Dear Daddy

Daddy,

I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU! I think of you often. What can I say? I wish I had more time with you , but God had a different plan. THANK YOU! Thank you for being my dad. Things weren’t always rosy and that’s ok. In those thorny times, there were lessons being learned, even if we didn’t know it at the time.

You were the first man I loved. You stole my heart. I can still feel the scruffiness of your beard. I remember the light in your eyes when you looked at me. I remember all of the Valentine’s Day gifts and our many discussions and arguments centered around sports. I still remember you singing your first and only solo, “Jesus Is Real” (by John P. Kee). It’s still one of my favorite songs. I can hear your laugh and I remember loving to hear you tell a story. I’ll never forget the time I was sick and you came to get my snotty tissues to throw them away. And I accidentally mixed one of your white handkerchiefs in and you unknowingly flushed it down the toilet. LOL! The look on your face was priceless and that was always our inside joke. When you passed, I kept three of those handkerchiefs and keep them close. I remember your punishments were never whoopin's. You wouldn’t let me watch my favorite nighttime show, I Love Lucy. Ooh! And one of my favorite moments happened my senior year of high school. I made it to State for choir. When I walked into the room to sing my solo and there you were. You had a smile on your face that stretched from ear to ear. Honestly, I didn’t sing my best because of my excitement. At that moment, the little girl in me was sooo excited to see her daddy. Whether I sang like an angel or an alley cat, didn’t matter to me. Your presence was enough. You drove four hours just to see me sing and turned around and went home. THANK YOU!!!! That precious memory is forever etched in my heart. And I’ll never forget my last moment seeing you alive. I didn’t care what the doctors said, the machines read and more, I had HOPE. And I also had PEACE. A peace that only came from God (Philippians 4:7). I wasn’t ready to let you go, but I also knew and believed, He was in control and would provide the comfort needed. It was time for you to go to your eternal home.

It’s been eight years and I still miss you like crazy. You told me to be strong and I have tried. Since 2012, I have taken it one moment at a time (the best advice I got after your transition). I wish you could have met your grandchildren, Lauren and Langston. Better known as Lo and Lane. They would adore you. And I believe you would love them like crazy. Lauren would most definitely love to eat your baked goods and bake with you. She would love to hear you tell a story and read all of her books to you. And she would most definitely talk your ear off, like I would do you. LOL! Lane would eat ALL of your cooking and have you playing with sticks and watching trucks drive by. Armand still talks about you and misses you. And of course he misses your cooking. LOL! Especially your “white gravy” (béchamel sauce). LOL! He is taking great care of me. And he loves me as I would think any father would want their daughter to be loved.

Thank you, Daddy! Thank you for being my daddy. I love you! I miss you! And I thank you! I’m grateful for the rosy times and I have learned so much from the thorny times.

Love,

Squirt

Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. - Exodus 20:12 (CSB)

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. -Psalm 103: !3 (CSB)

Dear Lord, Thank You for father’s. That includes stepfathers, father figures and any influential male presence. I’m grateful for my dad and our relationship. For many daughters, father’s are the first man that we love. And for some, the thought of their father brings about painful memories and hurts. Father, the GREAT thing is, we are never FATHERless because we have You. Yes, You may not be physically present for us to hug, touch or see, but You’re there. Thank You for always being there, whether our Father’s were present or not. Father, I do want to pray a special prayer for those that may have painful memories of and hurts by their earthly fathers. Father, I pray that You give them peace, bring them to a place of forgiveness and help them to press forward. And if there is an opportunity for reconciliation or restoration, Father, please bring those fathers and daughters together. And for those that have great relationships with their fathers, I pray those relationships continue. I pray that they continue to grow strong, be fruitful and establish a great father / daughter legacy. Lord, THANK YOU! I pray that anyone who reads this, will be encouraged. Lord, I love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.