My Daddy is one of my heroes.  Throughout my life, he has stepped up, at the right time, to take care of what needed taking care of.  He has stepped back, to let us make our own lives.  He’s also stepped in, to mend broken hearts & give comfort & joy to us.  Most importantly, he’s been there for our family at all times.  One thing I have to give credit to Daddy is that he taught me & my older brother about God.  He taught us that God was just God.  He taught us that God was God when there was gladness & rejoicing.  That God was just God when there was heartache.  That God was just God when there was pain & suffering, even grieving.  I’m so proud He’s just God.  He’s just like that.  God’s God when we are on the mountain & in the valley.  I’m a mountain girl, myself, but find myself in the valley, sometimes, too.  I’ve found that He’s God of the valley.  He continues to be with me there.  Through everything, I know if I hold on to the Lord, He will never let go of me.  I have learned this from my Daddy many times.  When my Mama was sick, Daddy used that as a time to tell others how God was working in their lives-no matter of the adversity.  He would tell others how out of necessity, he learned to make biscuits & gravy.  Mama liked them so well.  He would tell how his & Mama’s relationship had grown & become memorable.  He gave God the glory for their situation.  Then, when she died, he used that to tell others how God worked greatly in their lives.  It made them both better Christians.  Even though the times were tough, he did not use that time to tell others how bad it was.  He used it to glorify God.  That was just amazing to me.  A man getting up each day at 4 a.m.  Just to make sure he had Mama’s breakfast ready, before he went to work.   Worked all day, came home & dealt with whatever the evening held.   Most of the time it was pretty eventful around their house, too.  Complications from her disease (MS), made things quite unpredictable for her & Daddy.  He never one time complained or made any kind of indication he was tired of trying to make her comfortable.  He always made sure she had fresh flowers in her room, beside her bed.  When times were demanding, to say the least,  he stepped up to the plate everytime.  It was as if, he knew this was where he was supposed to be.  He did not question it.  He just did it.  Perhaps he had read, understood, & applied Philippians 4:7

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

will guide your hearts

and minds, through Christ Jesus.”

Daddy taught my brother & I that with Christ, you have everything.  Only through Christ will we have that peace, that we can’t describe.  Without Christ, we will have nothing. Period.  It’s funny.  We do not have the power to pick our parents.  I don’t know why I am so blessed to have been given the Daddy & Mama God picked for me.  I’m just glad He thought enough of me- to give me to them.  I also am thankful, that I have a Daddy, who has taught me how to have everything.  That’s what a hero is all about!