Dadisms

I recently started writing down some of my Dadisms. You know, the words or phrases that the dad in me can’t help but say over and over. If that sounds strange, you need to know that

Normal is just a city in Illinois.

One of the kids will say something like, “Normal people don’t do stuff like you do.”

All I have to do is say, “Normal?”

As they roll their eyes, they’ll complete the phrase.

Dad win!

Those times when I am being extra cautious about something, I let them know that

A paranoid (pair o’ noid?) is better than one.

The other day (which I just found out means any day between my birth and yesterday) one of them asked what a noid is. I had to refer them to the old Domino’s commercials. They now agree with my saying.

Of course, they are amazed that I can remember back that far since I always tell them

The first three things to go are memory and I can’t remember the other two.

Of course, I’ve had older people tell me “You don’t want to remember the other two.”

As I get older, I am continually amazed at how quickly life goes by. To which I consistently proclaim

Fun times when you’re having flies

Which is a phrase that Kermit the frog wholeheartedly agrees with.

All these little quirks of my language are being passed on to my kids just like my dad left me with

You will eat it and you will enjoy it!

(Spoken in a strong German accent because he was, you know, Mexican).

It delights my heart when I hear one of my quirks repeated by my kids but

I’m not as think as you dumb I am.

What I really hope to pass on to them is in what I just read in my quiet time in the Bible this morning.

Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 New Living Translation

I hope you enjoyed this little twisted linguistic exercise. More importantly, I hope to pass on to my kids, my students, and you, my readers the sense of joy, hope, and love there is in this walk of faith.

May you be blessed as you seek the words that shape your life!