I awoke sluggishly, nothing new. Sauntered to the computer, hoping for an awaited email response. Instead what I found welcoming me to the new day was a message from my Dad.
My precious papa: as skilled as he is with drywall and power saws, the man cannot use a computer. Like, at all. No emailing, no googling, no facebook, no cnn.com. How the man survives is beyond me.
So when he wants/needs to compose an email, he sits down and writes it out with pen and paper for his lovely and computer savvy wife to type and send. As I read his note, a vision of him sitting at the kitchen table, rubbing his shaved (kind alternative to 'bald') head, thinking his thoughts onto paper, was vivid in my mind.
His words were simple and precise, expressing his love and intentions with perfect clarity. A warm hello, a complimentary word, a genetic slice of humor, and a witty p.s. His words brought sudden light to my day, a day that threatened to run into the many, passing as nothing remarkable, filled with nothing memorable.
I had resolved to start the day a different way today, pausing to read another letter from another Daddy, filled with many promises and encouragements found within the many letters of His Word. I'm finding more and more my days are filled with huge challenges, both physical and emotional. I find myself running on empty before dinner is even begun. I knew the reason: I was not starting my days in the Light. I wasn't taking the time to refuel at the beginning of each new day with the Bread of Life. I was trying, oh so trying, to be and do and make and teach and become and bless all on my own and falling short each and every day.
With a reminder from my dad on the blessing of a timely word of encouragement, I headed into my Bible to hear words from my Dad at the first opportunity. Today my reading was full of interesting and historical bits of information. Informative, yet lacking the peppy punch I was looking for. Until I came upon this. Turns out my dad and I share a gene with our other Daddy, a unique sense of humor. Certainly not His intention at the time of writing but on a regular day in January, in the year of our Lord, 2009, it definitely made it one of comedic remarkableness and absolutely memorable.
Because, when you get a letter from your dad/Dad, doesn't that serve just as well to bring a smile and some strength to your day?!
