He crawls into the smallest little engine spaces. He lays on gravel to work beneath the boats. He smells like oil, gasoline, and engine grease practically all the time. He gets sunburned and blistered, and breathes in noxious paint fumes that make a person's lungs ache, but he keeps on going.
He gets injured on the job? He keeps working. He doesn't feel well? He keeps working.
He doesn't get holidays off, and most certainly doesn't get weekends off. He barely gets nights off, since our house is located right on the marina property, and people come knocking at all hours. And forget lunch and dinner breaks... you could hang a sign up saying, "Please Do Not Disturb," but everyone has that quick "one minute" question to ask, that usually takes far longer than a minute.
He has poured his life into this marina. He has poured his blood, sweat, and tears into it. The profit isn't great, especially in this economy, where people are more concerned with paying off house and car loans, and less concerned with paying for their boat storage. He doesn't get benefits... there is no sick leave, no paid vacation. He'll never get overtime pay, or comp time (not that he hasn't earned it 100x over and then some). He just works, and he works hard, and for the most part (with the exception of my mom), he works alone.
Sure, he has a few local high school kids, who come and help out in the afternoons and on the weekends, and some during the summer, but they're teenagers with school, and the social lives of youth, and can't be there as much as my dad needs someone to be. They also don't have a lot of experience, so they're still learning a lot. He has tried to find more experienced workers, but they are hard to come by, and most of them want to do contract work, which sometimes is more trouble than help.
The only person he has year round is my mom
(isn't she pretty), but she can't work on boats, and so she handles the business side of things. However, that is hard when people aren't paying, and don't answer their phones, and won't call you back to let you know when the next check is coming.
My parents live day to day, and they haven't gotten a break from anyone. If my dad isn't there, work doesn't get done, so when he leaves, he's thinking about the marina, and what he needs to do as soon as he gets home, because that is where the work is. This is more than just a job, this is his life.
The most amazing thing to me is that every day he gets out of bed, puts on his work clothes, and goes outside and does what needs to be done. He and my mom go to church every Sunday morning, and help as Sunday school teachers. My dad greets people at the church's doors, and welcomes them with a genuine smile that just won't go away, while my Mom volunteers at the welcome desk with the same great attitude. They trust in the Lord to provide for them and their family, and they amaze me every day.
I admire the courage with which my parents face life. I know that I would have a hard time doing all the things they do without melting to the floor in a puddle of tears. And I respect the way they live life with full reliance and dependence on God. It leads me to hope that if Scott and I ever face such overwhelming obstacles as they have, and are, facing, that we would continuously be able to rely on God to lead us through (and thus avoid the melting and the puddle of tears).
Right now things may not be going quite as hoped, but they have faith. Things are getting better, even though it's not always easy to see. And help is there for them, because their family loves them and cares for them, and we know their hearts. My parents will give until they have nothing left to offer when someone is in need, and we, their family, are willing to do the same for them.
My parents make me proud to be their child, and I love them more than words can express. I am blessed to have them in my life!
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