My grandfather, Papa, will be 79 years old in just a few days and I am so blessed and thankful to have him in my life.  He has laid the foundation in our family.  He taught us to work hard and that dreams were worth working for.  He showed us how to love our spouse and protect our family.  My Papa is one of the best men I know and I still seek his advice weekly.  

My dad was a listener.  Anytime that my sister and I wanted to talk, he was available.  He believed the best in us when we did our very best to hide it.  He taught us that our past may have wounded us, but our future will be altered by how we respond to it.  I am most grateful for the love of the scripture that our dad planted in us.  He read us Bible stories from the time we were born through elementary school each and every night.  I know the Word of Life today because my dad introduced me to Him.  

My husband sacrifices his life for his family and his children.  Brian is a big thinker and he not only believes that our children are destined for greatness, but he moves heaven and earth to help them set their feet on the path that will lead them there.  He is unafraid to pursue the Father and set his feet on our inheritance.  He has coached everything you can imagine and is the best teacher I know.  

My son is now a daddy and I love to watch him play with my grandson.  He loves with his whole heart.  He is affectionate and he is a superhero in the eyes of that little boy.

There are no words that do justice to the importance of dads in our lives.  Here is my top 10 list of lessons learned from a dad.

10.  Thank your mom for doing your laundry, washing your clothes, and that wonderful meal she prepared for you.

9.  Idle time is the devil’s time and hard work is medicine to a person’s soul.   How many lessons does a teenage girl learn from cleaning the house and baby sitting a neighbor about selflessness and humility?  And a young man mowing a lawn or roofing a house about blood, sweat, and tears? 

8.  If you give your word, keep it.  Your word is your bond. (So my awesome brother-in-law would say.)

7.  Take care of yourself first.  (Brian Gibbs 🙂 )  You can’t help someone else if you don’t have yourself squared away.

6.  Be a good friend. 

5.  Choose right.  Even if everyone else chooses differently.

4.  Stand up for those weaker than you.

3.  It’s okay to cry. Sometimes its wrong not to. 

2.  Strength is being true to who God calls you to be.

1.  Love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and strength and everything else will be taken care of.

Thank you dads for your strength, commitment, and honor.  We are who we are because you have created a safe place for us to thrive.  We love you!