they just don't make them like they used to

First, I must say Happy Father's Day to all the daddys out there - specifically mine!  He is such an inspiration to me, and the best daddy around!   As long as I can remember, he has been a constant godly influence in my and my sisters' lives.  He loves my mama, works hard, is a wonderful poppy to my nieces and nephew, and taught us all so much about how we are to live and how men are to treat women.  He is part of the combo that welcomed our friends with open arms and treated them like their children.  He is the man that taught us how to check our oil, water, and how to tell just where on our car that weird sound is coming from.  He is the man that I compare all others to.

I mustn't forget one other person, and that is my papaw - Lester Sharp!  He is pretty much the only grandfather I have ever had, but I never felt like I missed anything by not having two grandfathers.  He took us to school every morning because he didn't like the bus driver being mean to us.  He did anything and everything my mamaw asked him and loved her oh so much.  If he gets teary eyed, he says his allergies are acting up, and when he is worried he finds a seat, makes a friend out of a stranger, and spends a couple of hours just talking to people. He did and does so much more, but those are a few memories I thought I would share with you! 

When we were little girls my mama encouraged us to go to college, get a good job, and be able to take care of ourselves.  Her reasoning was always that "they just don't make them like they used to."  Of course she was referring to the men in our generation not living up to the previous generation's standard.  My mom may not have known it then, but she instilled a few valuable lessons in that one phrase.  #1 - you have to have standards because heaven knows what you will end up with if you don't.  #2 - you have guideposts for those standards in your dad and papaw.  #3 - it's okay to be on your own and take care of yourself until you find that guy.

Also, I was confronted by the idea that the men who meet those standards have standards of their own for what the woman is supposed to be.  This idea immediately led to the question - do I strive to live by the same guidelines that I want him to meet?  OUCH!!!  I don't know about you, but the answer to that question is not always what I want it to be.   A friend of mine and fellow blogger just wrote a great post about the effects that shining a light or speaking truth can have on people.  I am linking it here, and you should read it!  This is fitting simply because truth hit me square in the face that I cannot expect something out of someone else that I do not first require of myself.  

So suffice to say that these two men are two of the pillars in my life.  I love them so very much, and I am so grateful to have them in my life and to have gleaned such valuable information from these two men!  I hope to be a daughter/grand-daughter they can proud of!  

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend/ father's day, and I pray you all have a blessed week ahead!

Much love,

Colie