Dad

Happy Birthday, Dad!

An open letter to my Dad, on the occasion of his birthday.

Dad,

To quote a simple country song: "I'm your buckaroo, Dad I want to be like you."

It's true. Dad, I do want to be like thee in many ways. Thee has terrific instincts. Thee has the right priorities. Thee's a man of integrity.

Thee believes in power of the Gospel to bring hope...and as part of that, thee has devoted thy life's work to uniting orphans with loving families. At the end of our days, many of us won't have much left. A stack of press releases, perhaps (for someone in my field). Court cases won. Legislation passed. But thy imprint will be thousands of orphans who have moms and dads who love them...and who have the chance to know a God who cares. Thanks for showing us through a lifetime of actions what true religion looks like: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." (James 1:27a)

Thanks for being there, Dad. On the other end of the phone line every. time. I. call. At each key juncture of my life. Career decisions. Relationship advice. Life questions. There thee is. Present. Listening. Offering good advice.

Thanks, Dad. Thee's a good man. I'm so lucky--so very, very blessed--to come from good stock, to have thee as my dad.

I'll close by quoting the chorus of the aforementioned song by Rodney Atkins called Watching You. The song quotes a son talking to his dad, and it captures how I feel pretty accurately.

Click here to listen.

When I’m big I’ll still know what to do
Cause I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that cool?
I’m your buckaroo, I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
By then I’ll be strong as superman
We’ll be just alike, hey, won’t we dad
When I can do everything you do. ‘cause I’ve been watchin’ you.

(Watching You by Rodney Atkins)

Thanks, Dad. Happy birthday.

--Jonathan