Dad's 61st
Lester, the most important man in my life, turns 61 today.
No disrespect to my amazing husband, but my dad Lester--yes, the reason I'm named Leslie--is the ONE man who has always been in my life. Every day, every celebration, every loss, and every monumental moment (and most of the ordinary ones), he has been there.
And more than just a physical presence, Lester shaped me into myself. Some things he gave to me genetically (like my loud sneeze and my loud mouth), some things he intentionally instilled in me (like a devotion to Jesus and a basic understanding of plumbing), and some things I just picked up through being his daughter the past 39 years (like singing harmony, loving Star Trek, and laughing at my own jokes before I get to the punch line).
And though I today focus on my dad and reflect on all the good things he was and is and will be, I feel the need to say this to everyone reading this:
I am so sorry if you didn't have a dad like Lester.
Because I feel like, in God's plan, everyone should have had a dad like him:
A dad who loves unconditionally, forgiving and helping and serving and being there for you in every way.
A dad who is strong physically, mentally, spiritually, and in his convictions. I never, ever doubted my dad's strength, whether it was in catching me when I jumped off the roof (yes, I did!) or providing for our family's needs or protecting me from others and myself.
A dad who is fun, always ready to laugh and chase and turn a used refrigerator box into a fort.
A dad who empowers, convincing me that I had as much brains, power, ability, and talent as anybody else.
A dad who instructs and is unafraid to speak truth. In every situation, my dad pointed to things that were right and honest and good.
A dad who takes charge both in our family and in society. He led our family in gentle strength and offered his wisdom to others whether they wanted it or not.
A dad who sacrificially gave of everything for my mom, sister, and me. He almost always went without so we wouldn't need to.
A dad who was willing to admit when he was wrong, whether it was five minutes or twenty years later.
A God-honoring dad is important not just for a child or a teenager or for a middle-aged-but-not-willing-to-admit-it woman like me but also for eternity:
because Lester was my dad, I had no problem accepting God as my Father.
God was all that Dad was; just perfect. I had no problem believing that God could love unconditionally, be perfectly strong, enjoy spending time with me, and speak truth because my dad had always done that.
My whole life, I was told that I looked just like my dad. [Now, Lester was (and still is) a bear of a man, so those words were not the compliment a six-year old girl wanted to hear.] But I love hearing it now. Because when people tell me I look like Lester, I know they mean so much more than that: I move like him. I laugh like him. I dramatically point my finger like him.
And maybe--just maybe--it goes deeper than that. Maybe I love freely like him. Maybe I have some of his inner strength. Maybe I am fun and empowering and a good teacher and a humble leader like him.
If I could model God for my kids even half as well as Lester did for me, I will have lived up to sharing his name.
If you had a Lester-type dad, will you call him and thank him today?
If you didn't, please believe that they are out there. There are still men like Lester, who love the Lord, love others, and live according to faith. Men, strive to become a man like Lester. Girls, do not settle for anyone less than a Lester. May we all set our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), as our role model and hero. May we all find Lesters in our lives who model Christ, and may we raise our children to set a Lester as their hero so they will ultimately accept Jesus as their Savior.
May we all have a Lester to imitate, who would say like Paul, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).
I love you, Daddy. Happy birthday!
Please subscribe by putting your email address in the box at the top right :)
@leslienotebook
myleslienotebook@gmail.com
No disrespect to my amazing husband, but my dad Lester--yes, the reason I'm named Leslie--is the ONE man who has always been in my life. Every day, every celebration, every loss, and every monumental moment (and most of the ordinary ones), he has been there.
And more than just a physical presence, Lester shaped me into myself. Some things he gave to me genetically (like my loud sneeze and my loud mouth), some things he intentionally instilled in me (like a devotion to Jesus and a basic understanding of plumbing), and some things I just picked up through being his daughter the past 39 years (like singing harmony, loving Star Trek, and laughing at my own jokes before I get to the punch line).
And though I today focus on my dad and reflect on all the good things he was and is and will be, I feel the need to say this to everyone reading this:
I am so sorry if you didn't have a dad like Lester.
Because I feel like, in God's plan, everyone should have had a dad like him:
A dad who loves unconditionally, forgiving and helping and serving and being there for you in every way.
A dad who is strong physically, mentally, spiritually, and in his convictions. I never, ever doubted my dad's strength, whether it was in catching me when I jumped off the roof (yes, I did!) or providing for our family's needs or protecting me from others and myself.
A dad who is fun, always ready to laugh and chase and turn a used refrigerator box into a fort.
A dad who empowers, convincing me that I had as much brains, power, ability, and talent as anybody else.
A dad who instructs and is unafraid to speak truth. In every situation, my dad pointed to things that were right and honest and good.
A dad who takes charge both in our family and in society. He led our family in gentle strength and offered his wisdom to others whether they wanted it or not.
A dad who sacrificially gave of everything for my mom, sister, and me. He almost always went without so we wouldn't need to.
A dad who was willing to admit when he was wrong, whether it was five minutes or twenty years later.
A God-honoring dad is important not just for a child or a teenager or for a middle-aged-but-not-willing-to-admit-it woman like me but also for eternity:
because Lester was my dad, I had no problem accepting God as my Father.
God was all that Dad was; just perfect. I had no problem believing that God could love unconditionally, be perfectly strong, enjoy spending time with me, and speak truth because my dad had always done that.
My whole life, I was told that I looked just like my dad. [Now, Lester was (and still is) a bear of a man, so those words were not the compliment a six-year old girl wanted to hear.] But I love hearing it now. Because when people tell me I look like Lester, I know they mean so much more than that: I move like him. I laugh like him. I dramatically point my finger like him.
And maybe--just maybe--it goes deeper than that. Maybe I love freely like him. Maybe I have some of his inner strength. Maybe I am fun and empowering and a good teacher and a humble leader like him.
If I could model God for my kids even half as well as Lester did for me, I will have lived up to sharing his name.
If you had a Lester-type dad, will you call him and thank him today?
If you didn't, please believe that they are out there. There are still men like Lester, who love the Lord, love others, and live according to faith. Men, strive to become a man like Lester. Girls, do not settle for anyone less than a Lester. May we all set our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), as our role model and hero. May we all find Lesters in our lives who model Christ, and may we raise our children to set a Lester as their hero so they will ultimately accept Jesus as their Savior.
May we all have a Lester to imitate, who would say like Paul, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).
I love you, Daddy. Happy birthday!
Please subscribe by putting your email address in the box at the top right :)
@leslienotebook
myleslienotebook@gmail.com
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