Happy Birthday Dad!

I love my dad. He is the coolest guy I know, and one of the best father's I've ever seen. More recently I have seen him be the best grandfather I've ever seen as well!

I remember when I was growing up that my dad was always willing to come with me to all my different extra-curricular activities whether it was basketball, volleyball, badminton, horse riding events, gymnastics, piano classes, choir, church youth activities, and various other things just to be there with me. So many of my friends always picked my dad to be the chaperone on trips 'cause he was always "so cool". I knew I had the coolest dad. He always believed in me, He told me that I could do "anything" I wanted, that I could it better than 5 men too! And sometimes I'd try!

I have learned so much from my dad. I think the first thing he has taught me is how to value people - even if I didn't want to, or even if it was hard to love them. He never forced me to do that, but I saw him do it all the time. He takes time with people even when he is busy, and he listens. He doesn't always have to talk. He likes to listen.

He always leads by example, and he gives grace. I never feel judged by him.
I remember once being so frustrated that I had to get away from home for awhile. I was mad as a hatter....seething. I began to walk towards town to blow off some steam. I really had no right to be angry, but I was being 15. By the time I got to Terry's (a neighbours' house up the road) Dad came along in the ol' farm truck, and picked me up. He didn't say much. Not "You need to change", or "Be a better person!" He didn't say, "You should know better!", nor did he give me a long winded speech or tell me to "Stop being a stupid teenager!" He just simply said, "Is it over?" and I said "Yes", and we drove home.

Dad is so generous. He is always thinking about others, as if giving is as crucial as rain. I've seen it, especially with mom. He has been so amazing by how he loves her. I've been so inspired by his generosity and sacrifice in marriage. I wanted a husband to love me like how he loves mom. He thinks of her. He doesn't think about what he should give her, but more about what she would like, and he loves spending time with her. It is a joy to watch.

My father also has chosen to enjoy life. He had a really hard-working dad (my grandpa) and my dad learned that there is fruit from your labour when you work hard. So we worked hard. He also taught me to play hard too. Sometimes we would jump in the car and we'd practically decide where we were going as we were pulling out of the yard. We'd go to all sorts of places, skiing in Jasper, a night in a hotel somewhere, traveling to Disneyland, always visiting people along the way. I loved the friendships my father built with people along the way.

Dad always makes me laugh. He is the silliest person I know. Sometimes I don't even get his jokes, and that makes him laugh harder, and then I have to laugh - it's a never ending cycle. Lots of times he would take us kids out driving on this dusty road leading to our coulee, over big bumps that would almost make our heads touch the roof. And I would giggle the whole time. I couldn't help it. When I was out working with dad, we'd come home for lunch and he'd skip with me all the way down the lane. I of course, was still giggling as per usual when hanging out with dad.

Dad always knows how to make me feel better when I am crying. It can just be a hug that will make a difference. Once when I was quite young, I remember helping dad weld my loose handlebars on my bike. While he was working, dad warned me not to drop it cause it was hot. It scared me, and I dropped it. I cried, and dad tried to console me. I ran screaming all the way home to mom with a big purple welt on my leg from the burn. I complained to mom of the injustice of the world, only to find out later that he had to be driven into the hospital himself with a much larger welt on his arm from what had happened. He had never said a word to me in my hysterics. He worried about me first.

My dad also loves to teach. When my father was telling me something about the farmyard equipment or truck driving, you'd listen. He'd capture your attention, not only because he'd tell you gory stories of losing limbs and such, but because he was so good at making sure you understood about what he meant.

I know that as my father looks back on his life, he will be able to say that his life has counted, that it has meant something.

And so when I look back in my life, and see when I value others, when I'm giving others grace, or when I'm being generous, and enjoying life, when I work and play hard, when I laugh or cry, when I'm teaching others, I know I owe a bunch of that to him - the best dad in the world. A man of integrity, and honour and value.

I love my father - he is the best in the world.

I want to be more like him.

Happy Birthday Dad.