Hero Interview from A Texas Ranger's Family

Interview with the hero from A Texas Ranger’s Family by Mae Nunn:

1. Daniel Stabler, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
As much as I love my work in law enforcement, I’m first and foremost a daddy and a family man. I was raised on my family’s West Texas ranch but I always knew I wanted to get my degree in criminology and become a Ranger. Then my daughter came along and all my plans to focus on my career flew out the window. My wife, Erin, left us when Dana was only a week old and that’s when my baby girl became the center of my world.

2. What do you do for fun?
Every summer my family hosts a huge barbeque cook off to help support a Christian boys home. I use my vacation time, take Dana with me and we work the cattle while my brother pulls the event together. It’s great fun being home again, making sure my daughter learns ranching values and enjoying all the crazy efforts and amazing barbeque of the competitors.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
I really hate to go off and leave Dana while I travel during investigations. She’s sixteen now, quite an independent young lady with her purple hair and pierced eyebrow, but not nearly as grown up as she thinks. I know I can trust her to behave while I’m gone, and she always has our house keeper for company, but I worry about my girl while I’m away.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?
There’s nothing I’m physically afraid of and my eternity is secure so I don’t even fear leaving this life. But I guess you could say I’m afraid that Dana and I will never have a “normal” family as long as her mama isn’t part of our lives. I pray constantly that God will restore my relationship with Erin and bring her home one day.

5. What do you want out of life?
My heart’s desire is to have my family reunited. I believe that when a man and a woman speak their wedding vows before God they are meant to be together forever. I also believe the Bible when it says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) I’ve made Christ the head of our home and trust that one day He’ll answer my prayers.

6. What is the most important thing to you?
In life and especially in law enforcement, integrity is so important. A man’s word is his bond. When I make a promise I keep it. My daddy taught me to guard the value of our family name and I’ve tried to pass that lesson on to Dana.

7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
I love the Bible. The answer to every question, to every problem has been given to us through the inspired Word of God. But I also enjoy a good western tale. I still read the old Louis L’Amour novels my daddy gave me when I was a boy.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
If I could change something I’d probably be a little less laid back. It really aggravates people that I don’t get more excited when the heat is turned up. But in my line of work if I let my blood pressure rise every time things got tense I’d be on medication. Nope, on second thought, I need to keep a level head and a quiet heart. I’m fine just the way God made me.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
I grew up in the country with critters everywhere, so these days I’m fine without any pets in our home. One summer while we were at the ranch Dana thought she wanted to bring a baby skunk home for a pet. The first time it sprayed her and she had to dig a hole to bury her clothes, she changed her mind.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I’d go back to the early days of the Texas Rangers. Those first Rangers were on a mission to protect the settlers from anything and everything that threatened their lives in the western territories. They were a unique breed, unafraid and unwavering in their convictions. The Rangers today are much the same but it would have been amazing to ride with those first Rangers, to share their passion and to hear their stories.