Dad

My dad.

I adore him.

This picture was taken because when my mom got this Christmas ornament she said it was him. It looks nothing like him. He's not overweight, he doesn't have a beard, and he never wears a cowboy hat or chaps. He does wear boots and drink coffee though.

I cherish this picture. I love the look on his face.

One of the neatest things about growing up is watching our relationship change. My dad was very much the head of our household growing up. He is very devoted to the Lord and had a very strict set of rules. I honored and respected him and never thought his rules were overbearing or too confining. I was ok that he didn't want me to wear tank tops. I didn't mind that he wanted to know where I was and when I would be home. I had such a great respect for him that I gladly obeyed his rules.

When I was younger I thoroughly enjoyed picking up turtles on the side of the road. I can remember begging my parents to stop, exclaiming I would hold the turtle outside of the window until we got home so he wouldn't use the bathroom in the car. It was just something we did in the summertime. We never kept the turtles as pets, just enjoyed catching them.

My freshman year of college I came home for a weekend visit. My dad and hopped in the truck to go to the local feed mill. On our way down the country roads he spotted a turtle. He looked over at me in the passenger seat and said, "Dawny-Dee, you wanna stop and get that turtle?" I laughed to myself and said, "Nah, I guess not this time." It was at that point in time I realized I was growing into a lady, yet my father would always see me as his little girl.

He has always been way overprotective of his little girl. It's been a year since we've moved away and my mom says each time they get into the car to go home, she cries and he gets mad at the Preacher Man for moving me so far away. Of course, he truly loves my Preacher Man and understands the Lord's calling on our lives, but if he could move us home, he would.

I don't really know why I posted specifically about my dad. I just know that as I have grown from a little girl, to a teenager, then to a married woman, and now a mother my relationship with my daddy changes each phase. He becomes so much more to me all along the way.

I suppose my earthly father is just a reminder of how important my relationship is to my Heavenly Father. No matter the situation, the phase, the season of life I'm in I have a choice to grow in a deeper relationship with Him. I can either back-off and do it "my" way or run to the Father who always knows best. The Father whom I have built a lifetime of trust in. A Father who never disappoints or never lets His guard down. A Heavenly Father who someday I will spend an eternity with. Wow, what a refreshing look on life. I don't know about you, but as I type this I am in awe of the relationship that I have with Jesus Christ. I am thankful for His sacrifice for me. Thank you Lord, for You're mighty ways.