You know friends as a kid I can remember going to find birthday presents for my friend and my brothers and sister, I had so much fun with it! But as an adult I don't do this as often anymore. If I come across something for one of them near their birthday but now I pretty much only give my family gifts for Christmas but that doesn't that birthday's aren't important. It's a way for the people you love to celebrate you and one of my favorite ways to do this is to write tributes to people close to me. Typically that's not something I would post on this blog but the tribute I want to write today is a very special kind. A tribute to my parents.
My parent's birthday's are just a couple of weeks apart, Dad's first, then Mom's, so I'm choosing to write this between the two so it's for both of them.
God gives us each different gifts in our lives. Some are given the gift of a beautiful voice they can use to praise Him, some the gift of writing to bring glory to His name, some the gift of speaking to teach others about Him but one of the best gifts He's ever given me is the gift of my godly parents. Parents who raised me to love the Lord, to follow Him, to serve Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
Dad and Mom taught me about faith, about trusting God even when you felt like you were walking off a cliff and there was no bridge visible. They made an effort to raise me in church so that I would be around people who loved the Lord and would set an example for me to follow in their footsteps. And my own parents set that example for me too, showing me how to step out in faith, how to follow the Lord, to study His word and how to listen for that still, small voice that is the Holy Spirit showing me the way.
Mom, you showed me so many things about faith, and life, I can't say thank you for all of them but thank you for teaching me to call out to God in my distress. That no matter what storms are in my life or how hopeless and alone I feel that He is still with me, walking beside me, and carrying me when I can't walk on my own.
Dad, how can I begin to list all that you've taught me? Thank you for all the late night talks, the lengthy conversations, the patient explanations as you explained one spiritual concept after another to me, as you answered my questions and helped me learn not just about my faith but about why I believe what I believe.
Guys, I can never say thank you enough for everything you've taught me, and modeled for me. All I can say is thank you God, for the godly parents you gave me, who love you, who follow you and who have taught me to do the same.
Love you Mom and Dad! And Happy Birthday!
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