Dad-Day

I'm sure everyone is aware that today is Father's Day. It's pretty self-explanitory... Father's Day= a day to celebrate our dads! I am so thankful that we have this holiday. It's a fabulous excuse to show our dads just how much we appreciate them and their examples in our lives. Of course, I think it's important to keep in mind that we should make sure that we are thankful for our dads every day, not just on their birthdays or this holiday.
I have to say that my dad is one to go in the dad hall of fame. To list all of the amazing ways that he is (in my opinion) the greatest dad ever would never do him real justice. I think the biggest reason why I am so thankful for my dad is because while he is not perfect, he has still been the one who has, throughout my whole life been the best representation of God the Father to me. I know what my relationship with my God should be like because of the example of that relationship that my dad has had with me since I was still in my mom's tummy.
Thinking back over the years of my life and all of the things my dad has and is to me brings tears to my eyes. Time seems to go so quickly... My dad is the one who first taught me about basketball. He's the one who always let me win  when we would race from outside to the kitchen door whem mom called for supper. He's the one who taught me to appreciate classic rock music, as well as how to waltz. He's the one who sang, "My Girl" to me every time I would cry after hurting myself or having a bad dream. He would lay in bed with me and read me stories from the Bible and pray with me every night before I fell asleep. He taught me how to shoot a gun. He taught me that "good" is the enemy of "best". He is the one that prayed with me when I first asked Jesus into my heart.
One thing that I have grown to look back on and appreciate with all of my heart is my dad's approach to discipline. As I grew up and disobeyed, lied or was disrespectful, my dad would justly discipline me, but every time he did this, whether it was once every few days or multiple times in one day, he would always give me a big bear hug afterwards, kiss my face and explain to me why he was punishing me. He always made sure to remind me of my wrong, but to also explain that it was out of his love for me and out of obedience to the Lord, that he needed to correct the otherwise sinful ways of my heart. I feel like this very much describes our relationship to the Lord. He is just and punishes us when we need it, but it is always for our good and out of the most intense of loves. As I look back, I see that this man (my dad) has been nothing but a constant blessing to my life. He has been and still is tough, but loving. Strong, but tender. Wise, but goofy. Heroic, but humble.
I realize that not everyone has the sort of dad that I have just described. But what is cool is that no matter what kind of various dad's we have here on earth, we have one Father who fits my earlier descriptions to a "T". He is perfect, and the way He is does not vary. With Him, there are no "types", "kinds" or "versions". He is the perfect Father.

I am the most privileged of daughters in that I have the two best dads that I could ever hope for. AND that good news is, I will get to spend eternity with both of them in Heaven. Thank you, daddy, for all you have been to me, all that you are, and all that you will be for me in my future. Luzzies.

A Day at the Zoo

Today was a gorgeous day. I was so blessed to be able to spend this long awaited sunny morning with my sister in law and her two adorable kids playing and laughing and running and splorin' (as Matthew would say). There is just something about vitamin D that can make you feel amazing, even if you didn't get very much good sleep the night before. That, with a combination of crazy cool animals and my family made this day just great.
I also learned yet again, that I should always, without a doubt bring my good camera with me whenever the opportunity to take stellar pictures presents itself. I always end up thinking, "Hey, maybe I should take the Canon today," but then I don't because its "big and heavy and draws attention to myself". Still, there were so many moments today where I would have loved to have that camera with me to take some great pictures of some great, irreplaceable moments. I wish that we could have more than just our memory to capture some of life's best moments. Our memory is so clouded, or we miss/forget such detail sometimes...
On another note, I was just marveling (well, me and Matthew especially) at all of these crazy animals and parts of creation that the Lord has made. They are all so unique and designed each for it's own special purpose. I wonder sometimes how the Lord thought up some of these crazy creatures? I can't help but think that when God looks down and sees some of these animals that he just chuckles to himself in a way that clearly demonstrates his joy in his creation. I hope that I can make God respond that way to me sometimes. I want so badly for him to delight and find joy in me.
After we came home from the zoo, Matthew gave me a picture that he had water-colored. It was a picture of me and him holding hands with a bald eagle flying over us. Granted, I had no idea what the picture was of until he told me, but the fact that he thought enough of me to paint a picture of us holding hands was such a sweet gesture that it melted my heart. I'm telling you, little kids have an insane way of just making your heart melt like butter sometimes.
Thank you Amy, Matthew and Claire for such a great day today. You are all a precious joy to my life, and I am so thankful to be a part of your lives.
As Madison Taylor would say, "Luzzies!"

Aspirations

I was just reflecting today on just how many things I have said, "I am going to do this" about in the last several months, if not years. Two of the major things on my list have actually become a reality in the last few months, which is SUPER exciting. 1) I got engaged to the man that I love most, and 2) I have officially started my photography career. I get such and incredible rush when I get out and start taking pictures. I can't even begin to describe it. I can never wait to upload them onto my desktop when I get home from shooting... I seriously always run right to my computer and start scrolling through the hundreds of photos that I just took, and I get all girly and giddy when I see how they turned out. I was thinking about this today in respects to how excited I am to spend time with the Lord sometimes. Granted, I wish that I felt that excited to spend time with God all the time, which leads me into this post title, "Aspirations".
I have a seemingly endless list of things that I want to accomplish in my lifetime. I want to go to Rome, I want to live in Germany for at least 1 year, I want to become an international photographer, I want to weigh approximately 140lbs, I want to adopt at least 2 kids, I want to learn how to sew, I want to learn how to make my own candles, I want to officially master the German and Spanish languages and I want to be a perfect (future) wife. The list goes on...and on...and on.  I think of all of these things that I want to accomplish in my life and my heart just starts beating with excitement and anticipation of what I will one day, Lord willing get to see and experience and do.
I think that while all of these things that I aspire to do are good and exciting, I need to remember something super important: My life is not my own. My soul as been bought for a price that demands my utmost submission and my tenderest love. While the Lord may have it in His mind for me to complete some of these aspirations in my lifetime, I need to strive to make these goals focused on the One who created them to begin with. Just something that I was thinking about today...
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not whither; And whatever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:1-3