Have Mercy, Please

This man here, this is my daddy. Yes, I am 32 years old and I still call him daddy. I always will. He’s the reason I grew up in the ministry. It’s all his fault! I am pretty sure that my mother would have never chosen that route for our family if it had been left to her but it was the calling on my dad’s life. My mother was gifted by the Lord to fill in the gaps of my dad’s life and vice versa so that together they make a great ministry team. For example, he sings and she plays the piano … that’s how they met. But the greatest way you will see this demonstrated is that my mother has the spiritual gift of mercy and my dad has the spiritual gift of prophecy. And both of them I think score 100% in that area. 🙂

Over the years, a funny sort of balance occurred between them and their gifts. My mother has a bleeding heart for everyone but her children when it comes to discipline. Ha. And oddly enough my dad was the more merciful one in that area. However, when it comes to the emotional stuff and you need a sweet word stir clear of my daddy … he’s just not equipped there and he knows it. He has had me share these examples before at a deacons retreat so I’m not saying anything he hasn’t heard before. So here’s a glimpse of growing up with a prophet pastor dad …

Advice on Dating and Marriage: “Melody, you should really consider going to seminary. Most girls end up married before they graduate unless they are just downright ugly.” Thanks, Daddy. By the way, I have yet to go to seminary … I haven’t wanted to test his theory.

After crying to him about a guy that didn’t like me: “Really? You liked him? He’s never seem interested in you.” Thanks for confirming it … wahhhhhh!

My Senior year in HS I told my Daddy I was nominated for Basketball Homecoming Court and would need him to escort me: *laughter first* “Um, sure.” In my dad’s defense this was so far fetched that I was nominated that I get the laughter because I laughed in horror too. 🙂

Anytime I had a complaint over something not being fair: “Who said life would be fair?” Face palm. At least he listened to my complaint first. Ha!

Asking him, after asking my mom, if I could get my ears pierced again at 18 (second holes): “If you want to look like a freak go right ahead, you’re 18.” I was quite pleased with that answer, however, my mom was sticking her head out of the kitchen looking at him annoyed … when she said “ask your father” she expected a no! In his defense, he didn’t know what I meant and after I had them done he looked for some weird spot on my ear for the piercings instead of directly next to my original piercings. He was quite pleased with the results. 🙂 

Finally, my sister and I shared a room for 8 years. She is 6 years younger than me. This started to become an issue after I hit 16. Her tastes in sports and my taste for more feminine things left us butting heads a great deal. One night I was sitting on my parents’ bed lamenting to my dad over it and here’s how that conversation went …

Me: “You don’t get it. It’s so hard sharing a room with someone who is 6 years younger than me!”

Daddy: “I totally get it. I share a room with someone who is 6 years younger than me too … your mom!” *proudly laughing to himself*

Me: *rolling my eyes in frustration and humor* “But you chose to marry mom! That’s not the same.”

Dad: … still laughing at himself …

Me: “UGH!”

He still thinks he was so clever for that come back! He may not be the overly sensitive type but like I said he and my mom balance each other out well. If you are in a crisis and need a calm head then he’s the one you call on. He has a great sense of humor that can occasionally come out as dry. He has a lot of stories from goofy things he did with his brother, cousins and friends growing up that I never get tired of hearing. He’s the one that my brother, sister and I get the trait of “being so tickled over a story we are trying to tell we can’t get it out” from.

He is who is he is and he doesn’t apologize for that … and he’s not going to change because people want him to. See, he’s read through the Bible every year since he was 26 years old as a part of his daily quiet time. After 38 years, he knows to Whom he belongs to and does not waiver from that. He will call a spade a spade but he has gentled in his approach even though some may not think so.

I have seen him go through some fierce fires in the church and come forth as gold. He has allowed us to walk beside him and bear the burdens, when appropriate, with him. I know of several times that he has gone to battle for our family due to various attacks and I am sure there are more that I don’t know of. He knew his kids weren’t and aren’t perfect but that didn’t mean we could be targets for others. He lives with integrity. He is the one that taught me that word long before I knew the definition because he lived it out before me. So while I may have wanted to beg him to have mercy, please a time or two when it came his prophet based responses with me, he is “perfect” just the way he is.

Yep, it’s all his fault that I am PK but I wouldn’t want to be any other pastor’s kid.