Truly Amazing Story

A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?'. The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'. They went on to complete the marathon together. Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together.
One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.' To which, his father said 'Yes' too. For those who don't know, Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever. The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86 kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile (42.195 kilometer) marathon along the coast of the Big Island . Father and son went on to complete the race together. View this race at.....

NOW WATCH THIS VIDEO:

Father's Day

When I was younger these "days" didn't mean much to me. Yes, I made a little card and/or gift for my Dad and as I got older I bought him something but I don't think I ever properly thanked him for being a great Daddy. Not perfect, but he did not only better than his parents but in some ways better than I have been. So on this Father's Day I rejoice that I had a Christian Father. That I had a wonderful Christian Father-in-law as well and that my hubby is a fantastic father who loves and prays for his children with his whole heart. He might not always say it but they would be pretty blind not to see it. And most of all I am thankful for the best Father of all - our Heavenly Father. I am in awe every day that HE would be willing to call this sinful, disobedient, willful child His own. I thank Him for giving me men in my life and my children's lives who love all of us, and who love or have loved their Heavenly Father. Happy Father's Day!!

Wedding Anniversary

Today is my parent's anniversary. I must ashamedly admit that there have been a few years in my life when I forgot it. On their 40th anniversary my sister lovingly planned an Anniversary party for them which falls near the Family Reunion each year (my parents married on my Mom's parents' anniversary which is when we have the reunion). They thought everyone was coming for the Reunion but didn't know that it was also an Anniversary Party. It was such a beautiful time that day (thanks for all your hard work Joye!). Little did we know that it would be their last anniversary together. Less than 3 months after the anniversary party I gave birth to my parent's first granddaughter. They were so thrilled to see her and hold her. But 4 months later my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and 3 months after that she passed away. She was so excited to know she had another grandchild on the way (my niece) and little did she know that she would have a total of 7 grandchildren live to know about her and hear stories about her. Today would have been my parents' 59th Anniversary and tomorrow would have been my Mom's 92nd Birthday. Love and miss you both very much ---

Father of Mine

I was thinking today about Father's day and thought about how my husband has always felt that his number one responsibility as a Father is to pray for his children, which he faithfully does. He says that by spending time praying for each child he focuses on how to be a better father and rely on the one Perfect Father of all of us. Here's a poem that came to me from a friend that says the same thing but in much better form (BTW, the book this is from is an excellent one and I highly recommend it for every family!)

Father of Mine

Father of mine, some years ago
You showed me the way I ought to go;
You led my feet past the treach’rous sand
By the gentle clasp of your own strong hand.

Father of mine, let me thank you for
The prayers you prayed and the burden you bore.
Like a guiding star thro’ the tempests’ strife,
All your precepts have shone on my path of life.

Father of mine, when the time has passed
And the work of my life is complete at last,
When I step ashore on the glory strand
With a grateful heart I will clasp your hand.

—Sarah K. Marinee

The above poem was selected from:
Poems for Patriarchs: The Verse and Prose of Christian Manhood,
compiled and edited by Doug Phillips.

My Dad

As Father's Day gets closer, I am thinking of my late Dad. The one thing that sticks out in my mind the most is the fact that after my Mom passed away Daddy often told me something he had said once in a while when I was younger. During the last few years of his life, he sort of made this his "motto" -
"Every day ask yourself - 'What good have I done for somebody today just for the sake of doing it and not for the sake of getting anything back? ' " At his funeral he wanted the song sung "If I Could Help Somebody". He often read Luke 10:25-37 and reminded his grandchildren of the "Parable of the Good Samaritan". I'm going to try to do better at remembering (and applying) those words in honor of him, and teach them to my children, too.