By Heather Patenaude
This is one of my favorite pictures from my wedding nearly 10 years ago. My dad is tall…6 feet 8 inches tall! I remember as a little girl I would always tell people, “My dad is tall, he’s 6 feet 8 inches!” Not sure I understood what that meant, but to me it meant: My dad is a man you look up to! As we approach Father’s Day we wanted to take some time to honor dads.
Each of us has experienced different dynamics in our relationships with our dads. I understand for some it’s deep painful memories and for others joyous memories, or maybe somewhere in the middle. But I’d like to share four reasons why I still look up to my dad.
1) My dad loves God! For as long as I can remember my dad spends time in God’s Word every morning! Being a student of God’s Word was important to my dad, for which the fruit of those early morning devotionals have had rippling effects for many years.
2) My dad loves my mom! He didn’t just passively love her, but was intentional in growing in his love for her. He always put her and his family above work, power, ego, prestige, and status. He was willing to make sacrifices to family time, even if he sacrificed a different job with more pay.
3) My dad loves his family! Starting at age 11 my dad started “dating” his daughters. He’d take us out for dinner once a month and talk about boys, life, integrity, becoming young women of God, being teachable, and being hard working. Those Tuesday night dinners and bible study with my dad are some of my most treasured memories!
4) My dad is a man of integrity and is teachable! These two qualities have carried my dad through many storms. There is no doubt that my dad walks in a way that honors God and never cuts corners, this provided a great deal of security in my childhood. Also, I’ve witnessed my dad striving to have a teachable spirit! Even in the last few months I’ve watched him let God continue to sanctify him, which provides me with an example of staying strong till the end!
So to my dad I say: thanks! There are never the right words to say, but thank you for being the type of man I can always look up to!
How about you? What are ways you look up to your dad?
HEATHER PATENAUDE is passionate about living a Christ-centered life. This passion flows over to being a wife to John and a homeschool mom to: Miles 8, Luke 6, and Clark 3. Heather is “doing” motherhood right along the side of most of you and hopes that she can encourage you to look beyond your “bath time” challenges and embrace the beautiful calling of motherhood!