Reason #871

We leave for Guatemala in the morning. We have to be at the airport around 5:00....AM. It's going to be a short night. A short night for a long day. I don't feel like I have had a moment to sit down and rest today, but that's just how it goes when preparing for a trip. The day before you leave is always packed full of 'to-do's,' and so I'm sure I'll enjoy my nap tonight.

Tomorrow is father's day, so we had our parents over for lunch this afternoon to celebrate. We're lucky in the fact that our parents live in the same town AND they all get along. That's a rare thing to find, and I always thank the Lord for that. Anyway, I got my dad a card with the image above on the front of it (thanks to awkward family photo). The inside of the card said, "Thanks for always encouraging me to try things out first-hand."

My dad would have never stuck my hand in a camels mouth. In fact, when I was about two or three, my dad carried me through a petting zoo that consisted mostly of deer, I think, and from the picture we have, my little legs were wrapped around him as high as they could possibly go. I was absolutely terrified of those deer, so he had to be the brave one for me. But, you know, that's just what dads do. They encourage you through life's experiences and opportunities, and when you're too afraid to go it alone, they walk with you through it.

My dad has always made me feel like I could conquer the world. If I ever tried out for anything he'd always say, "Don't even worry about it. I know you're going to get it." And if and when I got whatever it was, he'd said, "I wasn't even worried about it. I knew you'd get it from the start." Complete confidence. Total support. Absolute encouragement. And the truth is, knowing that he felt that way up front gave me the courage to do whatever it was I was attempting to do. If my dad knew I could do it, then I was sure I could do it. After all, if you have someone who believes in you, you begin to believe in yourself. And so my dad has always believed in me and encouraged me to just do it, whatever it was.

But it's easy to believe in people when the odds are in their favor, right? Remember how I told you I do my best to only go for things I am almost certain will work out? But sometimes things don't. And so how do you believe in someone when it seems the odds are stacked against them? How do you encourage them to move forward when they're paralyzed with fear? How do you tell them, "Oh, I'm not worried about it. It's going to work out for you" when you know deep down that it probably isn't going to work out and you really are just as worried about it as they are? What do you do to build their confidence when the outcome is going to devastate them? You do what my dad did. You pick them up, and you carry them. Maybe not literally, but figuratively, that's what you do. And if they cling to you in fear, you comfort them. You put on your brave face for them and remind them that you're there and you're not going anywhere. You aren't going to let them down, and you aren't going to leave them. You assure them that you have their best interest at heart and you'll keep it that way forever. And you remind them that you love them, that you care about them, and that you'll never stop.

So thanks, Dad, for always being there for me and with me. Thank you for holding me up and keeping me safe. Thank you for encouraging me through life's opportunities and for walking with me through life's circumstances. Thank you for being brave for me when I am scared. Thank you for always believing in me even when the odds are against me. Thank you for giving me confidence, support, and encouragement in all the things I do. I couldn't have made it this far without you, and I am forever grateful that the Lord has blessed me with you!

Happy (early) Father's Day! I love you!

#871 - For a dad who encourages me through life's opportunities and walks with me through life's circumstances.

"Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.  “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise:  If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth." - Ephesians 6:1-3