Could there be any better memories that a son has of his
father than spending time fishing together?
I am thankful for all our vacations when you woke me up a
few hours before sunrise & we glided across a moonlit lake in our kayak
enjoying the peaceful serenity before we hopefully caught breakfast in the form
of Lake Trout, Large Mouth Bass, Northern Pike, or Walleye.
When I reflect on how much I enjoy the beauty of creation, I
understand that a large portion of why I am like that is because of who you are & what you shared with me.
I also got to experience places like Isle Royale National
Park in Lake Superior that many Americans don’t even know exist.
That included . . .
. . . the playfulness exhibited in a den of red foxes
underneath our cabin or . . .
. . . when we weren’t enjoying the melodic signing of a
loon, we stealthily approached a nesting loon in our kayak & marveled at
the intricate perfect design of the different colors & patterns.
There is only one perfect father, our Heavenly FATHER. In
spite of not having a father as you were growing up, you are the perfect father
for me & I would not want anyone else to be my Dad!
"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special
to be a dad." — Anne Geddes
The City Beautiful of New Richmond, Wisconsin is where we
lived during my early childhood. Not bad to have a river running through our
back yard in which we traveled on our pontoon boat to the dock at the local
Dairy Queen to enjoy your favorite food in the world…ice cream!
I remember many times after dinner when you had already put
in a hard day’s work, that you would go prepare the outdoor ice rink so that
myself & many others could play ice hockey under the stars!
THANKS!
"Father taught us that opportunity and responsibility
go hand in hand. I think we all act on that principle; on the basic human
impulse that makes a man want to make the best of what's in him and what's been
given him." — Laurence Rockefeller
The official ball of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa
reminds me that when we moved to St. Louis, I tearfully accepted that we
couldn’t afford for me to play hockey anymore. You believed that I would be
successful in whichever sport I played, so you nudged me towards soccer.
"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give
another person, he believed in me." —Jim Valvano
Little did you or Mom know that a decision when I was in
grade school to play soccer instead of hockey would lead to an Athletic
Scholarship to play soccer as a Western Illinois Fighting Leatherneck.
"The most important thing a father can do for his children
is to love their mother." — Henry Ward Beecher
Because of the love you have for Mom, it was absolutely
hilarious whenever you two had disagreements.
Why?
It just was & I guess that is because it was so far from
your normal behavior.
"The greatest gifts my parents gave to me…were their
unconditional love and a set of values." — Colin Powell
It really is no surprise that even though I am far from
perfect, the love that you have for me & the values that you instilled in
me are largely responsible for the fact that I enjoy helping & serving
other people.
I just had to slip this photo in but I shall keep the
meaning of this between you & me even though Mom, Michelle, & Kirsten
may understand!
Praise be to the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in
CHRIST.
For HE chose us in HIM before the creation of the world to
be holy and blameless in HIS sight.
In love HE predestined us to be adopted as HIS sons through
JESUS CHRIST, in accordance with HIS pleasure and will — to the praise of HIS
glorious grace, which HE has freely given us in the ONE HE loves. — EPHESIANS
1:3-6
Just as GOD the FATHER predestined all who know JESUS CHRIST
as their LORD & SAVIOR, HE also knew all along that the best possible way
for me to have a life full of blessings, was for you to be my father!
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