Happy Father's Day Papi

I am very fortunate and blessed to say that I was raised with a father in my home all of my life. My parents have now been married for 31 years this December. They waited five years to begin having children and along came me. Growing up I didn't appreciate my father. We had a very rocky relationship my adolescent years. But I have to also say that I wasn't exactly the easiest teenager to have. Between lots of lying and sneaking around my dad definitely had his hands full. After all these years and when I got to college I really came to appreciate his firm hand and how he raised me.
My father comes from a strick Puerto Rican home. One foot out of line and you were dead. So he expected his kids to have that kind of respect as well. It's kind of hard when your growing up in a society where firm hands really aren't so prevalent anymore. But my father did not care. It didn't phase him that everyone elses kids hung out at the mall every Saturday night or that kids were allowed to hang out with their friends in the middle of the week. In my house it was school, home, church, home, friends come over to our place. Even when it was a school trip my dad had to think long and hard before he signed those papers. Of course as I teenager I did not appreciate these rules and rebelled against them as much as I could.
When I was fifteen I went to a prayer conference and everything changed. I had my first encounter with Jesus Christ and I was never the same again. My relationship with both my parents changed drastically, but even so more with my father. I still sometimes didn't agree with everything he did but for the most part I understood why.
Today I can honestly say that I am the woman I am because of the amazing father I had growing up. A man that I got to watch as well slowly grow a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A man who never judged anyone and always had an open mind about everyone's story. A man who would do anything for his friends and church family in need. A man who would do what needed to be done to give his girls not only what they needed, but what they wanted as well. I hope and pray that I can have that character as I continue to get older with my children and those around me. That I may not be the first to judge someone but help them out and have that firm hand with my kids, even though it's not the preferred way to raise children these days. Because of this steady example that I had all my life I believe in Jesus Christ and choose to build a relationship with him. Because I know it wasn't easy for my dad, but he made the effort so why can't I? Thank you  Papi for being an amazing Christian father and the best dad anyone could have hoped and prayed for. Happy Father's Day.