Today marks the 9th year that my earthly father went home to meet our Heavenly Father. I know it’s not good to live in the past, but remembering those who are no longer on this earth is important to keeping that person real within your life and family. So, today, I’ll be sharing a few things about my dad . It won’t be a long post laden with my usual juvenile humor, but I needed to acknowledge what this day is for me and my family. And make this time about remembering who Dad was and what he means to those he impacted in this life.

You see, Dad bestowed upon myself and our family many gifts, passions, and sweet memories that would carry us through life.

Dad was a private pilot, and a couple of times in his life even got to own a plane. This was the first of the two, and this is the one I remember the most. When I was a kid, he’d take me for a ride on Sunday afternoons. There was nothing better than seeing our little town from the sky, and sharing the cockpit with Dad.  I still get excited when I see a little plane flying around in a clear and perfect blue sky.

Photo by Dad

My dad enjoyed photography, and documented so many important moments and even those seemingly not so important moments.  With his trusty 35 mm in hand, he made sure that all of these moments did not go unrecognized.  I suppose he bestowed the urge to document upon me, since I’m rarely without a good camera handy to capture everyday life.

Above all else, my Dad was a Christian. He was called to be a preacher as a teenager,  and then a missionary later on in life. Dad followed the path laid before him with grace and humility, and taught us so many lessons along the way. Through the years, I was taught that everything else is secondary to serving the Lord. Yeah, it’s OK to have hobbies, but those should never come before God. Dad was a good photographer, a great pilot, but his greatest strength, was found in the Lord. That strength was taught through actions, and words, and thoughts, and just in the way he lived his life. And for that lesson, I am eternally grateful.

Remembering my dad, and especially writing about him, sort of brings him back to me for a little while. So,  I thank you for indulging me as I divert a bit from the usual path this blog takes, and talk about the man who was my Dad.

Obviously, this was not a recent picture. That little girl is me, when I was about 5 or 6, and clearly we aren’t traveling near home as we appear to be on a large boat floating on a large body of water. 80’s-rific if I do say so myself, but aren’t we cute? By the way I distinctly remember those shoes, they were my FAVORITE pink Care Bear shoes that I wore every.single.day. until they either wore out or I out grew them.