Becoming Like Dad

With Fathers’ Day coming up this weekend, I found myself thinking about my dad, Alfred, today.  Being so far away from him, I don’t get to celebrate with him but I’ll call to wish him.  My mum actually gave me the low down on his schedule this weekend so I would be able to figure a way to get a hold of him.  You see, he is preaching all weekend, traveling to two countries for those gatherings.  That is one of his traits that I admire; his tireless desire to preach the gospel of Jesus, even if it means getting in his car to drive hours and then get into a boat to get to the next destination.

Recently, I decided to ask my dad what his favorite hymn was.  It was the first time in my life that I even thought to ask.  I wished I could have seen his face when I posed the question because I really wonder what he thought about my very random question.  I was amazed when I found out that we shared the same favorite hymn.  The discovery was very exciting for me.  It was such a special moment (at least for me) as we talked about what the song meant to us.  So cool!

The conversation got me thinking about our relationship and things that I have noticed in my own life.  In the last few years, I started making observations of character and personality traits that I shared with my dad and I must say I am becoming like dad.  I want to take an opportunity to share some of these observations.

First of all, my dad loves gadgets and, I believe, is a geek at heart.  As far back as I can recall, we’ve had all kinds of electronic equipment around the house; mostly restored to functioning form.  As times have progressed, I hear about the new and latest cell phones and laptops he has been getting and moving on from.  My dad is a card carrying member of a chain of electronic stores, and every time my parents hit the mall, that’s where he’ll spend his time.  Some of you who know me are probably snickering at this point because I just described some of my tendencies.  I love technology and cool “toys".  Another my dad enjoys doing is, drive and go on road trips.  I happen to share the same desires – I am a big fan of road trips and seeing the world that way.  We used to have father and son trips all over Asia when I was younger; I have spent many hours on the road driving or on a plane with the man.  Great memories!

My dad’s quite the loner and a bit of a social introvert.  Once again this is a trait that I share.  We lead “public” lives, being in ministry and all, so we have no problems being by ourselves in a large crowd.  We can be social when needed though our default is more introverted.  We like being home even if it was by ourselves.  We like our alone time and space.  My dad is usually a quiet figure; he offers his opinions and suggestions when appropriate.  He is revered for that fact amongst his peers and is often called upon to provide that stability.  God has blessed him with wisdom and patience to do what he does.

I am the quiet type (for the most part) like him.  Our relationship would seem strange to some because we seldom converse but when we do it was usually pretty profound.  It suits us well.  I remember sharing a meal with him a few years back, where we sat across from each other but didn’t talk almost the entire meal; then at one point he stopped eating and started sharing what my mum and him had thought about a situation in my life.  It was a moving experience for me.  I also have discovered that I am a little stubborn just like he is, on certain things.  We hold our opinions and agree to disagree.  It is quite comical sometimes.

There are some much more things that I am trying to mimic from his life.  As the saying goes “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” however more than just imitate, I want to be able to back up my life with substance like he has.  His passion for Jesus.  His heart for missions and seeing people come to know Jesus.  His pastoral heart even in the toughest of circumstances.  His calm and collected personality.  The list goes on and I know I am not even close, maybe one day I will share some more of these traits.

On this Fathers’ Day weekend, I want to publicly honor him and express my admiration for the man.  Thanks for being my dad and for demonstrating what it means to follow Jesus and really trusting in Him.  I love you daddy!