Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Just Like Dear Ol' Dad
Every little girl wants to marry a man just like her Daddy. The same was true for me (most days, anyway) as I was growing up. Dad had high hopes for me. "One day, honey, you're going to make some lucky guy a terrific wife," he would say as I stirred the macaroni and cheese on the stove. Or, "You're going to be Holiday at Home Queen!" Who wouldn't want to marry someone like that? He loved me. He believed in me.
I never did make Holiday at Home Queen... it all seemed like too much work and too much makeup for me. Besides, they were in Kettering... I was a Centerville chick. Dad jokes about it to this day, but I'm sure he's not disappointed.
I did marry someone from Centerville... the father of my three beautiful children ('nuther day, 'nuther blog). For a long time, I thought I had married someone just like dad. But as the years pass, times change, and people change. Our marriage ended after 13 years. (again... 'nuther day, 'nuther blog)
Dad changed, too. And in other parts of the country, another young man was changing. Michael fit right into our wacky little family. And I think Dad finally could say with heartfelt assurance that "one day, honey, you're going to make some lucky guy a terrific wife."
Michael and I have been married for nearly ten years. Over those years, I've seen changes in my Dad. He's always been a "believer" in some sense. I remember him practicing a sermon for the City Mission from behind the family bar (how appropriate:-) But over the past several years, he's become involved in small groups... accountability groups... and has even been witnessing to his co-workers and friends of The Ghetto" at the Moraine Airpark" (home for his small plane). Suddenly, at least from my point of view, he's become a local evangelist -- but in a quiet, gentle, "lifestyle evangelism" way. He leads by example. He witnesses by example. He introduces men to the Lord by example.
When Michael's at work, he regularly speaks of his church and he keeps a bible in his desk, but he's not one to pound folks over the head with it. He's now a deacon at church. He quietly cleans, landscapes, and ministers -- many times unnoticed by others. Michael has been "blogging" since January. He snuck into the blog world and now has quite a large readership. He's showing Christians and non-Christians alike what real life Christianity is. He leads by example. He witnesses by example. He introduces folks in cyberspace to the Lord by example.
Darned if I didn't go and marry a guy just like Dad.
Every little girl wants to marry a man just like her Daddy. The same was true for me (most days, anyway) as I was growing up. Dad had high hopes for me. "One day, honey, you're going to make some lucky guy a terrific wife," he would say as I stirred the macaroni and cheese on the stove. Or, "You're going to be Holiday at Home Queen!" Who wouldn't want to marry someone like that? He loved me. He believed in me.
I never did make Holiday at Home Queen... it all seemed like too much work and too much makeup for me. Besides, they were in Kettering... I was a Centerville chick. Dad jokes about it to this day, but I'm sure he's not disappointed.
I did marry someone from Centerville... the father of my three beautiful children ('nuther day, 'nuther blog). For a long time, I thought I had married someone just like dad. But as the years pass, times change, and people change. Our marriage ended after 13 years. (again... 'nuther day, 'nuther blog)
Dad changed, too. And in other parts of the country, another young man was changing. Michael fit right into our wacky little family. And I think Dad finally could say with heartfelt assurance that "one day, honey, you're going to make some lucky guy a terrific wife."
Michael and I have been married for nearly ten years. Over those years, I've seen changes in my Dad. He's always been a "believer" in some sense. I remember him practicing a sermon for the City Mission from behind the family bar (how appropriate:-) But over the past several years, he's become involved in small groups... accountability groups... and has even been witnessing to his co-workers and friends of The Ghetto" at the Moraine Airpark" (home for his small plane). Suddenly, at least from my point of view, he's become a local evangelist -- but in a quiet, gentle, "lifestyle evangelism" way. He leads by example. He witnesses by example. He introduces men to the Lord by example.
When Michael's at work, he regularly speaks of his church and he keeps a bible in his desk, but he's not one to pound folks over the head with it. He's now a deacon at church. He quietly cleans, landscapes, and ministers -- many times unnoticed by others. Michael has been "blogging" since January. He snuck into the blog world and now has quite a large readership. He's showing Christians and non-Christians alike what real life Christianity is. He leads by example. He witnesses by example. He introduces folks in cyberspace to the Lord by example.
Darned if I didn't go and marry a guy just like Dad.
