"I Just Remember the Love"

Dad & Me

We celebrated b-days this past weekend with my family and after dinner we started to exchange funny stories about growing up. I decided to chime in with a (now funny story) about how my Dad was teaching me how to drive in town and we were clearly not seeing eye to eye. I didn't angle the car correctly a few times and my parking skills needed a lot of work. I remember driving home with steam coming out of my ears and I don't think we talked the whole way home. I remember when we pulled into our long dirt road that I just started ranting about anything and I ran into the house crying. I just wanted my freedom. We ended up saying we were both sorry and dad decided I could start driving on my own! He said that I was a lot more prepared then he showed. As I look back I think this story was less about my driving skills and more about my dad trying his best to let go.

Anyways...I brought up this story at the b-day celebration and I asked my dad if he remembered the argument we had and how furious I was. He looked at me with affection and said, "I really don't remember all of it, as I look back to all my girls growing up, I just remember the love." HIS words made my heart skip a beat. I was completely humbled. How could he love me this way? I was so mean that day and he could harbor that in his heart if he wanted to. But he didn't. He made a choice...to just remember the love. As I look at my own life I have so many areas where I need to do the same. I am so thankful that God uses stories from our life to change us. I am smiling at how God used my dramatic 16 year old self to heal and change the direction of my heart and attitude now. I choose love.