The 10 Most Impactful Things My Dad Taught Me Growing Up

Being a Dad is the biggest responsibility that I have ever had in my life.  The weight of the responsibility would crush me sometimes were it not for my heavenly Father who tells me to cast all my anxieties on Him because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7).  My children are still relatively young, but I realize that the things I teach them and model for them will shape them for the rest of their lives.  With Father’s Day upon us, I wanted to share the 10 most impactful things that my Dad taught me.  These things have stuck with me into adulthood and shaped who I have become.

1.  God should come first.  From an early age, my Dad made sure I was in church.  It seemed very important to him that we got that foundation.  If we didn’t get up and go to church, he wanted to know why…and there better have been a good reason.  One of the most vivid memories I have from our childhood church is when my Dad got up and shared his testimony.  I don’t remember everything he said, but I remember it pointed me toward Jesus at a very early age.  Thanks for being obedient to share Dad. 
2.  Always do your best no matter what you are doing.  It took me a long time to learn this lesson.  Learning involved unpleasant memories of belts and handcrafted paddles named “Burnie Butt” (yes, he really handcrafted a paddle and named it “Burnie Butt”).  We had chores assigned to us and since I was the only boy, I got things like cutting the grass and cleaning out the dog pin.  I remember times when I would cut corners so I could get through and play.  When he did see that I didn’t do a good job, he made sure to address it.  I learned never to do anything halfway.  This has shaped my work ethic and helped me in my working career more than I probably know.  Thanks Dad. 
3.  Never quit.  When I was five, I think I wanted to play every sport there was until I had to run.  I hated to run (still do).  I remember one pee wee football practice, I started crying because I didn’t want to do it anymore and the coach sent me to my Mom.  When my Dad got there, he told me that I couldn’t quit and that I was going to get a spanking when I got home.  Did your Dad ever tell you that?  Every time my Dad told me that, I spent the whole ride home hoping and praying that he would forget, get distracted, or see that my sister did something worse and forget about me.  That NEVER happened!  But I am glad he was consistent.  It taught me to follow through with my commitments.  Thanks Dad. 
4.  Help those in need if it is within your ability to do so.  We have joked from time to time that my Dad can’t say no to anyone (with the exception of us).  I have watched him growing up.  He was a volunteer EMT and he repeatedly helped anyone who asked him.  I remember one time as we were headed into town, my Dad saw a little old lady on the side of the rode with a flat tire.  He started to turn around and I asked him what we were doing.  He said, “We are going to change that lady’s tire back there. That could be your Grandma.”  Thanks for teaching me to serve Dad. 
5.  Education is important.  He always tried to teach me this lesson by taking me along with him to roof a house, paint a car, or cut down a forest.  He would look at me when I was exhausted and say, “This is why you need to go to college and get an education, so you don’t have to work like this your whole life.”  Point taken… Thanks Dad. 
6.  Stand up for what is right.  The quote he always used was “You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything.”  Growing up, I never liked confrontation and was always more of a follower.  However, this lesson that my Dad taught me has helped me to stop being a follower and confront things when it is needed.  I still don’t like confrontation, but I am not afraid of it any longer.  Thanks Dad. 
7.  “Always respect women and you will always have one.”  That is an exact quote that has stuck with me since he told me that sitting in his truck.  That, of course, flies in the face of what mainstream media, entertainment, and the world teaches young men.  I heard him loud and clear and he was right.  I wondered for a while, because I heard the “He’s too nice” line quite a few times in my dating years (By the way ladies…what are you thinking when you say that?)  Julia Owen is proof that is sound advice though.  Thanks Dad. 
8.  Allow your children to make some mistakes.  I think this is something he had to learn in raising us.  I can see where it would be hard to do this.  I want the best for my children and I know they may get hurt in certain situations.  Mistakes, pain, and consequences are the best teachers sometimes.  Ultimately, I am not in control, God is.  I think that is what he was trying to say.  Thanks Dad. 
9.  Provide for your family.  I have watched my Dad work his tail off over my lifetime.  I cannot remember one second of my life when I didn’t have something I needed.  And most of the time, if I REALLY wanted something, he tried his hardest to give it to me. (Reminds me of Matthew 7:11).  Thanks for modeling what it means to provide Dad. 
10.  Love unconditionally.  My Dad loves his children no matter what we do.  We all know that if we are in trouble, we can call him and he will walk to the ends of the earth to try to help us.  I have seen him be a picture of the father in the story of the prodigal son.  Thanks for loving unconditionally Dad.

Each one of these things has shaped my character as a man.  If you are blessed to be able to call yourself a father, I encourage you to be engaged in your child’s life.  Even the smallest memories can make the biggest impact in their life.  We need to truly be engaged.  We need to put down the i-phones, video game controllers, and laptops and engage our children to build their character.  If we don’t, the world will.