In His Boots

They sit, tired and worn, by the back door. Hard leather, dirty boots, that could tell many stories of success and failure...good days and bad.

Back in my early college days, I occasionally came home on the weekend and enjoyed a precious car ride with my dad. One wintery weekend, just before Christmas, Dad picked me up and took me shopping. He wanted me to help him pick out a gift, maybe for Mom...memory fails me here. As we strolled along the snow covered, uptown streets, I noticed him limping a bit. Upon investigation, Dad mentioned a big hole in the bottom of his workboot. Me, the owner of several tens of shoe pairs...mostly unnecessary...was appalled and insistent. I marched that tough skinned worker right into the man store, and forced his credit card into submission...not one more Christmas gift would be purchased until his feet were loved.

He didn't fight me on it...I am, after all, his "brown eyed girl" 😉 Or maybe he planned to all along and just let me feed my motherly instincts. Dads often let their kids take the lead, while all the while, remain in complete control of the bigger picture...good leadership skills at work.

Many dads don the workboots, faithfully bear the weight and stress of life's labours, and bring home what is needed...and greeded too. Unfortunately, too many dads spend on themselves first, but some...like mine...will limp around in the cold snow before holding back from their family. Duty, integrity and old fashioned sacrificial love make a man, a man. Wisdom knows the difference between providing and spoiling, but, at the end of the day, courage and strength are the energy of love...that sit, resting silently, at the back door.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1

5x5...."In His Boots"