My Dad.
My father has poured amazing amounts of effort into my life.
Truthfully. He's done so much for me. He does the big and little things that I need. With driving, specifically, ever since I have needed rides for things he wasn't going to, he's made it a top priority. Every time I wanted a ride, but didn't need it, he would try his hardest to find a way out of his insanely busy schedule and work towards getting my transportation settled over his own.
Even now, when learning and getting better at driving, I learn how much he planned for my life. When I was probably not much younger than 9-10, he started having me drive mowers, dirt-bikes, and every once in a while, pull up his truck for him. He's always planned for me, and worked hard on figuring out what I need, and what he can do to provide.
He also did everything I needed to become who I am. He made me strong, teaching me how to be a man. He made me wise(wiserrr,) teaching me how to think deeply and with God's mind and word as a guide. He worked to make me intelligent, always pushing the importance of school and grades, while remaining firm about resting.
Balance in my life was huge. I wouldn't be the balanced, (sometimes =) disciplined kid I am now if I didn't have a guide rail of a father to know that I would be safe if I messed up, but nonetheless hurting. I knew my mistakes would have consequences, and I knew that my successes would be rewarded.
To be short with what I have to say: You did an amazing and loving Job, dad, Thank you.
Love,
Luke.
Posted by Luke Stoltzfoos at 2:26 PM 1 comments
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
my children make me cry...a lot. Read below...
From my way-to-wonderful daughter Shawna on my birthday! (she actually calls it 'birfday').
What is mean is, my children conspired together to write me a ton of nice things about me on my birthday today! So all day I walk around crying my eyes out.... They deliberately make me cry!
----------------------------------------------
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for giving me such a great father. Seeing too many of my friends suffer through rough relationships with their dads, I know how rare and special it is to have a dad that shows his love for me, and likes to see me run toward exciting things.
Thank you for his eagerness to help me. So many times I've curled up on the couch near him, just hoping he would say kind things about me- lift me up, encourage me, prophecy a little- and he does. Or when I lock my keys in the car, need a chocolate, or have a question.. he is quick to drop everything and help me.
I've made a lot of mistakes. Some that must've hurt my dad, or maybe disappointed him. He acts like they never happened. He reminds me of You in so many ways.
Please help my dad get even closer to You. There are so many things out there that could improve his mind or body, but help him to focus on the importance of Your relationship with him before all else. There are so many things out there that could grant him more riches or popularity, but help him to keep his eyes on You.
He has had to stick up for You so many times... help him to not lose that. Help him to remember that his boldness is a good thing, and a blessing to the people around him. Keep reminding him that You are all he needs, and all he should want. Remind him that I'm behind him, rooting for him, eager to see him succeed in all he does, and gain more responsibility and leadership.
Help me to show him my love and encouragement, as he runs toward exciting things.
Amen.
What is mean is, my children conspired together to write me a ton of nice things about me on my birthday today! So all day I walk around crying my eyes out.... They deliberately make me cry!
----------------------------------------------
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for giving me such a great father. Seeing too many of my friends suffer through rough relationships with their dads, I know how rare and special it is to have a dad that shows his love for me, and likes to see me run toward exciting things.
Thank you for his eagerness to help me. So many times I've curled up on the couch near him, just hoping he would say kind things about me- lift me up, encourage me, prophecy a little- and he does. Or when I lock my keys in the car, need a chocolate, or have a question.. he is quick to drop everything and help me.
I've made a lot of mistakes. Some that must've hurt my dad, or maybe disappointed him. He acts like they never happened. He reminds me of You in so many ways.
Please help my dad get even closer to You. There are so many things out there that could improve his mind or body, but help him to focus on the importance of Your relationship with him before all else. There are so many things out there that could grant him more riches or popularity, but help him to keep his eyes on You.
He has had to stick up for You so many times... help him to not lose that. Help him to remember that his boldness is a good thing, and a blessing to the people around him. Keep reminding him that You are all he needs, and all he should want. Remind him that I'm behind him, rooting for him, eager to see him succeed in all he does, and gain more responsibility and leadership.
Help me to show him my love and encouragement, as he runs toward exciting things.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
from my daughter's wall post on FaceBook
"I buy ya books, and I buy ya books."
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Dad, Happy Birthday! This year for your birthday, we've all decided to write some encouraging blogs, notes, or comments to you, so that you are FLOODED with happy thoughts on your birthday.
So here goes: I can't begin to thank you for everything you've done for me-- lately, especially. So, I won't overwhelm you with a crazy list of all the amazing chances you've given me, kindness you've shown me, and belief you have in both Aaron and I.
What I will do is write out a list of Dad-ism's that we have collected over the years, in a dictionary of sorts. You are such a great leader and a wise man of God, but as a daughter, one of the things that I've always appreciated most about you is your willingness to be SILLY! Still to this day (just the other day this happened, in fact), I will say something Aaron has never heard before, and after asking me multiple times what I said, the conversation always goes to, "It's something my dad always said, you've never heard me say that before?!" WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER 6 YEARS! That said, I'm quite sure I won't get them all, but here is the best list that Shawna and I could think of:
"mean things" - n. anything negative said about a joke Dad told.
"pud-en-tain" - n. a small, cute child.
"velshkin" - Pennsylvania Dutch word for corn. Actually said in response to "thank you".
"not so much" - phrase. in another to questions that don't really make sense.
"funky lips" - phrase. lack of knowing a person's name
"pre-haps" - phrase. perhaps.
"nickels" - n. tickles
"I buy ya books, and I buy ya books" - phrase. and still you do not learn.
"come sit me" - phrase. come sit by me on the couach and...
"tell me things" - phrase. talk for a while about whatever.
"varmits" - cute and cuddly pets
"feeling lumpy today" - usually means feeling like bothering someone playfully.
"I have a river where my throat should be" - self-explanatory, but no less gross.
"more bags" - a childhood game we'd play like Hop on Pop!
"I'd be like BAM!" - Christine Perez quote from childhood.
"take a dim view of you" - the squinting look you
"Quadda's" - Kiddie cats.
"Confuzzle" - Confused.
"Praise the Lord!" - raise your hands up to be tickled!!
"think, think, think, no." - sarcastic response to a question.
"imme-get-ly" - adv. immediately
"and then some" - phrase. tacked onto the end of various questions.
"various and sundry things" - phrase. lots of different things, I guess?
"Brother Briefy" - phrase. his nickname for his briefcase, who is a very special person in his life, and takes little things, like being left behind, very seriously.
"bother-ations" - n. the act of bothering someone (I was extremely surprised to find that this one is actually IN THE DICTIONARY!).
"know what I mean, Jelly Bean?" - phrase.
"The Mudder Duck" - Mom.
"Sorry I blew up" - phrase. said when he didn't really blow up.
"Nedermind." - Never mind...this is the aforementioned phrase that Aaron had never heard before. Probably derived from something one of us said as kids, when we couldn't get the right word out.
Okay, so I know there are probably dozens more, but we'll have to add them later! The point is, through all your silly phrases and words, you've taught us that life isn't so serious, the importance of having fun, and that God definitely has a sense of humor!
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Dad, Happy Birthday! This year for your birthday, we've all decided to write some encouraging blogs, notes, or comments to you, so that you are FLOODED with happy thoughts on your birthday.
So here goes: I can't begin to thank you for everything you've done for me-- lately, especially. So, I won't overwhelm you with a crazy list of all the amazing chances you've given me, kindness you've shown me, and belief you have in both Aaron and I.
What I will do is write out a list of Dad-ism's that we have collected over the years, in a dictionary of sorts. You are such a great leader and a wise man of God, but as a daughter, one of the things that I've always appreciated most about you is your willingness to be SILLY! Still to this day (just the other day this happened, in fact), I will say something Aaron has never heard before, and after asking me multiple times what I said, the conversation always goes to, "It's something my dad always said, you've never heard me say that before?!" WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER 6 YEARS! That said, I'm quite sure I won't get them all, but here is the best list that Shawna and I could think of:
"mean things" - n. anything negative said about a joke Dad told.
"pud-en-tain" - n. a small, cute child.
"velshkin" - Pennsylvania Dutch word for corn. Actually said in response to "thank you".
"not so much" - phrase. in another to questions that don't really make sense.
"funky lips" - phrase. lack of knowing a person's name
"pre-haps" - phrase. perhaps.
"nickels" - n. tickles
"I buy ya books, and I buy ya books" - phrase. and still you do not learn.
"come sit me" - phrase. come sit by me on the couach and...
"tell me things" - phrase. talk for a while about whatever.
"varmits" - cute and cuddly pets
"feeling lumpy today" - usually means feeling like bothering someone playfully.
"I have a river where my throat should be" - self-explanatory, but no less gross.
"more bags" - a childhood game we'd play like Hop on Pop!
"I'd be like BAM!" - Christine Perez quote from childhood.
"take a dim view of you" - the squinting look you
"Quadda's" - Kiddie cats.
"Confuzzle" - Confused.
"Praise the Lord!" - raise your hands up to be tickled!!
"think, think, think, no." - sarcastic response to a question.
"imme-get-ly" - adv. immediately
"and then some" - phrase. tacked onto the end of various questions.
"various and sundry things" - phrase. lots of different things, I guess?
"Brother Briefy" - phrase. his nickname for his briefcase, who is a very special person in his life, and takes little things, like being left behind, very seriously.
"bother-ations" - n. the act of bothering someone (I was extremely surprised to find that this one is actually IN THE DICTIONARY!).
"know what I mean, Jelly Bean?" - phrase.
"The Mudder Duck" - Mom.
"Sorry I blew up" - phrase. said when he didn't really blow up.
"Nedermind." - Never mind...this is the aforementioned phrase that Aaron had never heard before. Probably derived from something one of us said as kids, when we couldn't get the right word out.
Okay, so I know there are probably dozens more, but we'll have to add them later! The point is, through all your silly phrases and words, you've taught us that life isn't so serious, the importance of having fun, and that God definitely has a sense of humor!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
