Everyone posting on Facebook today seems to be offering tribute to the man they consider the greatest father ever. I think I'll tell a couple stories on my dad who is no longer here to defend himself. For years, dad told a story that was pretty definitive of his personality which was to put it mildly, conservative. When he was a young man, a friend of his invested in a startup company by the name of Haloid. Dad's stock line was, "If I had only known..." Haloid split...again and again, and finally was renamed...Xerox. It never occurred to him that his friend didn't know either, but was willing to take the risk dad couldn't bring himself to take. Risk wasn't in dad's vocabulary, and because he wouldn't take a risk, I am not a wealthy man today.
One evening, dad came home from a meeting at church, sat us all down and announced that he had resigned all his church offices except the trustees. He held numerous offices and was tired of spending night after night in church meetings. His decision didn't go over well with the others at church for whom being at the church every time the doors opened was a sign of holiness. He told us that it was more important to him that he spend time with his family. Because dad was willing to take a risk, I am a wealthy man today. Happy Father's Day, in honor of the man who first showed me what it means to be a man of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment