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.
"The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature." — Antoine François Prévost d'Exiles
I also got to experience places like Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior that many Americans don’t even know exist.
. . . the playfulness exhibited in a den of red foxes underneath our cabin or . . .
. . . seeing a moose swimming 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!
"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.
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 Michelle & Kirsten may understand but this quote is a hint for those out there who think y'all are a modern day Sherlock Holmes!
"Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, & singers of song." — Pam Brown
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!
"The difference between a man & a father is that the former shares his genes, but latter gives his life." — Craig D. Lounsbrough
I love that you're my father!
That's more than the title of this blog as it's also the last line of a song that inspired me to write another blog so I guess you'd like to know what that song might be so here's the link which also has a couple of quotes from the singer himself along with a couple of photos of you & my father-in-law & my beautiful wife!
There is only one phrase that sums up all that I am trying to convey!
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