FATHERS.......................................

And now for a program interruption to talk a bit about fathers in our family. This past Sunday was Father's Day in the States, and your father was well remembered by all of you. Dad heard from you all by phone calls, emails, FB, SKYPE and cards.  We had no sons and daughters with us this year, but we did go out to lunch together and had a very special day at our First Alliance Church.  We are indeed blessed by you, our children and spouses, in that you all know and follow the Lord. What a comfort you are!

Fathers are special - my father was special!  My mom told me of how my dad could hardly wait to take me around to the houses of all his paritioners in Buffalo, New York, to show me off, he was so proud of me.  Dad was not the disciplinarian in our family and honestly, I do not ever remember his scolding me for anything!  He was always my hero and a very mild mannered one as far as his fatherly role was concerned.  I miss him even to this day.  He had lots of jokes and stories to tell, his speech was full of old fashioned expressions. He loved to preach - in French, Jula or English, and he had a big booming voice. He was also full of funny stories and one liners.  Definitely a fun person.

Your father is the best - do I seem prejudiced??  He loved you and cared for you from the time you were first born. He loved to hold you when you were little babies and often offered to even change your diapers. (We did not live in the age of disposables!) Dad is a hands on father, patient, caring, loving, involved...... We held each other and cried each time you went off to boarding school.  Every visit with you at boarding school was looked forward to by both of us.  John and Mark, you are both such a help around your homes and with your children - I like to think it is partially at least the good example your Dad set for you.  He was always a very involved father and still is.  Nothing delights him (and me) more than to get a phone call or other message from one of you.....

We have watched you men in our family develop into wonderful, involved fathers too. Having deep conversations with your children, praying with them, keeping in touch by writing and phoning, joking together, helping at bedtime when your childre are/were little, loving your children's mother - which is such a beautiful example to your generation of boys to make them better dads one day also.  We are so proud of all of you.

I have memories of you dads in our family from many years now:  Steve laughing and cracking jokes with Daniel, Darrell inventing some new toy or game for the boys in Beirut, Joel a hands-on dad in Paris and Côte d'Ivoire, Mark putting on a fireworks display for your boys and putting your kids to bed.  And John, you have such wonderful fatherly characteristics, as you participate in the life of each of your nephews and nieces. 

I salute you, our family of giving, caring, loving, humorous, hands on dads!  You are all such an integral part of our family..... Long may you live!!