My Daddy

Today is my Daddy's 85th birthday. I am so very thankful for him in my life and in the lives of my children (and now grandchild). All of us who call Daddy 'family' know how much we are blessed by that honor - no matter if he is Daddy, Uncle, Grandpa, etc. However, with Daddy, it never ends there. For so many, he is still a beloved blessing. We, as his family, have always known we must hold him loosely... for he has shared his whole life with others. It is of note that he has done this alongside his bride of 66 years, 'Big Sue'. Holding hands tightly with her across all these years, they have indeed changed the world for the better. 

I have been thinking about the incredible example shown by Daddy and Mama this week. This is always a week of reflection since we celebrate their wedding anniversary followed so closely by Daddy's birthday. A week of gratitude in our family, for sure. But earlier this week I read an article and it reinforced something that I already knew, but always need to be reminded of... here are some snippets that stood out to me...

"If you are on the lookout for things to complain about, you will absolutely find them. And you won’t just find them, you’ll magnify them. If you are looking for the downsides to yourself and your experiences, you will absolutely find them."

"What we seek in others is important because it dictates what we find. If we’re not careful, we’ll fall into the all-too-familiar-trap of merely finding and focusing on what people do wrong."

"What our community needs is not a perfect standard but people who seek to find Christ in others. If we want to see the people around us growing and becoming people who find the best in others, we need to seek and point out the best we find in them."

"Luckily, we’re not without a model ourselves. Jesus saw who people were becoming before they had arrived. From choosing unqualified disciples, to sharing meals with sinners, to the thief He forgave on the cross, Jesus found opportune moments to see who people were becoming."

My Daddy has spent his lifetime 'seeing who people were becoming before they had arrived'. He has been the best person at actually living this out that I have ever seen on this earth. I will spend my life attempting to follow his example, and I know I will continue to fall short (just as I have this very week). But, I will forever be so grateful for his example and his love - for me, for our family, and for so many others. 

Happy birthday to my wonderful Daddy. With all my love.

Here is a link to the article I referred to above.

https://annvoskamp.com/2020/08/why-now-is-the-best-time-to-stop-seeking-perfection/#more-195566