Becoming My Father

   Almost all the years of his working life, my dad got up early to begin his day. In the produce business it was a necessity to be on the job before he sun came up in order to get those fresh fruits and vegetables into the pipeline, into the stores and restaurants which were his customers.

   I can well remember his telling me, as he got me up to help him on some days, that the morning was the best part of the day. Of course, all I wanted to do at those times was to roll over, pull the covers up and go back to sleep. That was my idea of a good way to begin the day.

   Why is it that as I grow older each year, I become my father?

   I thought about this as I walked out in the darkness of this new day. The air was a little cooler, a fresh breeze was about, the sky was light in the west from the moon going down and in the east where the sky was beginning to lighten as the sun came up, and all was pretty quiet.

   It was indeed a great start to this day.

   Now as I sit here thinking about those times, I wonder if there is a parallel somewhere that equates the becoming more like my dad, with the becoming more like the Heavenly Father. It is probably a poor comparison, but is there any growth in that direction?

   I can almost see my dad smiling right now as I live out the good feeling of this morning. There could be an "I told you so" there somewhere.

   Does my Heavenly Father smile also as I ponder these thoughts? Is there an "I told you so" moment there too?

   And I breathe a sigh of relief, as I realize a hope in this fresh time. There will be room to grow, there will be opportunities to serve, and there could be smiles all around.

   Let the day begin...