My Dad Part 3:  

The biggest lessons my dad taught me were never things he said or lectures he gave, they were the things he did, and does to this day. Growing up, I watched him live out his faith in very real and tangible ways.

He would reach out to other kids in the neighborhood, especially those that did not have a father figure. I can remember playing at the playground and my dad befriending other kids and encouraging them to join in our games. A Game which was normally “Monster,” one of the coolest games ever invented. I’ll have to explain that later but suffice it to say that every kid that has ever played “Monster” has absolutely loved it. My other friends always said my dad was cool. I think it was because he would come out and play with us which a lot of other dads didn’t do. Plus, he was younger which made him easier to relate to. He is a big Star Wars fan and I think he liked going to the arcade more than my brother and I. (I’m getting off track here)

Another way I saw him live out his faith was reaching out to others in need. I remember Bret. Bret was a mentally retarded man that was about my dad’s age, maybe a little younger. He went to the Salvation Army church, which we were attending at the time. My dad would take Bret with us to do fun things, like go to the arcade. He would talk to Bret and listen to him. It was something you could tell Bret didn’t get very often. My dad showed him Christ’s love.

I also see my dad live out his faith through his service in the church. He used to run the coolest puppet ministry I’ve ever seen. He was doing Veggie Tales type stuff 20 years before Veggie Tales. The puppet shows were not patronizing to kids, they were smart and funny. And they spoke truth. My dad was “Barry Blue,” a big blue puppet with sunglasses and a hat. It took two arms to operate, he had a blue glove as an arm and hand. I tell you that so I can explain one of the best puppet bits an 8 year old has ever seen. You get a room full of kids in any country, any culture, and I guaran-dang-tee you they will be laughing and screaming. It went like this: Barry would come up, looking for his hand, “Kids, have you seen my hand? I seem to have lost it.” His had would pop up at different spots on the stage, under the stage, beside the stage. Each time Barry would turn around, the hand would disappear. He would eventually find it and they would wrestle. Barry would fly in the air, his hand would fly in the air and the kids would scream and laugh.

His service didn’t stop there. He has served in setup crews, men’s ministries, Sunday School classes, and in the Emmaus community, to name a few.

Like I said before, my dad has played the single biggest role in making me who I am today. I have seen him handle a divorce, and have watched him live out his faith. He has given my something to shoot for both as a dad and as a Christian.

Thanks dad. I love you.

Oh.. and happy birthday even though that was almost a month ago.