"You're just like your Father"

Ain’t such a bad comment for me I don’t think. There are a lot of things that you did Dad as I was growing up that I never got hold of until now.

“I do this because I love you, it says so in the Bible, but I do this in love, not in anger or hate...” That was a common one after a good smack, and at the time I used to be like “Yeah right...that totally makes sense...” But now I am grateful, I am grateful that I can look back on my smacks almost fondly. Sure, the pain is gone and the reason for them is mostly forgotten (there are a few I can still remember why...) but the lesson of them is imprinted in my heart. It wasn’t the smack, it wasn’t weither it was the hand or the belt, it wasn’t weither it 1 or 10, it was the “I love you” and the hug after that made me the man I am becoming today. I will never forget that, no one can forget your hugs Dad.

“If I could leave a tape recorder in there recording the dribble coming out of your mouth and show you...” Well, this one hasn’t changed yet. But I am working on James 3 and applying it to my life Dad. But remember this one Dad? - “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” I have never forgotten that one, and it is carried with me day and night now. I think I knew that scripture before John 3:16 hahaha. But seriously, I would like to think I could teach at least half as well as you do one day, then I will feel I have gotten somewhere. And the whole thing of your introductions taking the first 40 minutes of your sermons, well, you will pleased to know that last Tuesday I did my first “Introduction-only” sermon... I think I have that in my DNA that one, I was just in denial that it would come out of me too...

“You just try it again, and if you do, I can go out to your precious Honda and in 30 seconds have it so you can never drive it again...” Enough said with that one. That one makes you sound like a total bad-ass of a criminal, kind of Nicholas Cage in Gone in 60 seconds. I learned to never call you a “w****r” again after that one.

The way Gab looks at me when I start getting into a discussion about a certain brand of car, or electronic appliance, or guitar or World War II moment with someone WHO IS WRONG, and her look is saying only one thing “You’re just like your Father Dan Sheed.” Well, so I am, and damn proud to be too.