That stud right there is my dad. And he is THE MASTER in demonstrating how much he cares for people through his actions. No joke.
I realized this a few years ago, as my sister and I were discussing the book "The Five Love Languages." For those of you who haven't read it, the book discusses the different ways people show and receive love. The different ways are:
1. Gifts
2. Acts of service
3. Words of affirmation
4. Physical touch
5. Quality time
Ideally, the book helps you to recognize how you like to receive and give love, but more importantly, it helps you to understand how those around you like to receive love, and thus, how you can show your love most effectively to the people you care about. One person may value spending quality time together more than receiving a gift. Maybe you've been giving your wife gifts all these years to show her you care, but all she really wants is more quality time together. For someone else, the opposite may be true. There's a "test" at the end of the book to discover what YOUR primary love language is. Most people are strong in one or two areas, and then weaker in the others. Maybe your primary language is words of affirmation, your secondary is gifts, your tertiary is quality time, and further down are physical touch and acts of service.
THE POINT IS
My dad is an EXPERT at all. five. love. languages. He uses all of them. All the time. And it blows my mind to think of how he does it.
1. Gifts--the Cory Maxwell Way
Whenever my dad goes to the store (and he is known by name by all the grocers at Dan's, which means he goes almost nightly), he pretty much always brings home a treat. He knows how chocolate-dependent his children are, so he's always reaching his hand into the plastic Dan's bag and pulling out Reese's, Hershey's, chocolate orange sticks, Oreos, Milky Ways, or what have you. It's little things like that. But over a lifetime, I would argue (and I think my siblings would agree), it's much more effective than buying a one-time, huge gift, or even multiple big gifts over the years.
2. Acts of service--the Cory Maxwell Way
Picture this: you wake up on a winter morning and realize, with a sinking heart, that it snowed all night. You're running late, grumbling just thinking of how you'll have to take extra time to get the snow off your car windows and how your car's gonna be an icebox inside. Think again. Because Dad got up extra early (the man barely sleeps as is) to shovel the driveway (and Grandma's driveway), brush the snow off your windows, and even warm up your car. Bless. His. Heart.
My dad's life is a constant flow of acts of service. Honest to goodness, the only thing I can think of that my dad does for himself is to read the newspaper while he eats his cereal. The entire remainder of his days consists of:
a) laundry
b) dishes
c) running to the store
d) taking a non-member neighbor to and from work 3 or 4 days a week.
e) loooooong days at work (saving the world one quality, LDS book at a time)
f) home teaching
g) magnifying whatever calling he happens to hold (and filling in for others)
h) counseling his children
i) caring for Grandma Colleen
j) cleaning the house
k) a host of other altruistic acts
Much to the chagrin of many of my siblings (especially Sarah), my dad is always eager to fulfill any requests they refuse to fulfill--like getting me a glass of water with crushed ice when I'm too lazy to walk upstairs myself. "Dad! You're reinforcing her laziness!" To which he just smiles and does it anyway. AND he doesn't get mad when I drink out of his water glass, which I do every time I notice it.
This section could honestly go on indefinitely, but suffice it to say that my father does nothing but serve. And he'd be so embarrassed that I'm writing this. The man is H.U.M.B.L.E.
3. Words of affirmation--the Cory Maxwell Way
If my dad saw this section, he might think this is a less-successful venture of his--at least when it comes to showing me he cares. I'm not very keen on receiving praise because I'm terrible at accepting a compliment--especially when the praise is given vocally. But, as uncomfortable as I may feel whenever my dad praises me or expresses his love for me (which is every time I see him, at least once), it makes an impression. Most definitely. He is constantly complimenting his children on their qualities, and one of the things I've heard most from my father's mouth is how grateful he is for what great children he has. I'm still learning how to be comfortable with expressing vocally how much I care for people, but my dad's example has been a constant and consistent one. He always makes you feel like a million bucks.
4. Physical Touch--the Cory Maxwell Way
Of the 8 kids in my family, I'm known as the cuddly one. Ever since I was but a wee lass. Nay, a babe, even. I can always always always count on my dad for a hug. Especially a "side hug," which has become a family joke. He never lets me arrive from or leave back to Orem without one. Hugs are to be had in abundance when Dad's around. Annnd he lets me sit on his lap. Annnd he scratches my back if I ask (I know, I'm a terrible daughter). 5. Quality Time--the Cory Maxwell Way
This one is my primary love language, so it stands out especially to me. As a freshman at BYU, living in the dorms, I missed home. I didn't set my mind to immersing myself in the BYU social scene at Deseret Towers (may it rest in peace), so I was home. every. single. weekend. Yes, that's right. In my 4 1/2 years as an undergraduate, I can count on my fingers and toes the number of weekends I stayed in Provo. And guess who didn't have a car the majority of that time? This girl right here. And guess who came to pick her up every Friday and take her back every Sunday night? Dad. Rather than complaining about the FOUR hours of driving or the gas it required, my dad always told me how much he loved the quality time with me. He still talks about it to this day--7 years later--how much he enjoyed talking with me in the car those nights. And ya know what else? Rather than driving all the way to Provo every Sunday and just dropping me on the curb and wishing me a good week (which STILL would've been going above and beyond anything someone would expect of a father), he would carry my laundry bag into Building T and come up the elevator to the 7th floor with me. And then he'd get teary-eyed as he said goodbye, even though he probably already knew I'd be asking to come home in 5 days again.
Exhibit B. Every time I've gone out of the country, be it a 5 am departure or a 1 am arrival, my dad always wants to take me to and from the airport. Of all the flying I've done, never has my dad been absent for a departure or an arrival. Once again, he doesn't just drop me off at the curb. He goes in with me, helps me check my baggage, and waits as I go through the (looong) security lines. Always there's that familiar face as I get through security and turn around to wave, or as I come down the escalator into baggage claim. All my airport memories include Dad.
Exhibit C. Every time I'm home for the weekend, every time we have family at the house, my dad inevitably asks us what we would like to do while we're together--be it going to dinner, watching a movie, playing games, "or having Dad hyper down and stop asking questions," as he puts it. It's always been obvious that the family is his priority, and he's open to whatever we want to do, as long as it means spending time together.
Like I said before, I could go on forever about quality time, the Cory Maxwell Way.
My dad is the most Christlike person I know because he is the most effective love-giver of anyone I know. All the strongest examples of Christlike attributes in my life have come from my parents and grandparents. To know someone as well as I know my dad, to have spent as much time with him as I have, and to still feel that way about him--there's no greater compliment I could possibly give him. 
All of that, and he STILL knows how to have a whole lot of fun...
I love my dad.
