My dad's birthday

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Rom. 1:16-17



Today was my dad’s birthday. He’s been gone a couple of years from complications due to surgery and we miss him greatly.

At this time of graduation, it brings back some regrets at his passing. I so wish he could have seen my kids graduate from college and my youngest from high school. He would be so proud of them. He loved them and all of us in the family unconditionally. I always knew I could go to my dad with any problem and he would listen and try to help.

I tried not to take advantage of that as I got older, but it was tempting to look to someone for help who always wanted to fix my problems.

Dad loved people so much. Whenever I see a certain guy at church, I think of how Dad counseled him and offered friendship when the guy had legal problems.

His own dad died when dad was a young man, which meant he was now the man of the house. That was a challenge with a large family to feed.

But Dad worked hard and learned to be a businessman on his own. Without going to college, he developed three businesses during his lifetime that profited him well.

He liked to work with his hands. He always had a great workshop. I have two large bookcases and a beautiful cedar chest he made for me, as he did for each of my sisters. If I had asked him to make anything for me out of wood, he would have done so.

Now it is tomato-planting time and that also makes me think of Dad as “once a farmer, always a farmer.” He moved in to town with Mom the last decade of his life, but he had a big backyard and lots of room to grow things like flowers and plants. He was still experimenting that last summer with new tomato plants that were supposed to be huge!

Dad was a back to nature kind of guy, but he liked the latest gadgets too. I remember the first microwave we had – it was huge!! We could have put all of our plates for our family inside at once to be warmed.

One memory I have is the number of men he would employ to work for him. I didn't know it at the time, but some of them had been released from jail and couldn't find another job.

Dad took a chance with them, as these guys could have stolen his expensive tools. But as far as I know, that never happened. Now I write a newsletter for a jail chaplaincy group and I think of Dad whenever I read about an inmate who can't find a job. He needs someone like my dad in his life to give him a boost.

Dad, we miss you, but we know you’re in a wonderful place and we can't wait to join you some day.
Love, Your daughter, Kay

Thanks, Vets!

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”- Colossians 1:9


Yesterday was Veterans Day. I didn’t have my computer on so I couldn’t post a comment for all of the veterans so this is it today.

I didn’t grow up in a military family and didn’t know anyone who was in any branch of the service. Then I married a man who was in the Air Force. He created the love for flying in our son who is now a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and planning to enter flight training soon. I’m proud of both of them and know my outlook has changed from having military members for loved ones.

Yesterday I watched an hour-long documentary on the D-Day invasion. Several survivors of that day were interviewed. Their remembrances from 60 years later – guilt from surviving, horrific pics in their minds from scenes of buddies dying on Omaha Beach that still ply them with nightmares – were heart-wrenching.

By the end of the hour, my waste basket was full of used tissues. I kept thinking, they were the same age or even younger than my son. What were they doing there? Why did they have to go through that?

Having family members in the military has made me more sensitive to this type of program. But hopefully even if I had never had a loved one in the military I would still respect each person who has ever served and continue to pray for them daily.

Thanks to each person who has ever served for our country and to their families who give up a lot to help our country. You are not forgotten. You are loved and respected deeply.

Our church is planning to send Christmas cheer boxes to military people at Christmas. What could you do to help a member of the military this Christmas?