For the past 58+ years, I have been blessed with a godly
father. As I think about him (who he is to me; what he has done for me; and how
he has been used by God to shape who I am today), there are three key ways my
dad has interacted with me that stand out as most important. I have tried to
incorporate each of these in my relationship with my kids, and I would
challenge any reader to do the same.
A Friend
Over the years, my dad and I have developed a mutual friendship.
We both like being with each other and we have the greatest time doing things
together. We have shared life together. Dad, obviously, initiated this process
when I was little. He spent time with me when he could have done things with
others. And he did it because he wanted to.
As I grew older and began to participate in sports,
academics, and the arts, he was at every event. I honestly cannot remember a
time when he and mom weren’t there supporting me. I know he had to have missed
one every now and then, but it happened so infrequently it didn’t matter. The
thing I remember the most, however, is that we spent time reliving each event
and talking through what happened. It was as if we had both been active
participants. And I Loved It.
After college, I had the unique privilege of being in
business with dad. I got to see the way he thought, processed, attacked
challenges, and he invited me into his inner circle. We were partners. We
fought side by side. We laughed together, cried together, we got frustrated
together, and we celebrated --- together. But it wasn’t all work either. We
went fishing and hunting in the mountains of Montana, often with my
grandfather, dad’s dad.
