My first dance lessons happened while I stood on my daddy's feet.  He has a special dance step that I've never seen anyone else do and he's taught it to all his daughters.  We don't get the opportunity to dance with him very often now, but when we do, we all still know the "dad" slow dance step.  It's pretty special.

9- Get your hands dirty and play in the dirt.  This isn't something I learned as a child, but as an adult I've taken up gardening and am learning lots from my dad.  He has a serious green thumb.  

10- Always have a camera close at hand.  Dad is always taking pictures.  Always.  He's had his bird photos published in a national magazine, and just this week won several prizes in a photo contest. I enjoy sitting down with him and going through old pictures, and new ones too!  Celebrate the good times and capture those memories with photos.  I'm learning this one well.  Just like him, I will stop on the interstate and take flower pictures,

seek out God's beautiful creations and try to get just the right shot,

and most importantly run to the beach in order to catch the sunrise. This one is important.  Don't sleep in and miss the sunrise.  There will never be another one quite like the one you see today.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.
I love you!