My Dad

I have written this post about 100 times in my head, and I have typed it a few more after that. This may end up being jumbled thoughts; but my hope is that you understand the depths to which I love my Dad.

If you had asked me when I was younger if I was spoiled and if I took my dad for granted I would have been affronted that you even asked such a question, an emphatic "of course not!" Would have been my reply. The truth is I was very spoiled and had no idea how much I took for granted. I don't really know how my dad raised 4 girls by himself; just raising me would have been hard enough! He is hands down the most self-sacrificing person I know.

I decided to narrow this down to the 4 biggest lessons that I have learned from my dad, otherwise I would type forever. (4 is a strange number too choose, but 3 wasn't enough and I don't like odd numbers very much... Unless they are multiples of 5. But I digress..)

 1. A reverence and deep love for scripture.
     The first thing that comes to mind are the times that we would be listening to a hymn in the car and as we pulled into the driveway my sisters and I would try to get out of the car, but my dad wouldn't have it. We would sit in the driveway until he learned every word by heart. He would ask us if we understood what we were singing and then tell us how thankful he is that the Lord would save someone like Him.

2. Thankfulness.
    My dad will look around and see what The Lord has blessed Him with and become overwhelmed with thankfulness. Growing up he would often talk to us about how we should be thankful, and would sing count your blessings. Paul once described himself as the utmost of sinners in 1Timothy 1:15 "it is a trustworthy statement and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am foremost of all." I believe it is this mentality that makes my dad  thankful, and also which leads me to number 3.

3. Humility.
     My Father is humble. He is ready to seek council, he is ready to hear where he is wrong and have his sin pointed out. He would rather go through the painful process of having his weaknesses pointed out than to live in sin. I have never known him to be without many counselors.

4. Forgiveness.
    I know the depths of my Fathers forgiveness because I have been forgiven by him the deepest. I am fully ashamed to say i have hurt him in my sin and disobedience, however, I have learned much about my Heavenly Father through the unconditional love of my earthly father. He is quick to forgive and bring me back into the fold.

 Kyle may not know it, but the times he compliments me the most are when he tells me I am like my father. I'll do something or get passionate about something, and he'll say " you get that from your dad". I just smile, but he doesn't know the joy it brings me to be compared to my daddy.

Marked by Thankfulness

A while back I told Kyle that I wanted to be a person marked by Thankfulness. I want to live with the mentality that I am blessed beyond measure. This story is a wonderful one to keep my thinking where it should be.

During his travels one day, Rev. Jeremy Taylor's host was worried over the state of his lodgings, and wished he could have provided more for Taylor. Jeremy Taylor responded by saying, 'Do not be troubled that I am ill provided for, for I have someone who goes before me to make sure that I am treated as a royalty wherever I go.

 The owner of the property replied to him: "who is this? who do you send before you, for no man came to me to prepare for your coming."

Taylor replied: "The knowledge of myself, and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins, which is eternal torments; I arrive at my lodgings, how unprovided soever I find it, METHINKS IT IS EVER BETTER THAN I DESERVE."

How deeply do we think on the gospel? You cannot understand the heights of grace without understanding the depths of sin. You cannot understand the Justification we have in Christ, unless you understand the wrath of God.

Today, I sit at my desk at work and, Praise the Lord, my co-worker is a believer. So we sit, and send out emails to parents, and finish paperwork, while listening to an Alistair Begg sermon.

What blessing (to have work) upon blessing(to work with a believer) upon blessing (to be capable to accomplish my work) upon blessing (to learn more about my Lord) I get to experience today!

Methinks It Is Ever Better Than I Deserve!

D-Day June 6, 1944

June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.

"You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely....

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great, and noble, undertaking."

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower June 6