My Dad

My Dad was always there for me when I was young. He didn't travel for his work, he came home from the refinery every night with his black lunch box in hand. Often that lunch box would include half a peanut butter sandwich that he would save for me. I have no idea why a peanut butter sandwich that had been in a metal lunch box all day tasted better, but believe me it did. It was never something he talked about it was just something that he did. He knew it was something that I looked forward to, so that is what he did.

With my father, example has always been the most important thing. I have never questioned what he believed, because I could simply watch him live his life. If there was a church meeting there was never a discussion regarding going, we were going and everyone knew it. If there was a service project to be done, once again dad was there. As I watched Dad and Mom sit down together on pay day to work out the budget, I learned about partnership in a marriage. Looking back, I realize that we often didn't have a lot of money, but at the time I never knew it.

There was always time for fun. As a young boy I never thought much about the fact that my dad would join in the neighborhood pickup baseball game. There was never any talk about why my dad was there and no other dads. That was just the way it was. I remember one hot summer day when us kids were playing in the ditch full of water to keep cool, before long dad just jumped in too.

On this father's day, I want to thank my father for always being there for me. For being a Dad, not just a father. For helping me understand what is important. You remind me of one of my favorite quotes, "I can not hear what you say, when what you do rings so loudly in my ears". It is easy to misunderstand someone's words, but easy to understand how they live their life.