Top Ten Things I learned from my Dad 1. Value of Work – My Dad was not afraid to try anything. How do you know if you can do it or not, unless you try? I saw from his example and instruction that we can do far more than we think we can, if we give it our best and stick with it. Hard work gives life purpose, as we accomplish what we were put here to do. 2. Joy – My Dad loves to laugh; I can still recognize his laugh in any crowded room. He taught me to look for the good in life and celebrate it. He said “It takes more muscles to frown than to smile, and it’s a lot more fun.” 3. Serve – “Look for something that needs to be done, and do it.” My Dad taught me to look out for those who are weak, to help those who are struggling. Kindness is not just warm feelings, it includes acts of service. 4. Learn Every Day – the world is an interesting place! My Dad gave me a curiosity about things. (Sorry about taking apart the antique clock, though.) We have not yet reached the limit of what our brain can hold. Learning makes the world bigger, more friendly, a safer place, a better place. 5. Wonder of creation – this world is a gift of God, and every part of it reflects God’s wisdom, His beauty, and His love. My Dad took us on vacations all over the country, camping in National Parks. He was a farmer at heart, and every seed that grew was a miracle in his eyes. He gave us a microscope and a telescope, but whichever way he looked he saw God. 6. Value of a good name – “I inherited a good name from my father, and I’m passing it on to you; Make sure you pass it on the same,” he would say. He taught the importance of integrity, honesty, character, and high moral standards. It is no harder to do things the right way, and generally leads to far less problems. 7. Value of a good family – My Dad is always telling stories about family. The grandkids never get tired of hearing another one. Stories of when he was a kid, stories of his parents and grandparents, stories about Merom, the Chataqua, the Institute, church camp. And my Dad took us to see people; none of our family lived close, so we traveled across the country to visit. Six kids packed in a VW bus, traveling for days… not always pleasant, but there were cousins at the other end! 8. Life Is Bigger Than Me – I am part of a whole. Family gives us roots. I didn’t realize at the time how much that helped me understand who I am. He helped me see that history is not just dates and details from a long time ago; it is stories about people, stories about us. 9. Time Is Bigger Than Now – I stand on the shoulders of those who went before me. I did not inherit a blank canvas, an empty world; it has been improved by others. I reap the benefit of their hard work. And I get to build something for the next generation to receive. My Dad planted fruit trees wherever we lived, even when he knew he would not be eating the fruit. 10. My Dad taught me about God. I never doubted God’s existence, because my Dad seemed to know Him so well! Dad gave me a picture of God as a loving Father. Not an unmerciful judge or an unrelenting slave driver, but a God who truly cares for all He created. I grew up thinking God was a lot like my Dad. …And I guess that’s how it’s supposed to be!
Posted on: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 01:05:42 +0000
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