“My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother.  Bind them continually upon your heart.”  Proverbs 6:20

“Mom, what do I put on the envelope?”

Mom looked down at the letter in my hand and the blank envelope.  I had written several pages to my Dad who was at the time out in the field on military maneuvers.  I missed my father and wrote to him often, my letters to Dad tucked into the envelope along with my Mom’s.  This letter was special.  I had received an award in school and wanted to tell my Dad about it – all by myself.

“Well, let’s take it to the table,” my Mom said, drying her hands on a dishtowel.

“Put your name and our address up here in the left corner.  That’s right.  Just like that.  Now, here in the center of the envelope, write “Sgt and Daddy Spearance and then below write his unit address.  Here it is on this piece of paper.  And remember to put the stamp in the upper right corner.”

Mom went back to her dishwashing and I finished the envelope, put the letter inside and sealed it up.  I then put it with Mom’s outgoing mail to be sent to my dad.  Mom didn’t realize that I had taken her literally when she said to write “Sgt. Daddy Spearance.”  That’s what went on the envelope, and that’s what my dad saw when he received the letter in the field.  He also received some pretty serious ribbing from his army buddies.  He didn’t seem to mind.  I was eleven then and from that time on, whenever I wrote to my Dad, even into my teenage years, his letters were addressed with his rank and “Daddy Spearance.”  It became a special message between my Dad and me.

Despite the fact I’m older now (We won’t discuss how much older!), I still think of my father as my “Daddy.”  I can have serious conversations with him and he treats me like the adult woman I am.  But, there are still times I again feel like that eleven girl when I am with him.  He still has a fatherly protectiveness about him and a certain way with me that lets me know that no matter the time or my age, he will be there for me.

He is a Godly example of a father.  I believe that it‘s partly because of his ways when I was growing up that I can see my Heavenly Father the way I do.  He is just and right, loving and kind.  He disciplines when necessary and offers us encouragement when needed.  He can make us laugh and can dry our tears.  He is our “Daddy.”

I will never forget the letters I wrote to my “Daddy” as a child and I will never forget the lessons he taught and the example he set for my life.  I will carry them with me for the rest of my life.