Dad

Yes, I know I'm a week late for Father's Day.  But on the actual day I was way too busy being with my grandparents to get around to posting, not to mention that writing a post on a tablet is rather tedious. (Truly "hunt and peck"!)  So anyway, Happy Father's Day to my Dad.  If you don't know him, you should.  He's a pretty cool guy.  Very talented, though he would not tell you that.  But I will.  =) 

Some of his talents (And I did say "some".  He has lots!):

--He can fix cars.  Growing up, I don't know if he ever took the car to a garage except for things like tires.  If something broke, he fixed it.  If he didn't know how, he found out how.  He still does this for the most part, though the newer the car, the more on it that is complicated and takes complicated equipment to fix.  So he has had to utilize a garage a little---emphasis on 'little'.  He still figures things out pretty much on his own.  And of course, the mechanic ability is not limited to cars.  He's worked on lawn mowers, tractors, wood splitters, chain saws, washing machines......you get the picture.

--He can fix other broken stuff like nobody's business.  Have a book that needs gluing?  Bring it to Dad.  Have a dryer door that won't stay shut any longer?  Dad will rig up a latch system that will have you back in business in no time.  Backstitch lever on your sewing machine broken and the repair shop says there is nothing they can do?  Tell Dad.  He'll get in there and weld a new metal piece on (that will last longer than the motor on the machine will probably!).  Just about anything that is broken he knows how, or can find a way, to fix it--or rig it!--so it still works.  Sometimes when presented with a problem, at first he is not sure he can do it, but just leave him alone for a bit, and next thing you know he has worked out some kind of solution.  It's amazing to watch really.  When he comes to visit I have "Dad To-Do" list all ready!

--He's really good with numbers.  And I do mean really good. In high school he won awards in math and science.  I have seen him with a calculus book just for fun.  =)  All my life I have memories of Dad and his books: church books and personal books.  He can tell you where every single cent has gone---for both!  (Just so you know, his daughter did not inherit his good habit of keeping track of every single penny........I'm sure it's much to his dismay. lol)

--He is not afraid to do the dirty work.  He'll do dirty jobs that most people wouldn't do.  For example, picking up garbage after a large gathering.  Some people leave behind some nasty garbage and most of us don't want to get close enough to smell it, let alone touch it.  There's Dad, cleaning it up without even wrinkling his nose.  =)  My sister's water pipes froze one Winter and wouldn't thaw all the way.  Someone needed to crawl into the very tiny crawl space amidst all the insulation and bugs and who knows what else (shudder!) to get the last bits of ice to thaw and shake loose.  Guess who?  Yep.  Dad.

--He has a great voice and "presence" for reading aloud.  I used to like to sit in church conference sessions in the morning just to hear Dad read the minutes from the previous sitting.  Growing up he read books aloud to me.  He still does sometimes when we are together, and I still love it.  Not just because it's something I do with my Dad, but because I like to hear him read.

--He has mad music skills.  He knows what all the notes sound like in his head.   He can sing without an instrument and know whether he is still on key or not.  Need a song started?  No problem.  He'll start it so that everyone can sing it normally---not in the basement or up trilling with the mice.  lol! He can play the piano by note or by ear.  Classical or hymns, solo or duet, he's good to go.  He can even tune it---and without any fancy gizmos! 

--He's great at ministering to shut-ins, people in nursing homes, hospitals, etc.  He's good at coming up with conversation when they don't talk much, and he's absolutely faithful to get in to see them, even when there are a million other things to do.   Sometimes I wish he could have a job doing just that because he's so good at it.

As I said, my Dad is a talented guy.  =)  He's also a man of faith and values, whose character points true North---a "talent" that comes from God alone.   Not something you find much these days, but something to treasure when you do find it.  So Happy Father's Day Dad!  I'm glad you're my dad!