When you're sixty-four

Today my dear old Dad is sixty four. That comment made him sound really ancient and endearing but he's mainly only the latter.

Since you probably hear the music playing - enjoy it. The Beatles song is very specific to one birthday and it's the one my dad is celebrating today. And the other two are so inseparably connected with my Dad that you must listen to them as you read this post. Today on his birthday I wanted to write a post about how much I love him and wish him his happiest birthday yet.

I've been writing this post in my brain for months on nights when I couldn't fall asleep. I wanted to write something that lets everyone know about how great my Dad is and what a powerful force he has been in my life. I don't know if I can even come close to doing that very completely here but hopefully I can touch the top of it a little.

Just recently my parents came to visit for the ordination of their oldest grandson as an Elder. It had been a while since I had sat with my parents in church and my heart swelled with pride to hear my Dad's beautiful singing voice during the hymns. My Dad really does have a beautiful voice. Growing up on Sunday mornings my Dad would either be returning from or about to go to his early morning church meetings and would sit at the piano and play some songs and sing them. It was early and I was almost always really tired so I didn't appreciate those moments as much then but I treasure those memories now. He would sing on other days to - often singing the song, "Tenderly" which is such a romantic beautiful song. He would also use the tune of "Mona Lisa" to sing about pretty much everything from spaghetti and meatballs to whatever friend was visiting for the night. I love your voice, Dad.

My Dad is also a charitable man. He has taught me to give someone in need the shirt off your own back and to always be there for people. My Dad has an elderly man that he visits with and receives calls from on a regular basis. And that would be a kind thing in and of itself but this old man is hard to be around. His own family doesn't want to see him anymore and most people avoid talking with him. But not my dad. I have often been visiting at his home when he receives a call from this man and will talk with him for quite a while in both spanish and english and about who knows what. And he usually takes him a plate from our holiday meals and visits with him. And he isn't the fist aged man he's visited and helped. And I've seen him touch the lives of countless others. I hope to follow his example.

Another little thing you might not know about my Dad is that he has impeccable handwriting. It's beautiful and neat. I love to see it. When I was in middle school or so my Dad was looking at a paper I had written and was so appalled at how terrible my handwriting was that he had me sit down and write out my whole alphabet and all my numbers over and over again. That sounds mean but it wasn't for pages and pages - just one page. And from then on I think my handwriting greatly improved. I actually think about that little thing he did for me every time I write a letter or a card.

I think most dads don't realize the power they have in their children's lives for good but they do have so much. At girl's camp when I was growing up they would ask our parents to write us letters that they could hand out each week. I don't know if my Dad thought it was too big of a deal but his letters meant a lot to me. One in particular he told me one of the talents he thought I possessed. It was such a powerful thing to me that I still have that letter and consider it to be one of the most significant things ever said to me.

When I was in middle school I had an undying love for Kevin Costner. I loved the movie Dances with Wolves! And so when the new Robin Hood movie with him in it came out I was dying to see it. One evening I was particularly excited about it and went in to my parent's bedroom and told them I couldn't wait to see it. My dad said, "You want to go now?" And off we went with my little brother Weston and had a great time! That night I felt like my Dad really cared about what was dearest to my heart and it meant a lot to me.

My Dad is hard working, creative, clever, funny, and quite the spiffy dresser if you ask me. I am grateful that the Lord let me be a part of his family. He has enabled myself and my family to be blessed on more than one occasion by following his heart and I am grateful for his ability to hear and follow those promptings. He has been a force for good in the lives of many people besides myself, as my mom has as well, and I look forward to the day when the two of them can serve together as missionaries as a super-force for good.

So happy birthday, Dad. Pip, pip, cheerio!