Ode to my Dad!

I’ve been thinking about my dad a lot lately. Casting Crowns has a new song out called “Courageous” and I hear it on the radio time and time again coincidentally on the short two minute drive to work each morning. The story behind the song courageous can be seen here http://youtu.be/nnEDUFmVXAE but basically it talks about how men are made to be the spiritual leaders in the family as the head of household, and how they have such a responsibility to keep the faith to be a "men of God".

In Alaska it's the end of fall. Frost almost every night, snow forecasted this weekend. Back home in Worthington, MN fall is beginning and the busy, sleepless, stressful, and rewarding time of harvest is upon my family. This will be the first year in my entire life that I have not participated in helping with harvest in one way or another. When I was little I would ride in the grain trucks (in my car seat even) as mom and dad did not hire a babysitter but we children instead would either be with dad in the combine or mom, grandpa, or one of the hired hands in the grain truck. Then I served as lunch girl (making sandwiches for the workers), or even stayed at home to help get my sisters and I to bed at a decent hour. Then I moved up the hierarchy to grain cart driver. One does not need a license to drive a tractor so grain cart was where I spent most of my time. I even did homework by the light of a flashlight in the tractor between rounds, and had a few "Corn-picker-flu" sick days where I got to stay home from school to help harvest-It was way fun for me :) Then one progresses up to driving grain truck. Most people fret over driving stick, me I hauled 530 bushels of corn while driving stick. To and from the grain elevator or home and back self unloading at home and self operating the PTO to run the auger and get the grain from the dryer into the bin.

That's me! I was younger like 13 when this picture was taken

Unloading onto the grain truck.

That's my dad on the left (combine) and me on the right (Grain cart)

I mention this because most people do not have a clue as to what all goes into farming, not even mentioning all the labor prior with tending to the crops...and it all can be gone with one storm at God's will--that takes faith.

My dad is one of the most humble people I know and I'm sure after he reads this post I will get a phone call because he does not like recognition but this is my shameless post "Ode to My Dad". My dad is also one of the strongest people I know. When I was younger, and even still dad is the go to man to lift heavy things, or create leverage to loosen a bolt (put on with an electric ratchet) holding a cultivator shovel. He is the only man I know who can survive running two months (during harvest) with 2-4 hours of sleep, no "real" meals and still make it to my band and choir concerts.

My Grandpa Pfeil in the grain cart.

Grandpa Pfeil getting some tools

My dad, has lupus which is a terrible disease in which your bodies immune system attacks itself and it causes flare ups, and yet my dad never complains. He would give the shirt of his back to make his family happy. Actually, he would give the shirt of his back to make anyone happy because that's who he is, and yet he is humble, to the point of getting "mad" (not really but a fake mad) when people give him recognition, or try to return favors.

That's my dad-there is a "bubble" in the hopper meaning that it is time to empty on the grain cart

My dad is a man of character, helping those in need. Assisting neighbors with harvest when one falls ill, responding to phone calls at midnight because an elderly friend has fallen, bringing a warm meal to our widowed and elderly land-lord who otherwise would not have a visitor all week, and yet one would never know because he is a man of character. He does these things not because he has to but because he wants to.

It's not just that my dad is physically strong but he is spiritually too. Both my parents have been influential in my faith life, teaching me the Lord's Prayer as soon as I could speak, driving us to Bible camp, leading in evening prayers and pointing out God in everyday life. I credit both my parents, but my dad especially to molding me into who I am today and perusing my call into full time ministry. My dad is my hero!

So this song by Casting Crown "Courageous" I feel best describes my dad, because he is Courageous I think Micha 6:8 best sums it up "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." And that is exactly what my dad does :)

Here is the song I'm talking about Casting Crown's "Courageous"

We were made to be courageous

We were made to lead the way

We could be the generation

That finally breaks the chains

We were made to be courageous

We were made to be courageous

We were warriors on the front lines

Standing, unafraid

But now we're watchers on the sidelines

While our families slip away

Where are you, men of courage?

You were made for so much more

Let the pounding of our hearts cry

We will serve the Lord

We were made to be courageous

And we're taking back the fight

We were made to be courageous

And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand

Is on our knees with lifted hands

Make us courageous

Lord, make us courageous

This is our resolution

Our answer to the call

We will love our wives and children

We refuse to let them fall

We will reignite the passion

That we buried deep inside

May the watchers become warriors

Let the men of God arise

We were made to be courageous

And we're taking back the fight

We were made to be courageous

And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand

Is on our knees with lifted hands

Make us courageous

Lord, make us courageous

Seek justice

Love mercy

Walk humbly with your God

In the war of the mind

I will make my stand

In the battle of the heart

And the battle of the hand

In the war of the mind

I will make my stand

In the battle of the heart

And the battle of the hand

We were made to be courageous

And we're taking back the fight

We were made to be courageous

And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand

Is on our knees with lifted hands

Make us courageous

Lord, make us courageous

We were made to be courageous

Lord, make us courageous