A Tribute to my Dad

Me and my dad on the Skylift in Gatlinburg Tennessee, July 1969

I've been thinking alot about my dad the past few weeks. Even more so than usual. Maybe it's because I have a birthday this week and I realize how young he was when he died. Maybe it's because Father's Day is next week. Maybe it's because I heard the song "Mansion Over the Hilltop" recently. I just wanted to share with my blog readers, how special my dad was and how much he has influenced my life.

• He was a tender man. He openly cried when he watched a sad show on TV. He cried standing next to the bed of a small, handicapped boy or when he saw one of his grandkids hurting.



• He was a generous man. Was blessed with so much and willingly, anonymously shared his gifts with so many. Every other year he took his entire family on Spring break vacation. We went to Florida numerous times and even Hawaii the year I was a Sophomore. He helped many families pay for Christian education and hospital bills they couldn't pay.



• He was a funny man. A great sense of humor and was a magnet for people. Everyone loved being around him and he made everyone laugh and feel special.



• He was a friend to more people than I could even know. I remember standing in the line at the funeral home and hearing so many times, "he was my best friend". It seemed that people felt special if they could say they knew him.



• He was a godly man. He was mostly private about his personal faith, but shared it with so many in ways that I don't think he even realized. Sunday was a day set apart in our home. Even in the summer when we were at the cottage, we were not to even sport our swim suits. We were to be an example to those living around us. I have always believed that he knew he was going to die when he did. He shared his feelings with one of his friends and I feel that God gave him a premonition and he was able to prepare himself. He said goodbye to us before he left for Florida that December in a way that he never did before. He was very emotional and I believe he knew he wouldn't be seeing us again.



• He was a family man. I remember him telling me how beautiful he thought my mom was. That always meant so much to me. I always knew he loved me because he was never shy about showing it. He was always hugging and telling me he loved me. Every time we had a few days off from school in the fall, we would go on a road trip, usually to the U.P. I have many memories of those times as a family. In the summer, he would come up to the cottage after working 10-12 hours and would pull me and my friends skiing until we couldn't ski anymore.



• He was a hard-working man. I remember bringing supper to him at his office many nights because he didn't have time to come home. He built his business on hard work and many hours and provided his family with a wonderful life. He left mom without financial worries and his hard work is still helping his entire family to this day.

My dad was not a perfect man but in my eyes he was the best. I am so proud to say he is my dad.
As father's day approaches, take the time to appreciate your dad and make sure you tell him how much you love him. I wish I could tell my dad one more time, but I'm sure he knows.

Mansion Over the Hilltop

I'm satisfied with, just a cottage below,

a little silver and a little gold.

But in that city where the ransomed will shine,

I want a gold one that's silver lined.

I've got a mansion, just over the hilltop

in that bright land where we'll never grow old.

And someday yonder we will never more wander

but walk on streets that are purest gold.