3 Things My Dad Taught Me

With Father’s Day coming up, I have seen a lot of posts on dads…what they mean to us, what gifts to get them, how to give them a special Father’s Day, etc. This Father’s Day is very special to me and our family, it is my husband’s first Father’s Day as a dad and my dad’s first Father’s Day as a grandpa. My dad has always been a huge influence in my life, but in the past year, my appreciation for him has grown to an entirely new level. My dad has taught me so much about Christianity, life, family, responsibility, hard work, relationships and more, that it is difficult to nail down just 3 Things My Dad Taught Me.

1. My Dad Taught Me What Family Means. I can’t ever remember a time where my dad wasn’t there. My dad always worked very hard for our family, but he was  always there. He was there for dinner, he was there in the mornings before school. He did his best to attend every school function or program that we were in. He was at every graduation and birthday party. Even though we live in different houses now, my dad texts me “Love you” every morning (even if it is at 5 a.m…thanks, dad). Dad understands what family means. When our son was in the NICU for almost two weeks after he was born, dad and mom drove an hour each way multiple times on multiple days to be with us, take care of our dogs at the house, bring us food or anything else we needed and just spend time with us and comfort us. Dad has always made me feel like I can go to him with anything (good or bad…sorry for those teenage years, dad!) and he will love and support me, regardless. He has shown a Christ-like love to our family in more ways than I can explain, but his unconditional love for me and our family is a love that I hope to display to my own family. Although initially, he was protective over me like any dad would be over his daughter, my dad has welcomed my husband into our family with open arms and loves him like his own son. Having our little one has been such an amazing experience, especially getting to watch my dad with him. He is the best grandpa, he loves our little one with such a fun, unconditional and caring love. It’s so amazing to get to see them together.

2. My dad taught me how important hard work and education are. There was a time in my dad’s life where he didn’t have much. He and his siblings worked really hard for all that they had. They worked hard to help my grandma put food on the table. Dad worked 3 jobs at one point to support our family. He started out working at an entry-level position and has worked very hard over the years to be in the management position that he has. The Lord has blessed his hard work and dedication. Dad worked double shifts and a lot of overtime while we were younger so that my mom could be at home with my brother and I. He understood that my mom’s influence over us and the time she would spend with us was far greater than any income she would bring in. Having a little one of our own now, and a husband who works very hard so that I can stay at home with our little one, I understand and cherish my dad’s hard work even more. Both of my parents worked hard as we got older so that we could attend a Christian school and college, debt-free. As a result of seeing my parents working so hard, I started a part-time job when I was in high school because I had the mentality of I wanted to work for my money. My parents worked very hard to give us everything that we needed and more, but because I saw how hard they worked, I didn’t and don’t have an entitled mentality. My dad started saving money for us when we were very young, because of that, I was able to attend college with no student loans. How amazing is that? My dad knew that a college education would take me far and would benefit me in life, and it has. He sacrificed and worked hard so that we could have that and more.

3. My dad taught me patience. Dad…(and hubby), if you are reading this, you can stop laughing now. My dad tells me “When the Lord was giving out patience, you were too impatient to wait in line”. So true! If you know me, you are probably shaking your head “yes” right now. I can be very impatient. It’s both a blessing and a curse. I believe it has helped me, especially in my career. I am a planner, I get things done, if something needs to be done, I go ahead and do it. However, I do know that I can make life difficult sometimes. I can be a little lot too impatient. My dad is one of the most patient people I know. It takes a lot to get him upset, and even then, there are very few times that I ever remember him raising his voice or getting angry. Lord knows, he was patient with me growing up. He let me make my own decisions, within reason, and even if he knew they were wrong decisions, he was there supporting me each step of the way. As I am getting older and have a little one of my own, I am *trying* to be more patient. I am trying to take dad’s lead and not let things upset me, unless they are really worth getting upset about.

I am so thankful for all that my dad has taught me, and continues to teach me. What did your dad teach you?