Happy Father's Day!

My dad worked for Kroger almost his whole career.  He worked in the dairy where he did everything from bottle milk, to making cottage cheese, to making all kinds of ice cream.  Yesterday at Walmart I opened the dairy case to buy a gallon of milk, and the smell brought back memories.  Dad would come home with that milky smell on his clothes.  I also remember going to the dairy many times for tours and smelling the same smell there.

Dad has always been a hard worker.  He worked all the overtime he could get, and provided so many good things for our family.  He took us on a great vacation every summer; he saved so that we could have a really big Christmas every year.  (We got so much stuff that I believed in Santa when I was old enough to know better because I was convinced there was no way we could really afford all the presents we got.)

The greatest thing he gave me was my education.  He worked hard (and later Mom worked to help out), and put all his kids through college.  None of us had to deal with any debt.  What a gift!

Since he retired, Dad continues to do so many things for all of us.  He takes care of most of the yard work around here.  He and Mom do a lot of gardening, which makes for some delicious eating.  He generously invites us all to share our holidays at their home where we often eat him out of house and home.

Dad has been a Christian since his twenties.  He has a plaque recognizing that he did not miss Sunday School for 25 years.  He’s an example of what it means to be faithful.  I’m so thankful for the spiritual growth I’ve seen in him through the years.

But most of all, he loves my mom.  It’s evident every day.  He takes good care of her—it’s obvious they have a good time with each other.  They laugh and joke and enjoy themselves.

I’m thankful for all that he’s been to me through the years.  He’s another one of those"diamond" men.