Father's Day: A Small Tribute to DAD

It's the day before Father's Day and I have kept my eye on this weekend on the calendar for the last year.  It was the night after Father's Day last year that we got that unexpected phone call that turned my world upside down in an instant, though it took much longer than an instant for the news to sink in.  We are a few days away from the one year mark which ironically is right around Father's Day.  So today I sit for a few minutes to put into words a few of the millions of thoughts that have been swarming in my head the last week.
Let me start with thank you God for Your faithfulness!  You have been with us every step of this journey, You have strengthened our family through this journey and You have been the brightness illuminating the very dark corners of grief.  In the times I've been at my lowest, You have pulled me up and refreshed my soul.  My God has been many things to me this year, most certainly my Father.
Last year on Father's Day we were camping with our home group and soaking up God's beautiful creation.  We had just spent a week with my parents on that beautiful California trip a week before Father's Day and it seemed enough to just send Dad a text while we were camping that day:

These were the last words we exchanged.  God gave me a great man for an earthly father.  I'm still learning from the life he led.  Though I have argued with God that it was not near enough time with Dad, I know God is painting a bigger picture.   And this weekend, I choose to remember the 38 years I spent with him and thank God for each moment.

Thankful for a love that started it all...

Thankful for teachings and comfort, his hugs were the best....

Thankful for guidance and encouragement and the way he lead this family...

And so very thankful for the legacy he left our family, the heritage in Christ, and hope for heaven....

One of Dad's greatest desires was this:

            "If I could tell my children one thing about God and the Christian life, I know what it would be.  The whole of life in Christ must surely be, 'to find mercy on that day'.  Whatever we may have or accomplished in life prior to that moment, when our life will be laid before the eternal righteous judge, finding mercy on that day will be the most important."

Dad wrote this in 1994 in a book titled, "From My Heart to Yours".  I found this several months ago and felt goosebumps as I read it.  What joy it is to know this message has been impressed on the hearts of his children and now his grandchildren!  We all have an eternal perspective that was shaped by our Dad and his love for his children.  

God has blessed me in ways I still don't know, but this year I've been more keenly aware to not miss out on His blessings.  I will keep my eyes open and on the lookout for more of God's goodness around me.  Happy Father's Day to all of you Dad's!  You have been given the opportunity to lead your children to the merciful hand of our Father, seize it!

STARTIN' OFF THE SUMMER!

Summer is here!!!  My big kids finished their school year last Friday and we have officially begun our summer adventures around here.  I created my lists of activities: "Oh the Things We Will Do", "Oh the Things We Will Make", "Oh the Places We Will Go", "Oh the Food We Will Eat", and "Oh the Ways We Will Serve".  We enjoyed our time searching online for activities and places in the Dallas area and together came up with our lists which I printed out for weekly reference.  On Saturday we sat down and each child and I chose something from one of the lists.  Game plan was established and supplies were picked up and yesterday we began...
After completing chores and a VBS meeting in the morning, Andrew and I headed to the public Library to get books and library cards.  (Hannah wouldn't entertain the library because she had too many books on her nightstand to read first)  After a quick trip to the grocery store, Andrew remembered  (on his own) our act of kindness this week (returning shopping carts in the parking lot) and returned one for the lady next to us loading her groceries.  Then we enjoyed a couple of hours of money origami.  Origami is fun!  I love turning a little piece of paper into a really cool 3D object.  But MONEY ORIGAMI is, well, MONEY!  Of course the older kids chose super challenging creations at first and then attacked more reasonable projects.

Caleb came home a little early and he and Andrew enjoyed a bike ride together through McKinney.  We cooked burgers, swam all evening and enjoyed watching The Voice.

 And as I sat outside on that beautiful summer evening admiring the success of the day, I happened upon my calendar app. . . which reminded me of dance recital pictures (individual & GROUP) Eden had at 4:00 that afternoon!  Are you kidding me?  How in the world did I forget that?
Just when you're floating high on the harmonious productivity of the day-- CRASH!  I share this to say I am so very far from Super MOM!  You may see highlights of our summer fun on Facebook or even here on this blog.  And yes, we ARE having summer fun!  But reality is I mess up, I miss appointments, I forget important things, I flat out get it wrong sometimes.  Though those are not the things I want to "highlight" online for the world to see, they are the things that keep me in desperate need of a Savior!
Eden and I had a conversation this morning about humility to which she asks, "What is humility?"  Good question.  I came up with some sort of a 4-yearold friendly version of my definition of humility, all the while thinking, "it's that moment when LIFE IS GOOD, ALL IS WELL, and you think YOU'VE done a great job, then you see your calendar and realize you missed something that had been on there for weeks and no, YOU can't go at this life alone.  YOU don't 'got this'."  That's humility.
I am looking forward to what this summer holds for us.  We have so many fun things planned and so many friends and family to see.  But may I not forget that it is only by the grace of God that today is and that it is only His grace covering me that keeps this family going.  May each of us attack our days ahead with the confidence that God goes before us, He leads us and He covers us.