Lessons I learned from Dad Pt.1

So of course like so many people I learned a ton of things from my dad. Fashion, music, and the use of a computer were not among them. Any one who knows my father will tell you that his favorite fashion statement was his Velcro tennis shoes, Perry Como, and "Cilla, can you help me with this PowerPoint?" But his quirkiness isn't what keeps me thinking about him lately. Rather it was a simple lesson that I will never forget.

One day when I had reluctantly done a favor for my sister dad asked me a simple question. "Do you know why I'm so quick to do little favors and acts of service for any and every body that I can" He asked. I didn't know I just thought he had a ton of energy and nothing better to do. I was wrong. "You never know what memories are going to stick with people for the rest of their life, so I'm always trying to make a good and pleasant memory for you kids and your mom."

What a beautiful living picture of the attitude of Christ. I bet that there were a lot of people whose only memory of meeting Jesus wasn't a healing or a miracle but rather the offering of getting them some more to drink or clearing a table, making something unique with just the right person in mind. I know that I'm using a little divine imagination here and don't hold my theology to all of this. I wasn't there to watch it happen but it just seems like Jesus doesn't it? If there's anything of an underlying theme throughout Jesus' teachings of how to do life together it's that showing His love is all about the small things. Yes, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the sick will be healed, miracles WILL happen. But miracles will only do so much for people. Sharing without holding back, forgiving without limitations, loving as though you have nothing to lose, being faithful despite betrayal, serving just because you have the opportunity, those are the daily moments that we should be living for.

Let's take advantage of all the little moments and then we won't constantly be living from spiritual high to spiritual high. It's the little moments of service and the memories that we implant in the minds of everyone (especially those who don't yet know Christ) that will bring consistency to our lives that World is waiting to see and that will please God!