Memorial Day, May 29, 1989

Memorial Day, May 29, 1989.  It is a day etched into my heart and into my memory forever.  My dad loved the Lord; my dad loved his wife; and my dad loved his boys.  My dad loved his country, serving in the Air Force for several years.  We have always celebrated Memorial Day, a day of thankfulness and gratitude for those who served our country and gave their lives for our freedom.  On Memorial Day, May 29, 1989, I was one month away from my 16th birthday.  My dad grilled sausage, chicken, and pork chops for our family.  Later that evening, he even coached my little brother's baseball game.  Around 5:30 PM that day, we called an ambulance because my dad wasn't feeling well.  My older brother and I were helping him to the ambulance, with my mom and Marty right behind us.  He turned and looked at us and my mom, and he told us that he loved us, and he was gone.  My dad passed away that evening, and my life and the lives of all of my family changed forever.  I look back now, and I realize that it wasn't about the QUANTITY of years we had with my dad; it was about the QUALITY of years we had with him.  God is good, and God blessed us with a great man!  He was a great husband, he was a great father, and he was a great friend.  God is so, so good!  Today, I read Psalm 9:1-2 as I thought about the goodness of God and I thought about my dad.  Psalm 9:1-2 says, "I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High."  We have so much to be thankful for today, and it is because God has truly blessed us in so many ways.  Happy Memorial Day to you and to your family.  My prayer for you is that you will be filled with thankfulness and gratitude and then share it with others!

For I Know the Plans

 

Katie Beth, Katie Beth, where has the time gone?  We remember the day you were born.  We remember the day you first started school at OCS.  You have gone from your first day in Pre-K 3 class to your last day of senior year.  Today you walked those halls one more time and parked in your spot one more time.  To say that we love you and are very proud of you would be understated, but we do very much love you, and we are very much proud of you!  You are a gift from God to us, and you have blessed our lives in so many ways.  Our prayer for you is to continue walking with the Lord and trusting His plans and purposes for your life.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  We can't wait to see you walk across the stage to receive your high school diploma, and we can't wait to see you walk into the hope and the future that God has for you.  Make the most of every opportunity God gives you.  Enjoy each minute of each hour of each day that God gives you.  Be blessed in this life and be a blessing to others in this life.  Honor and glorify God with every word you speak and every action you take.  

We love you, Katie Beth!

Your dad, mom, brothers, and sister