Where do we learn how to love?

As the coffee was brewing my thoughts drifted toward a person that taught me how to love. My dad was a government man at Defense Intelligence Agency for 35 years. Monday through Friday he'd wake up, work out, spend time with God all before 4:30AM. He'd grab some breakfast head off to work and then he'd do his best to get home in the afternoon when we were all home and spend some time with us. Even though he got up before dark he was the one taking me for drives when I had an asthma attack in the middle of the night. He coached baseball, helped us out with school projects and made a huge effort to be in our lives even in the midst of his very busy career. My dad wasn't perfect but he made every effort to show us how much he loved my brother and I. He did so by honoring my mom and he did so by showing us what love is. He put her before my brother and I constantly and reminded us that she came first. The thing I remember about my dad growing up was that when he made a commitment, he kept that commitment. Each year he was sure that we did a family vacation, and would take weekend trips with us.

It almost sounds like a fairy tale. Why do I say that? Because these days you don't hear about Fathers who think that way. How did my dad learn to love like this? His family split up when he was very young and he never really had a father figure in his life. When I turned 18 my dad sat me down and told me that he did the best he could with me. He told me He prayed for wisdom everyday when it came to raising us. "There it is!" I thought. It says in God's word that if we need wisdom to ask for it. My dad, who didn't have that role model around prayed and God spoke to him. What an amazing testimony of one man's faith in a living God who is the ultimate Father figure!

I find myself comparing myself to my dad because he put up a very high measuring stick for success. Many times I don't feel like I measure up to my dad's standard that he raised. I know that I am to do the best that I can. I want my kids to one day blog about me. About how I made them feel uncomfortable and made them say, "ewww! dad's kissing mom again!" And when they asked me to go outside and play ball with them that I dropped what I was doing to spend a moment in time with them. I want to leave a legacy with them to teach them what it means to be a dad.

Thanks, dad for the legacy you left me. Thanks heavenly father for the wisdom that we can have if we would only ask you for it.