The Best Teacher

I have been a student the majority of my life. Preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and then graduate school. I suppose that means I should be pretty well educated (as long as you don't ask me anything about history, chemistry, algebra, geometry.........and don't you dare bring up physics). I have had many impressionable teachers and I have been blessed with professors that took the time to not only help me, but to know me. I am blessed by the impact these teachers have had in my life. While I am thankful for the role these people have had, there is one person who stands leaps and bounds before all of them. He has been the most influential person in my life and has taught me more than any other about the things in life that really matter.

He is my dad.

It is ridiculous to even try to attempt to fill this tiny blog with a list of all the things he has taught me, or to even begin to explain the impact he has had in my life. There is just not enough space. But let me tell you a few trinkets of truth he has instilled in me....

Know the Bible. Don't just base what I believe on what someone else said about their stance on Scripture. I need to read it myself...........study it, know it. As I have gone through trials in my life he has pointed me to stories from the Bible. He has helped me to see how the Lord's truth in the midst of these stories applies to my life and my current circumstances. Knowing the Bible will help guide us through the trials of today.

Be honest. Even if it gets you in trouble..........even if it embarrasses you.........the end of the story will always be so much better if you will just be honest. Integrity defines you and it is never worth sacrificing to save a little face.

Look people in the eye. When you are speaking with someone, even when you are just listening..........always, always, always look them in the eye. This shows respect. To fail at this only sends a message that the other person doesn't matter enough to hold your attention..........don't be a jerk. Look em' in the eye.

Always pull forward at the gas station. Don't stop at the first pump when you stop to fill up the ol' tank, if the further most pump is empty you should pull up. This is among one of the simple things we can do to make things easier for other people. We should think about others first, even in the small and tedious tasks of life.

Always check my oil. I may be a girl, but I don't have to be a damsel in distress that relies on someone else to take care of me. Let's just say I am 17 years old and call my parents because my car won't start back up after I stopped at a gas station for a Sun-Drop after cheerleading practice. Now let's say it was because the oil was apparently drip-dry because the said 17 year old failed to keep an eye on her oil..........well........that would be her own fault. I'm sure her dad taught her better than that.

Know what's going on in the world. Not gonna lie.......I'm still not great at this. But my sweet Dad sure has tried.  He has taught me that I am responsible to know what is going on in the world we live in, and how it effects me. I'm a work in progress.

We are not owed anything. My dad is the hardest worker I have ever known, working hard since he was 12. He set goals and worked hard to reach them, never approaching anything in life with a sense of entitlement. If I want something, he taught me to work for it.............receiving it will feel so much more satisfying if I earned it.

Family is always there. No matter how crazy life feels.........family brings some sanity. No matter how beat up you feel from the punches of life........family gives you the support  you need to keep moving forward. When you are sad, your family always has some hugs waiting to cheer you up. No matter how lost you feel, your family is always home.

My dad means more to me than words could ever say. He has impacted my life in ways that have helped make me who I am today. He has taught me what it means to live a life of commitment to the Lord and to serve others. He has taught me what it means to live a life of integrity. He has taught me the value of hard work and the joy of earning what you worked for. He has taught me that family has your back no matter where you are in life.............they are the support system that will always be there ready to catch you when you begin to fall. He has not only taught me these valuable life truths...........he has shown me. He has shown me in the way he treats everyone who meets and knows him. He is kind, honest, gentle, humble, servant-hearted, and genuine. He is full of integrity and shows respect to everyone he meets.

I'm grown now (we won't discuss how grown) and am now married with two little girls of my own. I guess I have my own little classroom now. I often have flashbacks of moments with my dad as I'm trying my best to teach them some of the life lessons he taught me. I hope and I pray that I can do half as good a job as he did at being their teacher. I may be older and I may now have students of my own, but there are several things that will never change...............I will always be his most dedicated student, his classroom will always be the most inspiring, and he will always be my favorite teacher.

The best teacher.