A Father's Love

Most of us have fathers. Or at least a father figure. I want to take a minute to talk about mine. Do you ever have one of those bittersweet moments where you miss something from childhood? I had one of those today...

My dad is a big relationship man. He is a people person, and loves to talk. But he doesn't just talk to hear himself talk...he has meaningful conversations with all types of people. In church, he finds the person that seems lonely and has no one to talk to, and he strikes up a conversation with him! So it would only suit him to always go to the same car place and know them all by name.

Earlier this week, I told y'all that I went to get an oil change and the mechanic told me I needed a bunch of stuff fixed on my car. So what do I do today? Call my dad, of course! It's not that he knows a ton about cars, but he knows who to trust when it comes to cars. 

Talking to him on the phone today made me miss being little. I know I can always call my parents for advice, and if I need something they only live 15 minutes down the road, but it's the constant presence that I miss. What's funny is I NEVER thought I would admit that to ANYONE! 

All that to say I love my dad. Whenever I call him to ask a question he always keeps me on the phone for 15 or 20 minutes asking me how J and I are doing and what is going on in my life. I don't want to take those moments for granted. EVER. So today I am praying that I will cherish each and every moment of being close to family, because that could very well change in the next 6 months. If all stays the way it is now, we WILL be leaving home. I never thought I would be sad about leaving Alabama, of all places. But you know what they say....HOME is where the HEART is. So no matter where we go, I will carry my home in my heart forever. 

I love you dad!

Dad and my brother

Dad and Mom - - right after he had ankle surgery (very painful) 

Alabama tailgate 2009

The family plus J at our engagement party! 

<3  A

Unconventional Valentine's Day

For all of you that I didn't see yesterday, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! What is Valentine's Day? Is it a reminder not to take your loved ones for granted? A time to buy candy and flowers for your girlfriend or wife? Is it a time to remember and mourn because you DON'T have someone to love? What do you think? 

I think it is all of those, but really none of those. Especially for the people that feel lonely on this day for no other reason than the fact that it is Valentine's Day. People need to remember that this day does not mean anything about them! If you have someone special in your life, you should thank them EVERY day, not just on Valentine's! And if you don't have "someone", think about what you're saying for a minute. Think about your friends, your family who love you so much. Thank them everyday. 

For most of us, whether single, married, divorced, or anything in between, Valentine's Day may remind us that the love we have with people is not perfect. Well here's some truth - - It is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT! If our love for each other was perfect, we would not need God to love us perfectly. All of life's disappointments, including break-ups and broken relationships, reminds us that this earth is not our home. Through our mess-ups, God is continually molding us to be the servants he wants us to be. People who know they can't be perfect, but trust God to help make them better at loving Him and others. 

So maybe even though I don't really like Valentine's Day for some reasons, it is a good thing that it exists. It's not pointless consumerism. It is a reminder of our sin and our GREAT God who loves us enough to die for us and wants to have a personal relationship with us! He is revealing himself to us each and every day, and if we listen just a little bit we can hear him whispering in the quiet moments. 

- A