As a kid I was mesmerized by my dad. I mimicked everything he did. Each morning he would rise at the crack of dawn. Four in the morning came early. Each morning my mom would make him a fried egg sandwich with cheese and mustard. I would try waking when my dad did, but that's kind of hard when your only six. But when I woke there on the table waiting for me was my fried egg sandwich. I would even eat sardines on crackers with him. EWE! Hey, if dad loved them, I loved them just the same.
Oh, my dad was pretty great. Even at that young age he was grooming me for softball. He figured if I could throw a baseball and hit one, well, that would make me an even better softball player. You know what? It worked! We may have had a few mishaps along the way. Like when he tossed me the ball and my face caught it instead. Broke my nose. Blood was everywhere. As my mom freaked out, my dad calmly said, "She's okay, aren't ya, Rob?" Well, of course I was NOT, but hey, if dad thought I was okay, I was good to go. In fact, after I was all cleaned up we were back at it again. Lesson learned. Keep glove up.
My dad would shave almost every morning. I would stand in the bathroom and watch him. He had one of those razors with the guard. You know the one. He too used that super cool shaving cream, Barbasol. Okay, who couldn't have fun with that? Seriously!
I would wait until he was at work and I would break out the Barbasol. I'd climb up on the sink. Funny, how I seemed to fit there perfectly in front of the mirror. I would grab the razor, but first I made sure my face was covered with Barbasol. Hey, dad didn't shave his forehead, but I sure did. I'm surprised I never took off my eyebrows. LOL
I would sit there with my legs crossed and shave until I was for sure no hair was left. I mean, you gotta get all that stubble. Am I right? I would do every stroke my dad would do. I was a pro. I never even cut myself! Another amazing phenomenon for me. Well, I may have that answer. See, my dad knew what I was doing. Probably a good clue when he was always out of Barbasol. Since he knew I watched him and mimicked his every move, once I was out of sight, he would take the razor out and hide it. That brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. He was protecting his baby girl.
Who knew time would fly and that little girl would lose her dad to cancer when she was only nineteen. After my dad was gone I would walk into our bathroom and sit on the sink. Yep, I still fit. If I told you that I never picked up his razor again and shaved I'd be lying.
Funny how years later those little things have such an impact on our life. While we are living do we really think about the memories we are making? My dad could have told me to go play. He could have shut the bathroom door. But you know, I believe he enjoyed it just as much as me. I was the boy he never had. But I too was the girl he adored.
Dad always used Irish Spring and he always smelled like Old Spice. I loved the smell of my dad. Yep, I would splash on Old Spice after I shaved. Still today, we have some under our bathroom sink. Every once in a while I will pull off the top and take a step back in time.
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma."
Ephesians 5:1-2
"Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you."
1 Corinthians 11:1-2
Who knew all these years later that me mimicking my daddy would help me to realize that I need to mimic my heavenly Father in everything. I need to listen for His voice. What I see Him do, I too need to do. Just as my dad put the razor away for my safety, my Lord Jesus, also protects me. He guards me when I think all is okay. He has placed a hedge of protection around me. I may not see everything that's coming my way, but He does. He intercedes for me.
Shaving, softball, fishing. Yep, dad taught me many things in the short time we had together. He gave me encouragement and inspired me to think outside the box. To believe all things possible. Oh, if I could sit with him now and share all that I have learned. I think he'd be pretty proud.
Shaving, softball, fishing. Yep, dad taught me many things in the short time we had together. He gave me encouragement and inspired me to think outside the box. To believe all things possible. Oh, if I could sit with him now and share all that I have learned. I think he'd be pretty proud.
In many ways I'm still that little girl looking to her Father. Wanting to see what He's doing and do just like Him. Only now I'm not at the sink with a razor in hand. I'm sitting cross-legged with my Bible in hand.
