My Dad
It is a shame that we wait until someone has passed away before we openly share our admiration for them. We should treasure those that mean something to us and that we admire and let them know while they are still around. I'm just as guilty as anyone else but my desire is to change. So, I have decided that each day for the next 30-days I am going to post something about someone in my life that means something to me and tell why.
Day #1: My dad, James Chesney. There is no way I can write everything about dad that I admire but I will try to give the highlights. Every kid wants to please his dad, I was no exception. When I was growing up I wanted to be just like him. I tried to dress like him, walk like him, talk like him, and act like him. Dad always had/has the answer for anything you ask him. I just assumed that he was the smartest man on earth. Dad is a humble man. I don't recall ever seeing him brag about anything.
I never saw my dad hit my mother or treat her badly. I can only remember a few times that they ever argued and it wasn't ever bad. Even though our family never was big on hugging or telling each other that we love each other, the love was always present in our home. We never for a second doubted my dad's love for my mother or for us kids.
All my life the only thing that dad wanted to do was just get away from everything. He loves being out in the country in secluded places. He always wanted a cabin or a farm with a lot of land. He came very close to getting that one time but it got pulled out from under him and I think he gave up on that dream because of it. He loves to be outdoors in the woods hunting or at a body of water fishing. He closely taught me the laws and rules of everything outdoors and expected me to abide by them.
Unless you are very close to my dad you wouldn't know that he has a great sense of humor. Some folks don't think that he smiles but they just haven't been around him in those rare occasions. You also wouldn't know that he has one of the most beautiful tenor voices you have ever heard. He is a very talented guitarist and could have played professionally had he chosen to.
Not only did I inherit my love for the land, hunting, fishing, and gardening from dad, I also inherited his thirst for knowledge. If you were to drive by his house in the wee early morning hours you would see a light on in the room where he studies for hours. All of my life dad made sure we were surrounded by books, something that I have continued doing in my own home.
I always felt sorry for dad because of the job he had. I know he only stayed in it to provide for our family. If he had his way he would have been a Forrest Ranger or worked in some profession where he was all by himself in the woods somewhere but he was a Knox County School's history teacher and for the first few years when he was teaching at Mascot School he enjoyed it. But when that school closed and he moved to another he never was happy in his work anymore. There was way too much inside politics involved and I don't think he felt free to teach the way he wanted to. When he was able to retire early was the happiest I had seen him.
I honestly think that my dad could do anything in the world that he set his mind to but I also think he doesn't give himself enough credit. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many people have told me that he is the best and smartest teacher they have ever had. Go sit in his Sunday School class sometime and you'll see why. Which leads me to on last thing that I admire about my dad, and that is that he is a man of great faith in the Lord Jesus. He not only talks the talk but he walks the walk.
There is so much more that I could say about my dad but some things I just like to keep private. I love and admire my dad and am thankful to God that he allowed me to have him as a father.
I never saw my dad hit my mother or treat her badly. I can only remember a few times that they ever argued and it wasn't ever bad. Even though our family never was big on hugging or telling each other that we love each other, the love was always present in our home. We never for a second doubted my dad's love for my mother or for us kids.
All my life the only thing that dad wanted to do was just get away from everything. He loves being out in the country in secluded places. He always wanted a cabin or a farm with a lot of land. He came very close to getting that one time but it got pulled out from under him and I think he gave up on that dream because of it. He loves to be outdoors in the woods hunting or at a body of water fishing. He closely taught me the laws and rules of everything outdoors and expected me to abide by them.
Unless you are very close to my dad you wouldn't know that he has a great sense of humor. Some folks don't think that he smiles but they just haven't been around him in those rare occasions. You also wouldn't know that he has one of the most beautiful tenor voices you have ever heard. He is a very talented guitarist and could have played professionally had he chosen to.
Not only did I inherit my love for the land, hunting, fishing, and gardening from dad, I also inherited his thirst for knowledge. If you were to drive by his house in the wee early morning hours you would see a light on in the room where he studies for hours. All of my life dad made sure we were surrounded by books, something that I have continued doing in my own home.
I always felt sorry for dad because of the job he had. I know he only stayed in it to provide for our family. If he had his way he would have been a Forrest Ranger or worked in some profession where he was all by himself in the woods somewhere but he was a Knox County School's history teacher and for the first few years when he was teaching at Mascot School he enjoyed it. But when that school closed and he moved to another he never was happy in his work anymore. There was way too much inside politics involved and I don't think he felt free to teach the way he wanted to. When he was able to retire early was the happiest I had seen him.
I honestly think that my dad could do anything in the world that he set his mind to but I also think he doesn't give himself enough credit. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many people have told me that he is the best and smartest teacher they have ever had. Go sit in his Sunday School class sometime and you'll see why. Which leads me to on last thing that I admire about my dad, and that is that he is a man of great faith in the Lord Jesus. He not only talks the talk but he walks the walk.
There is so much more that I could say about my dad but some things I just like to keep private. I love and admire my dad and am thankful to God that he allowed me to have him as a father.
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