SeizingMyDay

Graduations, Weddings and Travels Adventures in Arizona

What an amazing weekend of special events interspersed with frustrating, but ultimately funny, slapstick moments on our journey of celebration. It was a full weekend celebrating Christopher Leland's graduation from California Lutheran University and the Laurie and Seth Davis wedding in Scottsdale, AZ. Life in the fast lane makes for funny follies when you are on a tight schedule to make things work.

With the hard work Chris put in to earn is diploma, we had to be there for our nephew's graduation. After all, he graduated Magna Cum Laude! We've watched him grow up. He's joined us at NSA youth programs. He knows we are in his corner, and it makes us so proud to see him graduate. He has a job waiting for him at a respected accounting firm starting this Fall. He's got a charming, smart and fun girlfriend, Danielle, who we hope turns into much more--God willing and they both agree! It will be exciting to watch him find his place in the future.

As to the graduation, it was like all graduations--alumni, presidents, and students had their time at the microphone. There were penguins with caps and hoods everywhere. Unfortunately, there was the long and somewhat tangential commencement address that seemed to have nothing to do with the young men and women graduating. As it dragged on and dragged on, we were afraid we might have to leave before Chris received his diploma. Leland was almost at the end of the line because diploma's were given out starting with A in one line and Z in the other. Thankfully, we had time to catch him in his glory and made time for a picture, a hug and a brief congratulation before heading for LAX.  We are so proud of Chris and the young man he had become.

The trip to LAX down 405 was slow, even in the diamond lane, but we made it with time to grab a pizza before getting on the plane. The only problem on the plane was the woman behind me. When we got on the plane and got off, THIS WOMAN kept falling into my trailing luggage! It didn't help that this woman was my wife! Lorie's travel falls just added to the rushed, slapstick adventure we had on this quick trip to Arizona.

When we arrived a bit early, we went to the National Car rental to pick up our Emerald Isle car. We picked what looked like the best car available, a new Altima. Little did we know that although it had keys to get in, you didn't need a key to start. It was a keyless ignition. You push the button and the lights come on. When it failed to do anything, we searched in vain for a place to put in the key. Now, with time passing, I was getting more and more frustrated and my language a bit more colorful by the second. If only we had hit the brake, the car would have worked.

Instead, Lorie suggested the simpler Ford next to us. I hopped out of the car and in the rush hit the panic button on the Altima. The horn was sounding throughout the facility. I thought it was the Ford, so I pushed that panic button only to start the second chorus of honks. Finally, I silenced them both. Lorie decided ti best to remain quiet as I got the Ford in gear and headed for the checkout. A few minutes later, we had a good laugh as Lorie said, "Did we succeed in setting off two security alarms back there?" Yes, we were off to a memorable adventure.

We arrived at the Seth and Laurie Davis wedding with only moments to spare. I parked the car in 104 degree heat and headed past the bridesmaids to the outdoor wedding area. It was beautiful but hot. The service was lovely. Both Lutherans, the young couple was challenged to keep love, faith, forgiveness and hugs at the center of their lasting commitment. I love weddings. It means a reminder of how much I love Lorie, good food, and a chance to dance! All were realized at this wedding event. It's always great to be with friends. As usual, I took a lot of pictures and even had them transferred to a CD to give to the families and the couple. Pictures early mean more than pictures late!

On Sunday, we again continued our adventure when I wrote down the wrong address for the Community of Joy Church service. Even the GPS navigator was confused, sending us in circles around a non-existent address. By the time we figured it out, we went to the middle service instead of the early service...convinced that God had decided to humble me for all this talk about being a seasoned traveler.

The service was joyful and meaningful on Mothers Day. He preached on Revelations, but what stuck with me was a quote Pastor Walt Kallestadt attributed to his dad, "You can't know what the future holds, but you can know who holds your future!" What assurance to know that no matter how many wrong turns and trips we make on our journey, God is with us all the way working out His plan in our lives. Now that is a firm foundation for life! We survived the rest of the trip and made it back home without further incident aware that celebrating the memorable moments of life with family and friends is a blessing we must never forget to take advantage of!

Leaving Footprints of Faith with Other Men of God

I just finished leading the combined men's retreat for the Westlake United Methodist and Westlake Lutheran congregations. You could feel the Lord's presence and the power of the Spirit working as we explored Ephesians 6:13-18--"Putting on the Full Armor of God--A Christian's Guide for Dressing for Success." God is so good. Men may not always be the first to want to get away for dialogue about faith issues, but when they do, mighty things can happen. I's love to say it was the stimulating presentations, but there was even more power in the small group discussions of Bible verses that expanded our appreciation for truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, the Word, prayer and the cloud of witnesses that have nurtured and sustained us in the family of God. I learned as they did--God is full of surprises when you are open to His message.

It's easy for men to think about being warriors, but warriors for God are driven by love and the power of the Holy Spirit. There is a blessed assurance that the war is already won, and that when we stand together, shoulder to shoulder, we can lift each other up when we fall. We can encourage, tell the truth in love and serve with strength. There were some great men of God I value and trust from our church--Lou Fiore, John Bell, Kevin Barry and Joe Bulock. We grew closer and probably had more conversations than we have had in a year of after-service goodie times.

I think we realized together that a spiritual life on autopilot is not what we are called to live. Like the disciples, we should feel compelled to take a stand for our faith. We are Christians and as John Wooden said, "If I were ever persecuted for my religion, I truly hope their would be enough evidence to convict me." It's time to leave evidence, trails of testimony, shared spiritual wisdom, claimed verses and prayers for those we love. Many took time to write journal notes affirming their faith.

We ended with an appreciation for the great cloud of witnesses--the teachers, parents, pastors, faith mentors, and saints that have witnessed and nurtured our faith. These men and women believed in our faith when we had not yet believed what we were capable to do in the Lord. They deserve our appreciation and our prayers. They will be applauding as we finish the race. May we never forget to thank God and thank them for the gift of grace we are now blessed to receive. I think of Lou and Mary Ann Fiore, Lew Smedes, Lee Travis, my dad and mom, Bob Lawson, Pastor Craig Beeker, Mr. Bosco my youth Sunday School teacher, Mark Sanborn, Naomi Rhode and Glenna Salsbury, my son Sean and, of course, Lorie, my companion in life, love and faith. I thank God for their witness, their prayers and encouragement.

There was great food, even better conversation and a new sense of renewal. I think the men of God will soon have a revitalized men's group meeting on Saturdays from 8:00-9:30. It's time to put our calendars where our priorities are. Join us. Join a men's group at your church, and know that together we are the men of God.

I end with the admonition of Paul in I Corinthians 16:13--"Be on your guard; stand firm; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love." And with a chorus of heavenly hosts, they all said AMEN!

Our Weekend in Tahoe with Micah and Jeremiah

What a blessing...and a challenge...to spend a weekend with our favorite grandchildren, Micah and Jeremiah, in favorite spot, Lake Tahoe! That describes it well. It was a blessing and a challenge.

First, Lorie and I are reminded of how all-consuming it is to have young children. There is the quantity of clothes and stuff you have to take with you just to get by--child seats, extra clothes, snow clothes, toys, movie players, DVD collections, medicine, "time-out" carpets...and earplugs! Yes, we drove from LA to Cooperopolis for a big surprise--Jeremiah and Micah were going to their first visit to Tahoe with Grandma Lorie and Papa Abba...alone! Yes, mom and dad were getting a two days off, and we were getting our first grandparent survival test!

We loved almost every minute of the experience. There was the three hour drive to Tahoe with high-decibel discourse coming from the back seats. There were kicks, blaming statements, intermittent tears and, of course, a series of warnings from the front seat--"Are we going to have to stop the car?" We didn't. Like all parents who point out the beautiful scenery; they didn't seem to care about what was going on outside the car. They wanted to know when we get there, and whether there would be plenty of snow.

There was quite a bit of snow for this time in the season and a threat of more to come that weekend. It did during the night before we had to drive out in that snow! But that is yet to come.

Within moments of arriving at our shared home in Stateline, the boys had their clothes and toys all over the house. We were trying to establish order; they were trying to create chaos. Lorie and I are still not sure which side won. We learned the importance of "getting kids tired" by hiking them, letting them play at playgrounds in the park and at McDonalds. Micah and Jeremiah, to their credit, play hard and get along well with other kids. They make friends and they race through every tunnel, every slide, and every swing set. We were proud of them. They enjoyed their hike to the lake through the reserve at Stateline. I took turns putting the boys on my shoulders...which will never be the same. We raced; we threw snowballs at each other; we laughed and we loved. They touched Lake Tahoe for the first time. We added that memory to our past joys associated with the hike. We used to take Runner and Sunshine to this area and watch them run. It was their favorite place. We hope the kids felt the same thing.

The first night was a challenge and a joy. There was the nightly reading to settle them down. Micah, who is now reading well, did most of the reading. He has made so much progress and loves to read and sing. It was a blessing. We then went to the rooms for stories. I told them stories, and they told me their own. They tried to stay in the same room, but that was not working. We split them up and put music in the hallway. They went to bed at 8:15, and we were in bed by 9:15. No TV, and barely time to get online to check e-mail. I can see why parents have a hard time keeping up with news or life! I was up twice during the night to put the kids back to bed and encourage them when they were afraid. I was suddenly glad that we went to bed early.

Saturday, we took a hike near the home by the creek. We went further than Sean and I had ever gone when he was a child. These kids are "true boys;" they love to take risks and take on the world. later we hiked at Emerald Bay to Eagle Lake with Micah leading the way. We then went back to McDonalds for food and more play time. Again the boys made a new set of friends. We went from there to the movies...to rest the grandparents...and take in the only "G" movie playing--"Meet the Robinsons." We loved the movie. It was a positive movie about adoption and the importance of "Keep Moving Forward" instead of getting stuck on past failures. We loved the movie...but like the scenery...we fear the message was lost on the kids. I guess that is what parenting is all about--thousands of such messages over and over again with the hope that some sticks. Lorie and I came to appreciate how great a job Sean and Nicole were doing to give the kids positive, faith-filled messages instead of just letting the kids watch anything. We tried to hold to those standards. It seems to be paying off for these two wonderful boys.

The final night brought more reading and more stories...and a great nights sleep with not a single interruption. Unfortunately, the great snow we wanted came when we were leaving. We had to drive through it instead of play in it. That was not as much fun, but thanks to four-wheel drive, we made it without chains back to Cooperopolis and...rest...for grandparents.

We not only survived the experience. I think they had fun and a new set of memories. We certainly have memories we will treasure. It was challenging but worth every minute it took to make it happen. After all, that's what grandparents are for--breaks for parents, memories for kids, and love...lots of it! What will I remember most, the moments I had with each boy to say how special they were and how proud we were to have them in our family.

Being a President for God Means a Lot

I've been President of both the National Speakers Association and the International Federation for Professional Speakers, but, this month, I became council president for Westlake Lutheran Church, my home congregation in Westlake Village, CA. Today I ran my first congregational meeting.

A good leader values the past, acknowledges the present and builds hope for the future. We took time to take a look back, giving acknowledgment for those who were there in the beginning. We talked about how we were one vote away from being Love Lutheran Church, but today being a loving family of God powered by Christ is central to who we are. We didn't vote for it, but we try to live it.

The biggest difference between a vision and a hallucination is the number of people who can see it. With the two building blocks of a vibrant small group ministry and youth ministry programs, we will be building the base to take us on the final step towards having our own church home. God willing and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be moving toward a vision we have had for over ten years.

I look forward to leading. Why? These people are my church family, the people of God who know and love us. We could live in any community close to a major airport, but the older you get, the more you realize people are more important than places. It will be fun to lead. I'll keep you posted.

A Perfect Weekend with our Grandkids and the Family of God

What a great weekend in Copperopolis and Murphys! I guess any weekend with your grandkids has to be that way. Papa Abba and Grandma Lorie are in town--tackle the old man and don't let him up! That seemed to be their opening game plan from the moment we entered the house. Participating in energy in overdrive is fun, even when you are the target of all the actions. Arms grabbing my head, the other boy leaping onto my back, and little boys seem to call this love.

Unfortunately, Nicole was not feeling well and had retired to their bedroom to try to get some rest...highly unlikely any sleep with the noise coming from all the action in the living room. Sean cooked the meal, and we gladly ate it. The boys are still a handful but you can see such progress. The need structure and respond to it. Just when you feel they could get out of control, there may be a brief time on their carpet square or a calming story. They do respond. Micah is talking much more clearly, and Jeremiah is just talking...period...all the time. His engaging smile makes him hard to resist; he's got a little spark in his eyes that lets you know fun is coming whether you like it or not. His mind is a steel trap. One of the words I often use as an exclamation is "Chiwawa." He remembers it--Papa Abba says "Chiwawa." We can look forward to some fun years ahead as they both grow into young men.

It was also a week of affirmation in the power of the family of God wherever you are. Whether it was dinner Friday night with Sean's mentor and his wife, Dave and Jill Kinney, a men's prayer breakfast in a ranch bunk house next to a roaring fire and pond, or worshiping for the first time with Sean's new Copper Canyon Baptist Church, God's Spirit was evident throughout the weekend. God is so good.

There is nothing more exciting than to feel God moving in a mighty way in this new church. Every Sunday, new people come to see the new pastor. It's contagious. Instead of being comfortable, people are challenged to make it their church and to keep it alive and growing. Even more exciting as a father is to watch your son being used by God, and to sense that he has found his calling. Whether it's the relationships you see him build or the sermons he delivers, you sense he is tapping God's Holy Spirit in a strong way. There is much I can learn from my son's journey. I look forward to a time we can spend more time with him and his family, our grandchildren and the family of God Sean is helping to shape in Copperopolis.

It's back to LA, but part of our heart remains in the Gold Country Sean now calls home.

2006 Paulson Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas to You and Yours!

Here's a quick look at a special year for the Paulson family! Sean and Nicole finalized their adoption, and the boys celebrated their new start by taking on new names, Micah Dale Paulson is now 6 and Jeremiah Michael Paulson will be five on December 30th. Micah has started kindergarten, and both boys are growing so fast and loving their new home.

Sean and Nicole now live in Murphys, CA, but they have been called to a new opportunity just miles from their home. Sean is the new senior minister at Copper Canyon Baptist Church in Copperopolis, CA. The church is a Southern Baptist mission church in a fast growing community (http://www.coppercanyonchurch.org). He has over 50 attending on Sundays and Nicole already has a Praise band going. As we have always said, there is nothing better than to see our son used by God in such a strong way. We're just glad that they didn't move farther away; we have grandkids to love and spoil! God is good!

The joys were matched by some losses and my father's health challenges. We lost two wonderful women to heaven, my Aunt Arlene and Judy's mom, Dottie. My father, Homer, had a scare. What started as a dangerous infection in one of dad's artificial knees, turned into knee surgery and an aggressive antibiotic treatment to deal with a sepsis infection that kept him in the hospital for weeks. He's home and doing better every day. We are blessed by great medical treatment, Doug and Judy being so close to the folks, and God's grace in keeping dad with us. After nearly 14 years, we lost our beloved Dalmatian, Sunshine, pictured here in the Tahoe meadow she loved to run.

Travel was another blessing again in 2006! In June, I was able to speak on a Baltic Cruise that visiting ports in Scandinavia and Russia. Of course, Lorie joined me for the cruise! In Stockholm, we were able to see our Paulson relatives, Anna, Maria, Anders and Carina Molin. We had time to see the Old Town, visit the palace, and take in a wonderful meal and boat trip. We also found a way to get past the visa requirements in St. Petersburg to see Ludmila and her daughter Olga. Ludmila had been our tour guide when we visited the former Soviet Union in 1988. She had visited our home in Agoura, and we had not seen her in nearly 17 years. What a joy to see them all, and to have Anna decide to visit us again over Thanksgiving. At 26 years of age, Anna is one of our honorary "daughters," and we loved hosting her for a special holiday and getting caught up again with her life.   
   
Lorie and I have continued to shepherd our Alpha Course at Westlake Lutheran. I'm on the church council, work with the new youth minister and sing in the choir. Lorie is active in two women's Bible studies! I continue to speak professionally on leadership, change and optimism. I finished a new book, Leadership Truths One Story at a Time, and still love making a difference for the audiences I serve. Lorie helps with our business accounting. I continue to enjoy writing two columns a month for the opinion page of the Scripps Howard Ventura County Star.

I hope you have taken advantage of my 12 Days of Christmas daily e-mail inspiration series; See samples and sign up at http://terrypaulson.com/christmas.shtml/. We are blessed by having a great family, wonderful friends, faith blessings and good health. But for now, we again in anticipation await the celebration of Christ's birth. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a very joyous and very meaningful New Year!

It's Great to Have a Swedish Daughter for a Few Days

Anna Molin has returned from Sweden for a return visit, and we are enjoying it even more than the first time. This young girl has turned into a mature and loving young adult. She's traded her school years for a career as a mechanical engineer with one year of work as a quality engineer under her belt. After seeing Anna and her family while on our Baltic Cruise this last summer, Anna wrote us and asked us if she could return for a visit. The time she picked has been wonderful. With few interruptions in my schedule for speaking, we have been able to schedule a fun time together.

The centerpiece has been Anna's first Thanksgiving in America. They do not have Thanksgiving in Sweden, so she had wondered about what it would be like. Getting the family together for turkey dinner is more than a one day adventure. There is preparation, cleaning and decorating. Anna could find no parallel from her family experience. She couldn't remember that many family getting together for anything but weddings. We played crocket, had munchies, watched football, had a great dinner with pumpkin and pecan pies.

Anna's had a chance to go shopping for jeans, take a boat around Westlake, listened to stories, decorated our house and Christmas tree, watched far more sports than she ever knew existed, attend holiday parties with a bunch of talkative speakers and go to the newest James Bond movie, Casino Royal. 

There is more to come with worship services today, a trip to Sea World in San Diego on Monday, dinner with my folks and Judy, and a UCLA basketball game on Tuesday with dinner with Karen Paulson who hopes to go to school in Sweden next year. It's a full 10 days, and we are getting to know this young woman better.

We found out that she is serious about her boyfriend Tobbe and that they enjoy time at the movies and sailing on his small yacht. She confessed that there is no lying around taking in the sun when Tobbe sails; she has to work! She is not sure where or when it might lead to more. She confessed that they marry later in Sweden, but that she is interested in marriage.

We've shared prayers, and, today, will worship together. She said that while in college she attended Bible studies with other Christians. I think she enjoys being in our home; we certainly enjoy having a "daughter" for even a short time. It's another reminder that it's the people that make the ride worthwhile.

The Paulson Family Reunion

There is something special about getting together as an extended family at Warren and Helen Paulson's place in Argyle, IL. They come from cities nearby and from cities far away--Washington, California, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin and Minnesota. There is food aplenty. We take the time to introduce everyone according to the line of the Paulson family they are from--The John Paulson or the Peter Paulson wing. Just listening reminds us of how broad a family can get in just a few short generations. But they still come together to catch up, eat a great potluck meal, and play bingo. That's right, the bingo is fun. Karen Nelson works to get a number of gifts and wraps them. She calls out the number and every Bingo means grab an available present or take one form another. That makes for fun. Steve Paulson brought his water pistol to shoot anyone who tried to take his presents! The banter is just down-home fun!

We updated our database with addresses and new children and spouses. We showed some clips I took from the 1991 trip to Sweden showing the family reunions there and the homes that belonged to Paul Andersson, the father of John and Peter Paulson. It was a connection people appreciated as most will not get to see the homeland of their ancestors. The more we met and talked, the more I appreciated the great work of my uncle Wayne Paulson who took the time to put our family information together. We will need to do it again. I hope to work with David Paulson to do that. We can add pictures and information for a new generation. I figure it will be a bigger book but one that people will treasure.

I'm glad we made it here. Lorie had not been here for years. The weather was perfect. We spent the evening with Corynne, Nova and George. We looked at their new home and looked at some of Hazel's old pictures. There were a number with mom and dad and even one with me in the back of a wagon pulled along by Elwood (Chuck) Paulson. It was good to see Corynne and to catch up on her efforts to capture history. She had taken pictures of the graves in the nearby cemeteries. Chuck and Corynne both want to have their plots near ours. There is something comforting of knowing where we will be, near our family that we love so much.

We got up early for breakfast at the Machine Shed. We had Warren and Helen come to join us. We had time to share memories and talk about the loss of his son, Wayne. Just talking brought Warren to tears, positive grief tears about a son he valued and respected. It was good for all of us to have the time. I must stop and see them when I come to Illinois. I was glad to hear that his relationship with his great-grandson Colton is growing. Colton is now ten and talked about Warren's promise to give him a tractor when he is old enough. He wanted the tractor his dad liked so much. Warren is more than willing to do that. He hopes that he lives long enough for Colton to be 21 so that he can be given the old farm. There is something about leaving a legacy that is important.

Making Grandchildren Feel Special Is a Grandparent's Job

At the 2006 National Speakers Association Convention in Orlando, it was great to reconnect with all our speaking friends...if you could find them in 1700 milling attendees! there were the usual great performances, good food and plenty of KEEPERS to put into action on my return.

But with Micah and Jeremiah coming to visit tomorrow, it was the comment of two speakers on some very special grandparents that got me thinking about my own role. How do you leave a legacy that lasts?

Phil Van Hooser's grandmother would make it a point of introducing each grandchild to anyone who would listen. She would go from child to child, placing her hands on their shoulders. With Phil, she would proudly announce that he was "Phil Van Hooser and he was a going to be the first Van Hooser Baptist Preacher!" Phil did not become a preacher, but he sure watched them as they preached. He watched how they used their voice and gestures. If he was going to be the first preacher, he was going to do it well. Phil never felt the call to the ministry, but he did feel God's pleasure as a speaker. I'm sure she is smiling down from heaven at his "ministry" as a speaker.

I have decided that I need to do the same with my grandchildren. My introductions might go like this:

"This is Micah and he's gifted with energy and athleticism and will be a great athlete. He's so good to his better that he will be a great team player making others better."

"This is Jeremiah and he's got such an active mind. He loves to talk with enthusiasm. He might be a talker or preacher some day."

Dr. Wayne Sofile, a psychologist who spoke on work-life balance, also was impacted by his grandmother and her sustaining love. Every time Wayne would see his grandmother, she would say, "Sit down next to me. Hold my hand. Let me look at you!" Even at forty-five, she did the same thing. There was a quiet assurance of love in a hectic world.

May I take the time to do the same with Micah and Jeremiah. After all, we do grandmothers always leave the legacy? What special things did your grandparents do that made a difference to you?

A Father's Day Tribute to Dad--Growing Up in Homer's House

Dad is 88 years old and still kicking, laughing, loving, and living life to the fullest! He remains a model for me in so many ways. The fruit does not fall far from the true, and, even if the fruit rolls away a bit, you can still see the tree from there!

What can you say about Homer Frederick Paulson?

Dad has always had a zest for life that shows in everything he does. If he is playing cards of any kind, he plays with gusto. He relishes his victories, his eyes sparkling with delight. He is not a quiet player you have to read; he's talking and laughing most of the time. He would be a great change of pace for the stoic figures on TV Poker.

Dad loves to create things. If he is not making jewelry, carving wood, painting his ceramic, polishing agates or Maui diamonds, creating tile mosaics, or trying his hand at some new creation, he's not happy. His hands were made for working. He's proud when people treasure his creations, but I think he would do them whether they liked them or not.

If he is not creating, he was fixing. I think it is part of his Illinois farm upbringing. You didn't get to buy new things during the depression. You found a way to fix what needed to work. If he could take it apart; he could put it back together. I think some of that carried over into both Doug and I, we are good with our hands and love to take on projects. We could buy what we need, but there is satisfaction in fixing and keeping what you have until it dies!

Dad is a collector. He likes the satisfaction of the search and getting closure on his collection. He started with coins and eventually went to Heisey Cruets. He'd carry a list of the ones he needed. He's go into coin or antique shops and banter with owners to keep an eye out for what he needed. He was never shy about negotiating the best deals he could get. There was a reason; he never wanted to face Mom with paying too much for one of his collection items. He'd chronicle and learn to be an expert in anything he collected. He made a difference that way. His book showing all the Heisey Cruets is available for sale at the Heisey factory museum. He truly is the "Cruet Man!"

Dad lights up a room with his joy and energy. Whether it's a family gathering or a meeting of seniors at his retirement community in Rancho San Diego, people respond to his energy and enthusiasm. If you need a leader, he'll be your leader and get people involved. If you need someone to carry a conversation, he'll provide all the stories and the opinions you need to get things going. Outside of looking serious at times over key issues, Homer usually has a smile firmly entrenched on his face and light in his eyes. He has the sparkle that his Mom Vera had. I've learned from dad that you can't run out of joy by sharing it, so you might as well spread it around every day. His zest for life is contagious. When it comes to my joy factor, I'm proud to say that I got mine from dad!

Dad is a man of faith in action. I can't say that I remember him reading the Bible to us or praying passionate prayers in our presence. Sure we said grace at every meal, but it was always the same--"Come Lord Jesus. Be our guest, and with this food to us be blessed." God's faith was short, sweet but strong in action. Dad would echo the words of Thomas Aquinas, "Pray as though it depends on God, and act as though it depends upon you." Dad put his faith in action. He would serve on church councils, run stewardship campaigns, provide transportation, give money and support, encourage the pastors, and provide a model of faithful church attendance throughout his life. Thank goodness he never tried to join the choir; singing was not his gift. You don't earn your way into heaven, but the Holy Spirit sure put dad to good use for the cause.

Dad was a model of love to Mom and to our family. They bantered with each other--dad was the can-do optimist and Mom was the "now be careful" protector and provider. Mom would put on the Band-Aid and dad would get us back on the bike with gusto. I never saw dad say a harsh or profane word to my Mom. He laughed a lot. He would discipline when needed out of love. Mom and dad were meant for each other. When she was seriously ill, he would do everything he could to encourage and help her. It was frustrating for him when she would not bounce back quickly. I think Mom got well, because she got tired of dad doing her hair. Just looking in the mirror probably motivated her to get better.

Dad lived the American Dream. He worked hard to achieve results for himself and his family and he took pride in taking time with his family. He lived the balance we talk about. If you haven't guessed, I respect my Dad like no other man. I am who I am largely do to the model he has provided. Thanks Dad for being My Dad!