See that? It's my dad. (He's 80 years young, by the way!) His truck broke down at my house a few days ago, and today he came over to fix it in my yard. He brought his tools, and cardboard to put on the ground to cover the mud. Now I know why I seemed to be in slow motion this morning - God was having me wait for my Daddy! (He knew I was going to get dirty today!)
And that's OK with me. In case you couldn't tell, I'm a Daddy's Girl. :-) He's a mechanic, and sometimes I used to "help" him as a little girl. I'd push on brake pedals while he bled the air out of the lines. I learned how to check my oil, and can rotate my own tires, with an air gun :-) Really.
The smell of his garage is a favorite of mine. Oil, grease, brake fluid, acetylene torches, and Tide all commingled into this smell that just screams "Daddy." A thin layer of grease coats much of the contents of his workspace: the anvil, the drawer knobs, the tools. His antique cash register with the big round buttons still sits in the corner, so dirty you can't read the keys.
Everything makes a clanging sound in there, too. Wrenches clink against each other, jack handles bounce off the concrete floor, wash tubs grate across the wood stove.
I loved spending time in Daddy's garage. So today with him was a nice treat, even though the surroundings were different. His tools still clang when they hit each other, and I still got grease and anti-freeze on my hands. He still wore his navy blue work clothes, and I could still smell the oil. And his coffee. Gotta have lots of coffee. :-)
I had some quiet moments with my heavenly Daddy today, too. Holding on to the radiator while my dad disconnected hoses, I watched the clouds go by overhead. I listened to the hawks scope out a good spot for their nest. I felt the warm sun on my back, in between the cool breezes that blew.
It was a good day, even though I didn't do anything I had planned. But I did do what God had planned for me. And it was way better than what I would have done on my own...
I hope you find a way to enjoy time with your daddy too, whether it's your earthly one or your heavenly one!
Early on, we receive our lenses of who are Heavenly Father through the study of our earthly fathers. Sometimes the vision is skewed. Sometimes the vision is accurate. I am fortunate to have a daddy who painted a good picture for me of my heavenly Father. Sounds like you have one too! Let's just squeeze the life out of 'em while they're here! (noisy engines and all). I think I'll go e-mail my dad right now.
ReplyDeletepeace~elaine
Now that my life has slowed down A LOT I am looking forward to noticing the birds, the sky, and spending time with my heavenly daddy.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad was a mechanic (he passed away 5 years ago) and I can so relate to the smells you mentioned too and how they make me remember him. I was the youngest of 3 and I think I had an extra special place in my dad´s heart... I had a gift you see... I could make him laugh...he loved that. There is something very special about a daughter´s relationship with Dad and I am glad that you still have yours around to enjoy.... those were well spent hours I can tell you. I am glad that I have my heavenly father and I can still run to him and he makes me feel safe!
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