Happy birthday, Dad!

Today I wanted to wish a happy birthday to my dad, one of the kindest, most Christian men who has ever lived..and I don't just say this because he is my dad.

The words of Alan Jackson's song, Small Town Southern Man, fit my father very well.

Born the middle son of a farmer

and a small town southern man

Like his daddy's daddy before him

brought up working on the land

Fell in love with a small town woman

And they married up and settled down

Natural way of life if you're lucky for a small town southern man

And he bowed his head to Jesus

And he stood for Uncle Sam

And he only loved one woman

(He) was always proud of what he had

He said his greatest contribution

Is the ones you leave behind

Raised on the ways and gentle kindness

Of a small town Southern man

Raised in a little town all his life, my dad only left briefly to attend and graduate from the University of South Carolina, then returned home to work on the family farm. Many of you probably know how tough farming is in the South, and if you're not farming cotton, then you never know how lucrative your crops will be from one season to the next. So, farming wasn't enough to support his small family and my dad had to get out of farming. But I'll never forget the days as a child when I used to ride out to the farm with my Poppy to take my dad lunch or an afternoon snack. The first thing I ever drove was a combine, proudly sitting on my dad's lap.

Things have changed over the years and daddy doesn't farm anymore, but he's still that same small town southern man. If the man I marry one day is half the man my father is, I'll be happy. It only takes a trip to church on Sunday to see how respected my dad is in the community. He's chair of the deacons at church, goes on every church mission trip to West Virginia and Louisiana, takes part in bible studies at church, Loaves of Love where they feed needy families in the town, and teaches English as a Second Language on Sunday evenings. He's been a member of the Masons and Lions Club in the town and has served as mayor and on the town council.

My dad really cares about people and it shows in everything he does. If I can one day make the sort of contributions to a community that he makes, I will consider my life well-lived. My dad has taught me many things throughout my lifetime, and I hope I will be able to pass those things along to someone else one day.

I love you, Daddy- I hope you have a great day!!