20 years…. In some ways it seems so short, and in other ways it seems so long.  20 years ago, my father passed away after his battle with cancer.  He was only 46 years old.  As I type this, I am 41 years old and can’t believe that 20 years have passed since we last talked.  My heart still hurts today as it hurt in 1999 at the age 19 years old.

My dad received his diagnosis of cancer on February 26, 1998, and he passed away exactly one year later. It was so hard to watch a giant of a man who worked in the oil field, was an electrician, worked in a warehouse, and was a salesman grow frail and weak.  He loved working outside and taking care of his cows.  He loved to build and work on cars, and basically, there was nothing that he could not fix. My dad truly was one of a kind.

My hero in life was my father, and I always wanted to be just like him.  He was kind.  He loved the Lord.  He loved his family.  He loved his wife, and he treated everyone, no matter their background, with the same respect.  He had friends in every walk of life, and every person he talked to was treated as his best friend.

My dad coached baseball, and he loved it!  Throughout my childhood and high school years, he coached almost every kid in Seminole, Oklahoma.  If you asked all those kids about Johnny T, they considered him their dad as well.  He made such an impact and left such a legacy for all of us.  He showed me what it was to be a man and what it looked like to follow Christ.  He taught me to work hard, regardless of what anyone else did, and he would say, “You do your job, and you do it with excellency.”

So, today I thought I would honor my hero, my dad, with 20 things that he taught me that still stick with me today.  Dad, you are loved and missed, but I know one day I will see you again because you loved Jesus and gave your life to him!

#20: If you are going to Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, school (or basically anywhere), either you walk into the living room before you go or call from where you are to let your family know that you love them.  My dad always made us tell him that we loved him, and he always told us that he loved us.  This is something I still do with my family today.  It’s ok to tell your family that you love them…even if they’re just heading to the store. J

#19: Dream!  My dad taught me how to dream and to think big about things.  Sometimes, we dream and let those thoughts or desires die because we are too lazy or too scared to try. My dad would dream and think about something, then draw it out, and finally make it happen.  My dad watched the movie “Field of Dreams,” and loved how they built a baseball field.  So, late one night he drew out the plans, and the next week, he began building a field in our back yard for my sister and me.  We didn’t have corn, but we had old cedar trees. My dad didn’t just think and dream, he made it come to life.  Dream big, and then do all you can to make it happen.

#18: Love your spouse!  My Dad loved my mom so much. He wasn’t perfect, and he made mistakes, but the love he displayed to my mom was unreal.  He valued, cherished, and loved my mom every day. He couldn’t wait to get home each day to see his family and his wife. Today, if you are married, love your spouse, and make sure they know you love them.

#17: Dr. Pepper, Funyuns, and Reese’s can fix just about anything.  As a kid, my dad would get frustrated with me and yell (mainly when I would not pitch well or play well).  He would yell, and I would cry.  Then, he would feel guilty, so we would head to the gas station and he would say, “I am sorry!  Let’s get a Dr. Pepper, Funyuns, and a Reese’s.” Guess what??  It always fixed it.  To this day, I still do this when I am sad or having a hard time.  Today, go get yourself a Dr. Pepper.  It will make you feel better.

#16: Regardless of how little or how much money you have, treat everyone them same. Love others the way that you would want to be loved.  Take time to listen to people and hear their stories. You might be surprised at what you learn.  Who knows?  That person may become a friend.

#15: Own your mistakes.  People are not perfect, and my dad was far from it.  But, if my dad made a mistake, he was never too big to stop and admit that he was wrong.  He would always try and right his wrong.  It is ok to admit your mistakes.  When you do, you learn how to be a better person.

#14: Be present.  Wherever my dad was, he was always present in that moment. Whether it was working cows, teaching me baseball, visiting with his wife, or teaching us a lesson, he lived in that moment and got the most out it. Put your phones away when you are talking, and be in the moment.  Each moment in life is so short.  Honor it.

#13: Play catch with your kid (or soccer or basketball or football, etc).  Some of the greatest moments, lessons I learned, all came from my dad talking and teaching me while we played catch.

#12: Don’t give everything to your children.  Make them work and earn certain things. My dad made us work odd jobs and learn to value the things we had.  Even though we didn’t have much, compared to others, he wanted us to feel accomplished and to learn to work for the things we wanted.  (P.S. This did NOT always make my sister or me happy!) J

#11: Take pride in what you have been given.  I grew up in an 1,100 square foot home that had only one bathroom.  We lived in the country and didn’t have much, but my father mowed, built, and cared for our property like it was a multi-million-dollar estate. He took pride in what God had given Him.  I always loved that.

#10: It’s ok to come home early, every now and then.  Value and cherish your family time and make it a priority in your life.  My Dad was home almost every day by 4:30pm, would change his clothes, and would meet me outside so that we could practice baseball until the sun went down.  Honestly, I dreaded those days sometimes because there were days that I just wanted to sit around and play Nintendo.  Looking back now, I would give anything to see him pull up into my driveway to meet me outside for a catch.

#9: Do your job, whatever it is, with excellency.  Take pride in whatever you are doing, and strive to be the best at it.  Our world would be so much better if we all would put this into practice.

#8: Go fishing.  However busy you think you are, stop and go fishing with your family.  You will never regret those moments.  We all need to slow down and enjoy the moment. Fishing will always help you do that.

#7: Be observant, watch people, and meet their needs.  I can’t tell you how many times growing up that my dad bought shoes, food, snacks, or gloves for other kids.  Love people and truly meet their needs.

#6: Eat a meal on the floor in front of the TV.  I grew up never eating at a table.  I know that sounds so strange and totally against what experts say, but guess what?  It worked for our family.  We ate, laughed, and watched “The Dukes of Hazard,” and I think we turned out ok!!  Go ahead!  You have permission to eat in the living room tonight!

#5: Let your kids drive a car that will embarrass them for a while.  It will build character and will also teach them to not take themselves so seriously.  I drove a 1987 Pontiac Lemans. The window would not roll down and had to be held up with a screw driver.  To start the car, I had to open the hood and take that screw driver, touch it to the solenoid, and then boom, it would start!  It’s ok if your kid drives a clunker. J

#4: Eat a beef and bean gas station burrito once in your life.   I promise you will like it! When my dad was a salesman, I would ride with him to various schools around the state.  He would buy me a beef and bean burrito every time we would cruise through Davis, OK.  To this day, I stop at that gas station every time I’m on my way to Falls Creek, in honor of my dad.

#3: Watch Baseball.  Pick a team as a family and cheer for them.  At least once a year, pack your family up and go to a game.  You can learn a lot from watching a baseball game.  Even if you think it’s like watching paint dry, at least you can eat a hotdog and hang with your family.

#2: Don’t let cancer (or whatever ails you in life) define you.  Rise above it and live your life in such a way that encourages others to persevere and to be an encouragement to someone else.  Leave a legacy.  Leave a mark and set a standard for others to follow.

#1: Love Jesus, share Jesus, and make sure your family knows how much Jesus loves them.  My father showed us Christ and made Him the priority of His life.  I am who I am today because of my dad’s Christ-centered example.  Who are you showing Christ to?

 

You are and will always be my Hero!