my father

Today is my Dad's 57th 37th birthday! :)   I asked him if he was sad because he was getting so old and he emphatically replied "no!" Since I wrote 25 memories about my brother on his 25th birthday, I thought about writing 57 memories about my Dad, but I was short a few! ha! Just kidding! Seriously, though, there's no way I could confine all of my memories into a list of 57. Thus, I decided to give you my top 5 reasons why I love my dad, with 1 being the highest. This was difficult, but here you go:
5. He can make up songs anytime anywhere about anything. (Growing up, I knew he liked my friends the moment he started singing about them to them!)
4. He whole-heartedly supports my dreams of becoming a famous professional author.
3. He loves and provides for his kids. The father-daughter dates, family devotions, family vacations, etc., are evidence of his desire to lead the family in the Lord, and to purposefully minister and encourage us.
2. He loves his wife, my Mom, more than anyone else in the world.
1. He loves the Lord, with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength. He is an incredible example to me in how he memorizes and meditates on Scripture, spends quality daily time in the Word, and lives a life of daily sacrifice as he shares the Gospel with students at the University of Niamey.

I don't feel like the list does any justice. I wish everyone in the world could meet my Dad and see how great and wonderful he is. I am so incredibly blessed. What an example he is of what my Heavenly Father is like.

Here are a few pictures:

 He's the best packer I've ever known, probably because he travels so much. Andrew is his young apprentice!

 I was blessed to be able to help lead Cru with him at Emporia State for 4 years! He is a terrific speaker and I grew so much under his teaching.

 He always brought us back a bottled coke from Africa whenever he traveled there. We were always especially thankful when the cokes were wrapped in clean socks.

 Dad still wins at arm-wrestling with my brother. Sorry, Ando. It's the truth.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you!