My Dad was born on July 9th. I don’t spend enough time remembering his life. Life can get so busy, drowning out important things like that. Without him, I and my immediate family would never have existed, so I felt compelled to give a shout out to my Dad and honor him on his birthday even though he is not here in the flesh. My Dad was passionate for life—passionate for his God, his wife, his family, his work, his fishing and hunting, and he prioritized those areas of his life in that order.
When I was around ten years old, I gave my Dad a little gift. I don’t remember if it was for his birthday or not, but the gift was one of those plastic Easter eggs that you could put candy in and hide them around the house for an Easter egg hunt. The gift I gave him was a couple of golf tees and a few coins encapsulated in this plastic Easter egg. It was all I had to give him. So why would I tell you about this gift?
The funny thing is when Mom and I went to go through Dad’s stuff in his office after he had passed, I found this plastic egg with its contents intact on top of his desk in the back of his black plastic letter tray where he places his important documents. Beside the golf tees and coins lay a note that I had scribbled for him in the writing of a small child. The note said, “I love you, Dad.” Really, I was taken aback of why he would keep this treasure for over four decades. My Dad had a soft side, and all I mean by that is he had a good heart, which should not be interrupted as a sign of weakness.
I am so blessed to have a loving Dad, and, when see each other again face to face, we will never have to say goodbye.
“For God is not the God of the dead, but is the God of the living” (Matthew 22:32).
Happy Birthday, Dad!!
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