Today is August 7, 2011.
86 years ago today, Edward Bailey Evans was born to Bernard and Jessie Evans.
Edward Bailey Evans is my daddy. Later today, after church, the children and some of the grandchildren will gather at my sister’s house to have lunch and give him gifts. But no gift will rival what my dad has given me and my sister since we were born.
My dad grew up in a family that wasn’t poverty stricken, but at the same time, didn’t have much extra to go around after feeding and clothing five children. He learned early the value of hard work and passed that lesson along to me. In fact, I remember him telling me that “no one in the workforce is irreplaceable. There’s always someone waiting to take your place.” In other words, do your best at work. Don’t give your employer an excuse to replace you with someone who can do your job better than you are doing.
My dad is an avid reader and always has been. Today, at 86, he averages six books a week. Of course, he reads most all day long. Because I judge books for contests and review books for several publishers, I am blessed to receive books for free, and I purchase quite a few books as well. Almost weekly, I am taking him another stack of books to read. Books allow him to escape, to visit other countries, to learn and grow and enjoy the world. Books help keep his mind sharp. And in case you’re wondering, he doesn’t care for a Kindle, thank you just the same.
My sister and I love to read. I cannot remember a time in my life when I wasn’t reading. As soon as I was old enough, my dad took me to the library to get me a library card. I thought I was hot stuff then. I would check out 6-8 books at a time, and finish them long before they were due back two weeks later. I believe my love of reading led me to writing and here I am today.
My dad taught me to be dependable. When his health permitted, he was a man you could depend on to do what he told you he would do. Although I’ve failed more times than I’d like to admit to, I’ve tried to imitate my dad in this area. I want people to know that if I say I’m going to do something, I can be depended upon to do it.
My dad is a godly, Christian man who has always been the spiritual head of the home. As children growing up he exhibited to my sister and me the fruit of the Spirit. He still exhibits those same qualities today. He taught us how to pray. When we were kids, we had family devotions every night – Bible reading and prayer. Everyone had to pray. As a child, that was not my most favorite portion of the evening (and that’s an understatement). But my sister and I were not given a choice as to whether or not we wanted to participate – we participated. I look back on those times now and am so grateful that we were not given a choice. My dad set the standard for us in prayer and he still does today. He and my mom never miss a night of devotions and prayer together, unless one of them is in the hospital. They both pray for my sister and me, our sons-in-law, their five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren – and they name each one by name.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!
Today is August 7, 2011.
86 years ago today, Edward Bailey Evans was born to Bernard and Jessie Evans.
Edward Bailey Evans is my daddy. Later today, after church, the children and some of the grandchildren will gather at my sister’s house to have lunch and give him gifts. But no gift will rival what my dad has given me and my sister since we were born.
My dad grew up in a family that wasn’t poverty stricken, but at the same time, didn’t have much extra to go around after feeding and clothing five children. He learned early the value of hard work and passed that lesson along to me. In fact, I remember him telling me that “no one in the workforce is irreplaceable. There’s always someone waiting to take your place.” In other words, do your best at work. Don’t give your employer an excuse to replace you with someone who can do your job better than you are doing.
My dad is an avid reader and always has been. Today, at 86, he averages six books a week. Of course, he reads most all day long. Because I judge books for contests and review books for several publishers, I am blessed to receive books for free, and I purchase quite a few books as well. Almost weekly, I am taking him another stack of books to read. Books allow him to escape, to visit other countries, to learn and grow and enjoy the world. Books help keep his mind sharp. And in case you’re wondering, he doesn’t care for a Kindle, thank you just the same.
My sister and I love to read. I cannot remember a time in my life when I wasn’t reading. As soon as I was old enough, my dad took me to the library to get me a library card. I thought I was hot stuff then. I would check out 6-8 books at a time, and finish them long before they were due back two weeks later. I believe my love of reading led me to writing and here I am today.
My dad taught me to be dependable. When his health permitted, he was a man you could depend on to do what he told you he would do. Although I’ve failed more times than I’d like to admit to, I’ve tried to imitate my dad in this area. I want people to know that if I say I’m going to do something, I can be depended upon to do it.
My dad is a godly, Christian man who has always been the spiritual head of the home. As children growing up he exhibited to my sister and me the fruit of the Spirit. He still exhibits those same qualities today. He taught us how to pray. When we were kids, we had family devotions every night – Bible reading and prayer. Everyone had to pray. As a child, that was not my most favorite portion of the evening (and that’s an understatement). But my sister and I were not given a choice as to whether or not we wanted to participate – we participated. I look back on those times now and am so grateful that we were not given a choice. My dad set the standard for us in prayer and he still does today. He and my mom never miss a night of devotions and prayer together, unless one of them is in the hospital. They both pray for my sister and me, our sons-in-law, their five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren – and they name each one by name.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!
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