College, Shoes, and Growing Up

 

I'm pretty sure every modern-day teen has their own quirky dad story. You know, the one that makes you both want to hide in a bush from embarrassment and simultaneously laugh out loud, all the while  making you love your daddy just that much more. 

Well, here is my Dad Story of the week:

My dad decided to wear orange tennis shoes. With a full suit. To the first event where I'd ever meet my potential future college classmates (and husband, as my sister so lovingly pointed out) . 

So. We were walking down the Santa Barbara Pier and I was caught up in the moment. I mean, look at this place! AND IT'S MY FUTURE HOME!!!!! God is so good. 

Anyways, I was totally absorbed in the type of pondering that has led my mom to dub me an Old Soul, and I started staring at my dad walking in front of me. And I just starting putting pieces together, you know? 

My dad is so cool! 

When you are little, your dad is your hero. While he is at work, you imagine that he is some sort of Superhero whose job is equitable to Superman or Pajama Sam. Surely he is the most important man in the world, and every minute of attention that he bestows upon you is like a priceless gift, a memory that will be clutched close as you drift off to sleep that night. 

When you are a middle schooler, your dad is annoying. He's alway's trying to preach to you about some boring and frustrating moral lesson. He doesn't understand your problems (even though he tries), and although you love him, you somehow have lost the connection. 

When you are a high schooler, your dad is your rock. He is the one who listens to all of your deepest questions and answers them patiently and thoughtfully. He is the one that makes sense of the chaos and emotions, and he can always be counted on to speak words of strength and comfort. 

Now I am very nearly a college student (crazy, huh?). Who is my dad to me now? 

Well, I think the answer is summed up in his insane orange tennis shoes. 

My dad stands for something. He always has. He stands for love and loyalty, commitment and dedication, originality and strength, accountability and wisdom. He stands for a different way of doing things, and he does not let himself get dragged down by the struggles of a broken world. He rises up to challenges and never condescends. He is quick to speak but quicker to listen. He urges others to a higher standard of living as Christ has called him to the same. The more I think about it, the more I conclude that I could have very likely have been right when I was a little kid: he really is Superman. Actually, he is better than superman because the "S" emblazoned on his chest most assuredly points to his Savior. In everything he does he strives to honor Lord, and he leads our home with a wisdom that I can only pray to achieve. 

As I grow up and head off to college, I realize the foundation that he has given me. 

And I realized it as I was following in the footsteps of his orange shoes on the Santa Barbara Pier. 

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"As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built." Luke 6:47-48

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