Things about my Dad...

I don't have a single 'story' I can share about my Dad. There are too many wonderful stories to stop at just one. To give any less would be to diminish who and what my Dad is and what he has meant to me. Dad's life wasn't about a single story...it was and is a collection of concerted efforts through his example to teach, train, direct, and inspire all of those around him (but especially his family) to focus on the most important thing of all: Jesus Christ. Along the way, mostly through his example, I have learned a number of very valuable lessons. To the extent that I fail to completely apply them in my life is a personal weakness, not because the example wasn't clear enough. With that said, here are in no particular order 100 lessons I have learned from my Father:

• Dad showed me how to appreciate the beauty of this earth.
• Dad taught me how to believe in myself and gave me every opportunity to grow and develop.
• Dad taught me to not be afraid of work.
• Dad also taught me that your work should reflect your personal standard of quality.
• I also learned that if my personal standard of quality wasn't high enough there would be sufficient opportunities to raise it.
• Dad taught me that it was OK to fail, as long as I gave it everything I could do.
• Dad showed me a sense of adventure, to seek out interesting things wherever I was.
• Dad taught me to enjoy work, that difficult tasks could be fun.
• Dad taught me to appreciate the opportunity to work for and to earn things I wanted and needed.
• Dad taught me how to learn and to how to enjoy learning, and to not be afraid of what I don't know.
• Dad taught me how to love a mother...and how to respect a wife.
• Dad showed me what "joy and rejoicing in your posterity" really means.
• Dad taught me how to build a fire and to enjoy a burning piece of coal in the winter.
• Dad showed me the importance of providing for a family, even at personal cost.
• Dad taught me how to work the land, to improve it, and to always leave it better.
• Dad taught me to never do sloppy work, even if you are in a hurry.
• Dad taught me the value of a piece of pie, especially when one was away from home.
• Dad showed me how to love children, uniquely, differently, completely.
• Dad showed me the joy of a fast car...especially if it had rally wheels.
• Dad taught me how to sink a fence post, lay a straight line, and to be proud of my work.
• Dad showed me how to experience joy in the midst of adversity, rainbows during rainstorms.
  
• Dad taught me how to dig a ditch, build a bridge, and glaze a window.
• Dad taught me that a potato is a just a potato...but that an Idaho potato is something really special.
• Dad showed me the love & joy that a Father should have for his children.
• Dad taught me to value the greatness of the United States of America.
• Dad showed me how to selflessly help a neighbor.
• Dad showed me how to be a better person and how to be a 'man'.
• Dad showed me how to live in neatness and in order.
• Dad showed me that there are times for tenderness as well as toughness.
• Dad taught me how to change the oil, and how to care for an engine.
• Dad showed me how to quietly give support and help to those in need.
• Dad taught me that the principles of the Gospel apply in every part of life.
• Dad taught me the worth of a soul, that I have the potential and ability to be great.
• Dad taught me that sometimes you have to give up what you want 'now' for what you need in the future.
• Dad taught me to drive a nail w/out splitting a 2x4.
• Dad taught me to always 'put the best side to London'.
• Dad showed me how to love and care for one's siblings.
• Dad taught me how and when to use a cross-cut saw instead of rip saw.
• Dad taught me to measure twice, cut once and to cut a straight line.
• Dad taught me a love for poetry, especially any with Casey, Dan McGrew, or Sam McGee.
• Dad taught me how to listen.
• Dad showed me the value in feeding french fries to seagulls.
• Dad taught me a love for learning, for reading, and for good books.
• Dad taught me how to use a pick and a shovel to dig a root cellar through rocky ground.
• Dad taught me the importance of using the wheelbarrow for rides in between each haul.
• Dad taught me a love for the scriptures, and the value of understanding them.
• Dad taught me how to shoot the wrapper off of a drinking straw and have it stick on the ceiling.
• Dad taught me how to care for a pocket knife, how to use a come-along, and how to put tools away.
• Dad showed me the importance of counselors, and of letting them council.
• Dad taught me to have faith, to believe...even when it's difficult, unpopular, and hard.
• Dad taught me to be inquisitive and to always seek for understanding and answers.
• Dad taught me that humor is a required component of life and is appropriate in any occasion.
• Dad taught me the importance of an education and the need for continuous learning every single day.
• Dad showed me how to 'fix' anything.
• Dad taught me how to graciously accept both fame and disappointment.
• Dad showed me how love the principles of freedom and how to be quietly patriotic.
• Dad showed me the principles of how to lead, guide, and direct others.
• Dad showed me how to inspect and select straight 2x4's.
• Dad taught me that the quality of the materials you use is as important as the design of what you are building.
• Dad showed me it was more important to 'know' what is right than it is to 'be' right.
• Dad taught me to never use a 2x4 when a 2x6 will do.
• Dad taught me how to build a door that would hang true and straight.
• Dad taught me that God will answer prayers and that he has his own timetable for doing so.
• Dad taught me how to sharpen an axe, chop down a tree, and split firewood.
• Dad showed me how to build, using a proper foundation, anything I would ever want.
• Dad showed me I could learn the principles of the gospel while plowing the field.
• Dad taught me how to aim and shoot a gun.
• Dad taught me to appreciate the joy of building something well.
• Dad showed me how to appreciate waterfalls.
• Dad taught me the names of more birds than I can ever remember.
• Dad taught me respect for nature, and how to love and treat all animals.
• Dad showed me how to NEVER compromise principles, even when it's hard.
• Dad taught me the importance of honesty and forthrightness.
• Dad taught me how to smooth wet cement, w/out it getting too thin.
• Dad taught me that it was important to write the dates (and weather) in books, cards, letters, and wet sidewalks.
• Dad showed me the importance of letting people have dignity.
• Dad showed me not to boast about accomplishments but to take pride in my work.
• Dad showed me how to accept sacrifice, so that I might benefit those I love.
• Dad taught me that birds in pens need bright colors to be happy.
• Dad showed me how to stand up for my convictions, even at great personal expense.
• Dad taught me to accept suffering and unfairness, and not let it become bitter.
• Dad taught me the value of keeping secrets & confidences.
• Dad taught me self reliance, thriftiness, and personal accountability.
• Dad showed me how to love people for their own sake.
• Dad taught me to respect others and to give people the benefit of the doubt.
• Dad taught me to have faith in and to rely on Jesus Christ.
• Dad showed me the value of being raised by goodly parents, who taught me in all their ways.
• Dad showed me that "a prophet is not a prophet in his hometown".
• Dad taught me that the real measure of greatness in a man is in his relationship to God.
• Dad showed me that true leadership is expressed through service, not power.
• Dad taught me that history has wonderful, valuable lessons just waiting for us to learn.
• Dad taught me about God, his character & nature, and my relationship to him.
• Dad taught to to value peace over argumentative conflict.
• Dad taught me to value the work of Joseph Smith and to be eternally grateful for it.
• Dad taught me that there are answers to every question, whether we like them or not.
• Dad showed me that how you play the game is far more important than if you won or not.
• Dad taught me that it's important to let people make mistakes so they can have the opportunity to learn from them.
• Dad taught me the principles of the Gospel and how I could find answers to every question.
• Dad taught me to 'hunger and thirst' after the knowledge of God and his plan for me.
• Dad showed me how to respect and honor the Priesthood of God and living Prophets.