My Father's Daughter

I don't have his eyes. I don't  have his smile. I don't  have his hair color or curls. As a matter of fact, I don't  have his mannerisms or characteristics. But I did, do & will always,  have his love. It was given to me with a pure & whole heart when I was a bit over one year old. It was also given to my two older sisters, freely & completely. He inherited a ready-made family when he married my Mother. There was another sister & brother that followed after their marriage, but never once did I feel that he loved them more than he loved me. Daddy loved quietly & simply, but he loved. He worked hard without a complaint to provide for the needs of his family. He was very gifted with his hands & over the years created tables, hutches, cabinets, a boat & even a house. Our house, which he worked on long hours after his regular job. He kept us clothed. He kept us fed. He kept us safe. I remember when he worked night shift at his job for a season. It was hard to sleep when Daddy wasn't home, but when I did hear him come in, in the wee hours of the morning, I immediately felt safe (deep sigh....) & was able to sleep because Daddy was home.

Daddy had a great sense of humor & kept us all laughing. He could do different dialects to perfection & his features could make him look Spanish, Native American, even Asian. & as for cooking, he was quite the chef, especially when it came to barbecuing. My mouth waters when I remember his chicken & ribs.

Man!!!  Deelish!!!( I still haven't quite perfected his recipe or technique, but I'm still working on it!) His homemade ice cream, yum!! & at Christmas, he always made the homemade fudge that was totally scrumptious. & none of us kids have that recipe!  😕Daddy was synonymous with bringing home the Christmas tree, setting it up & putting on the lights. He gave us the introduction to Bubblelights, (weren't those so fun & magical!)

Every time I see Bubblelights, I always think of my Dad. 
Fireworks at the fourth of July? Daddy was the 'Big Kahuna'! Designated driver for school events or movies in the summer?? Daddy. Enforcer of discipline? NOT Daddy! My mother usually took care of that department because my Dad was working. Only twice do I remember being spanked by my Dad. I had to be really naughty if Daddy spanked me, but it definitely left an impression in more ways than one! Ouch!
I know that these things were & are done by Dad's in the lives of their children, & so very much more. But what strikes me is the very rare quality of courage & selflessness of my Dad in taking the responsibility of not one, but three little girls, not biologically his own & by his love & bigheartedness, made us his own. When he was lying on a bed in the hospital in his final days, I had a moment alone with him. By that time, he didn't have many lucid moments, drifting in & out of reality. As he lay there sleeping, I laid my head on his chest. He started a bit & woke up, then he looked up & smiled at me & said "Well hi Julie!" I almost couldn't speak for this precious moment. Daddy was very private about Jesus & him, but I had to be sure of his destiny in these final hours before stepping into eternity, so I said, "Daddy, do you know Jesus?" He smiled again & said softly, "Yes, I know Jesus."  Happy tears stung my eyes. "I love you Daddy". "I love you too," Those were the last words  Daddy spoke to me.  I know Father's Day is past, but I couldn't let this month slip away without a tribute to my Dad, a way to say so many "thankyou's" to him.  My sweet, quiet Daddy. I will always be my Father's daughter. Happy Father's Day Daddy-O!  (That's how I always addressed him when I wrote to him.) I love you! Forever.

Raintree perk of the day:

"Behold, I stand at the door & knock. If anyone hears My voice & opens the door, I will come in to him & dine with him & he with me."  (Revelation 3:20) Wow! My Dad has dinner with Jesus. That's a breathtaking thought... 💕