Honoring My Dad

Honor thy father and thy mother... Exodus 20:12

Tomorrow my Dad will celebrate his 72nd birthday. In honor of that, I have decided to take a vacation day and spend some time with him in the afternoon before the family party. I've really been pondering what I say about and to him and how I act towards him.... does he feel honored? So, today's entry will be a small attempt at showing him the honor he's due.

I've been thinking about all I've learned from my Dad. Yeah, there were the typical things most dads teach their kids... how to ride a bike, how to drive a car, how to shoot a gun (OK, maybe MOST dads don't teach their kids this...)... you know, just the basics in life. But it's the character issues that really matter and those are the ones that comprise my TOP TEN LIST OF THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM MY DAD (numbers 2-10 are not listed in order of importance)

10. Laughter: Anyone who has spent time in the Ewing household knows we love to laugh... and usually at each other! Dad has the ability to take a small kernel of truth and craft a story (albeit, embellished!)that will usually leave people in stitches! Fortunately, three of his four children have inherited his wonderful story telling! No, I am not one of them...

9. Look at a Person's Character, not their Status: My Dad has friends that are dirt poor and friends that are millionaires. As kids, we never knew the difference by the way they were treated by Dad. He values men and women who have good character and integrity, and he taught his children to value the same.

8. Bring honor to your name: Being a Ewing means something. It means doing your best to bring respect to your family. One time when I was not feeling particularly confident, I recall Dad saying, "Remember, Carla, you are a Ewing". I knew that meant I had a family that had my back.

7. Leading means serving: Dad is just naturally gifted with leadership abilities. I can recall him being involved in various organizations and, most particularly, in church. He lead through good and bad circumstances... and mostly through serving. He also lead our family. We all knew who called the shots and respected the leadership (see Mom's tribute...coming in February, for more on this subject!).

6. The best thing you can do for your child is to love their mother: He's done this for 52 years. No, their marriage hasn't always been easy, but it has most definitely been the envy of many around. Several of my friends through the years have expressed that they hope to have a marriage like my folks. Me too. I love the way my dad makes a point to cherish my mom. They truly are each other's best friend.

5. Selflessness: Family has always been a priority for Dad. So much so, that he opted to drive over 120 miles each day for work so that his kids could go to a great small school... or go to school functions to watch his kids after being gone 10 hours a day... or remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and individual gifts for each of his kids at Christmas. He sacrificed much so that we could have better.

4. Facing your Giants: I've seen Dad face some difficult personal and professional circumstances and come out stronger on the other side. I also remember numerous times he had to teach me to face difficulties in my own life. While the situations may have differed, the lesson was always the same: I believe in you, I know you can beat this, I have your back.

3. Grace: My Dad has often shown me examples of grace and mercy when I'm not sure I would have shown me mercy and grace! One particular time in a fit of a temper tantrum I displayed, his graciousness taught me a life lesson that no spanking ever could...how incredibly wise.

2. Real Men love deeply: I've never doubted that my dad loves me. I have too many examples from my 45 years to draw from that would erase any doubt. He's been my biggest encourager, my staunchest defender, my truthful critic, my hero. He's still all of these to me.

1. The number one thing he's taught me... to love Jesus. I often credit my sister, Kelli, with our family coming to know Jesus. She got saved and wanted all of us to go to church. So yes, she does get that credit. However, I know beyond a doubt that if my Dad hadn't trusted Christ as his personal Savior when I was 12, my life would look very different today. I wonder if I'd have ever gotten saved? My dad wanted the Word of God taught clearly and accurately, so he lead a group of young believers to plant a bible teaching, preaching, and believing church where I heard the gospel so clearly for the first time. So, he gets the credit for doing the difficult...listening to God, defying what the world thought was prudent or wise, and stepped out in faith. Thanks, Dad! Eternity looks different for many people because of your faith and obedience.

Well, I know this is an epistle, but it feels great to put these thoughts down. I hope I didn't make it sound like I think my dad is perfect... he's just the perfect dad for me. Happy Birthday, Papa!