Happy Father’s Day

So it’s Father’s Day and I just called my dad at 9:30pm. Bad kid, I know. However I must just share a bit about him. My dad is the youngest of 4 boys. Born and raised in Nebraska and not living anywhere else until he was sent to Vietnam in 1969. He was a Navy Seal and stayed three tours; 1969-1971. He married my mom in March of 1977 and I was born in September of 1978.
This year was their 30th anniversary. What an accomplishment!

God has done quite a work in both of us. Being the kid of a veteran isn’t necessarily the most glamorous. Any time spent in war changes a person but I think that being in a special service branch such as the Seals or Rangers is especially traumatic. He has had some serious Post Traumatic Stress but God is good and redeems that which we think is unfix-able.

My dad is a very compassionate man. He has a deep place in his heart for all people but especially elderly people. When my grandma Clara, his mother, got sick enough to have to move from her home, my dad spent lots of time there visiting lots of folks, not just her. He loves to hear their stories.

My dad loves little things. He loves Dollar Stores and takes my kids whenever we’re there. They all got $10 each the last visit and Elijah actually bought TEN things with it. Ugh… He loves the Pillsbury cookie dough that comes out each holiday. You know, the sugar cookies with the seasonal design in the middle. He’s just like my grandma and loves holidays. All holidays, including Halloween…which isn’t that big of a deal, however he has several outdoor decorations which are just plain creepy and set them up the last time with my kids helping after dark. I’m like, “Don’t you think the glowing werewolf head, hands and feet coming out of the ground is a little disturbing to small children Dad?” “Whatdaya mean? They’re not scared?”

My dad is the baker and cook at their house. That doesn’t mean he’s good at it but he’s not half bad and he loves to be in there and experiment. I think being the youngest he was probably in the kitchen a lot with my grandma. She was a Great cook. Fried Chicken, Dumplings, cinnamon rolls, popcorn balls…yum! I remember on certain days when my dad was off work and we were at school, he’d make jello parfaits. The kind like in the magazine that had the 4 different colors of jello in perfect layers and the dollop of Kool Whip on the top. For real.

My dad is a history buff. He knows pretty much everything. He read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich when he was 9. Serious. If you want to know anything about any of the wars in history, just ask him…but be prepared to settle in and get comfortable. It’ll be awhile. And don’t bring up politics or it’ll be even longer.

My dad builds things. He makes displays for museums and nursing homes. He does different was scenes with models and army men and trains and stuff. A lot of the houses and other things that he puts in there he builds himself. Not janky stuff either. (Did I just use the word janky?) It actually looks like what it is. He’s creative.

He’s been a great dad. I think you appreciate your parents WAY more after you’ve been a parent for a while. I see how obnoxious I was as a kid in my children and don’t have as much self pity about the beatings I got here and there. I wonder that there weren’t more. My dad is a picture of loyalty and honor. He loves my mom, loves Jesus and loves our country. He loves my kids (especially in small doses) and tries his best to be his best. He’s a hard worker and a piddler. He’s on the cover of a book. He loves flowers and animals. He loves Miracle grow. He’s almost retired. He’s a good man.