One was a great king, but not a great father.

The other was a great father, and a king in the hearts of his children.

David was a talented musician and songwriter and wrote many incredible Psalms in the Bible. He grew in courage and strength as he tended the sheep for his father. When he was a young boy, his faith was so strong that he believed that God would be with him and enable him to defeat the giant, Goliath. He did defeat Goliath, was eventually anointed king and led many people in battle as a great warrior. Sadly though, David did not know about the turmoil that was taking place within his own family.

He was a success in almost every area of his life except for being a dad.

David (my father’s nickname) was a talented musician and songwriter and wrote many Lebanese songs about his love for God, family, and his country. He tended his family’s garden and started working when he was a young boy. He had a strong faith and grew in courage and strength as he worked to help with the family income.

David became a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and was loved and respected by his family. He was confronted with many giants as he journeyed to America across the ocean. These were giants that could have stood in his way such as fear of traveling to a foreign country, not being able to speak the language, not having a home or a job, or having enough money to provide for his wife and baby. He slew the giants one by one and was hired as a tailor the day after he landed in America. He learned to speak the language and often worked two or three jobs so that he could buy a home and feed his growing family. He did not know what the future held for him, but he stood up against the giants and trusted our Lord to win the victory.

He became a success in every area of his life, but his greatest success was being a husband, father, and friend.  

My dad made many sacrifices to take care of his family. He was present for each phase of our growth and development. He made commitments to us, and we were more important than anyone or anything else in his life. He genuinely wanted to be with us, guide us, protect us, and lead us by his example to be leaders in the community. His title of “Dad” was earned and was well deserved.

He lit the torch that he wanted us to carry so that we could light the way for others.

Like Abraham, my dad trusted God when he moved to a new land. He was given the courage to begin a new life for the sake of all the generations that will come after him.

Like Daniel, there were many days that he was hungry and frightened, but he trusted that God would provide for him and protect him from the hungry lions in life that wanted to devour him.

Like Moses, dad brought many people to a new land, bought them homes, gave them food, found them jobs, and led them to a new life by his compassion and generosity.

Like Noah, he trusted that if he built a life in a new country, God would shelter him from any floods and help him to withstand the storms that life would bring.

Like Joseph, he was the head of the family. He always provided us with a home to live in, clothes to wear and food for our bodies. He sheltered, protected, guided, and loved us.

Many men can become fathers, but it takes a special man to be a dad.

My Dad taught us to open our homes and hearts up to everyone. He filled our lives with music, poetry, dancing, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and friends and for that I am forever grateful.

He was not a king that sat on a throne, but he was a king when he sat at his sewing machine sewing as he sang to his children, told them stories, and drilled them on their math problems.

My father was successful in every area of his life, and he was a great dad.

He was the king of our family and will always be king of our hearts.