Remembering My Dad



This photo of my Dad and me was taken at a wedding when I was about five. I wonder why I look so scared. Maybe I was just pooped from dancing too many polkas with him. Maybe the photographer frightened me because I hadn't yet learned to be courageous and smile at him. One think I know for sure is that I've grown in understanding through the years. I use to think the legacy that my Dad left us was his kindness and enjoyment of everyday simple living. It goes deeper than that for sure. My Dad's legacy is that he was a father who loved God and reverenced Him. Dad was never ashamed of his faith or prayer life. A quiet man, he never retaliated when he was offended. He wasn't big on words, but he modeled how to live in peace. I'm remembering my Dad this Father's Day and thanking God for his example.



My pastor shared some awesome statistics last week in Part One of his Father's Day Message. Ninety three percent of the family comes to Christ when father gets saved! It is 35% for mother and 3% for the child. Praise God for fathers who love Christ and serve Him first.







This post connects to Spiritual Sundays. Click here!

Comments

  1. What a beautiful father you were given Mary...and what a legacy :)
    Have a great weekend friend xo

    Deborah xoxo

    ReplyDelete

  2. Such a gift Mary to have a God -loving, God- fearing Father indeed! Now, married to a man who is just the same....Double blessings from the Lord!

    May you and yours have a beautiful Fathers Day weekend!

    Love you

    ReplyDelete

  3. Even though your father may have been a man of few words, he gave you a wonderful example and legacy of love for Jesus. That is often too rare these days. What a blessing. And I love the photo of you two Mary.

    Love you,
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete

  4. What a beautiful tribute, Mary ... I've a hunch your dad's "bustin' his buttons" with pride up there.

    Love this photo -- didn't someone take special care with those bows?

    Have a wonderful trip "home" next week!

    ReplyDelete

  5. I miss him. He was a good man and a wonderful grandpa.

    ReplyDelete

  6. You were so stinkin' cute (still are)!!!

    That statistic boggles my mind. If Dad's would only understand the extended power of their own salvation ....

    Hugs,
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete

  7. I am definitely thankful for my father who knew Christ and kept our family faithful. Glad you had such a good father too.

    ReplyDelete

  8. So sweet. What a blessing to have a godly father.

    ReplyDelete

  9. Melt.my.heart! What a sweet picture of you and your dad...and what a legacy!

    It sounds as if your dad lived his life "out loud"...he may have been a quiet man, but his actions spoke louder than words. :-)

    ReplyDelete

  10. Hi Mary,

    Thank you for sharing this tribute of your dad. You express a love for a man who understood his purpose in Christ as a father.

    Blessings and peace.

    MTJ

    ReplyDelete

  11. Polka dancing! What a wonderful memory!!! Rejoicing with you, as I also had a godly father.

    ReplyDelete

  12. Can you imagine if all "dads" man up and go to Christ? What a wonderful world to live in... :)

    It's sad for me when I see many "dads" locked in literally and spiritually are in bondage.

    That is an awesome picture of your father and you! But I know this is not enough to show how much love existed between the two of you!

    Happy Father's Day to your hubby sister Mary and I love reading many posts about our awesome Father as well. God bless. Love you in Christ.

    ReplyDelete

  13. I have never heard this statistic before,it doesn't surprise me. What a sweet post about your father.
    God Bless,
    Ginger

    ReplyDelete

  14. Interesting statistics. You are so blessed to have had a father who loved God and raised you to love Him too. Great picture. Thank you for sharing.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

    ReplyDelete

  15. What an interesting statistic. A godly man living in peace is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.

    Blessings,
    Pamela

    ReplyDelete

  16. great tribute...love the pic.

    ReplyDelete

  17. What a beautiful testimony to a Father who understood the importance of leading his family in righteousness.

    Pretty cute little gal in his lap too!

    Blessings, Debbie

    ReplyDelete

  18. Loved the photo, Mary.

    And what a very special dad you had. Won't it be wonderful to see him again?! Will you be sure to introduce me to him? :)

    What an interesting statistic - one can never underestimate the influence of a man who loves the Lord.

    GOD BLESS!

    ReplyDelete

  19. I love that precious picture. Blessings ~ Oh, and I really like your new header.

    ReplyDelete

  20. I know I'm late on this one, but saw it at the bottom of the page after commenting on your last post.

    I'm encouraged by the man God used to help care for and shape your life. There is nothing better he could have left you than the crown from God that he did.

    I love stories too...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unwritten Songs

Image
Annie’s Song competed with the noise of sizzling bacon on the stove while my husband blended the ingredients for his famous blueberry waffles at the kitchen island.  I hung a big birthday banner in the dining room and anchored streamers to flow from the ceiling as a centerpiece over the table.
You fill up my senses like a night in the forest…the familiar old song played in the background on the kitchen radio.
The morning sunshine beamed through the windows as I set my dining room table for yet another special family gathering, Sookie’s birthday brunch.  Our granddaughter turned nine.  Last Saturday, her dad planned a busy, fun day.  He included us and I couldn’t wait for them to arrive.  I wouldn’t be able to go ice skating up in the mountain with the rest of the family but having a special breakfast together and opening presents gave me something to look forward to all week long!   
Papa Tom and I reminisced while we prepared the party food that morning and chatted about the oldie radio…
Read more

Scary Scars

Image
A young trouble-lovin’ neighbor boy managed to scare me back in my preschool days.  My mom sent me to our neighbor’s house where Freddie hid in the shrubs and jumped out at me wearing his Frankenstein mask loaded with scars.  I screamed every time.  

I’ve had to forgive Freddie for harassing me when these memories pop up.  I’m sure he grew up to be a swell guy and if I could remember his last name I would look him up on social media and yell at him.

Those Scars! The scars on the mask looked real to me, a six year old timid girl.  What is it about scars that creep us out like that?
When I think of scars, I think of pain.  I don’t like to see people suffer. 
Scars are areas of fibrous tissue (fibrosis) that replace normal skin after injury. A scar results from the biological process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natural part of the healing process.     Wikipedia
My orthopedic surgeon is a petite female but as strong as her male peers in the f…
Read more

Surviving Limbo

Image
If there was ever a place I never wanted to visit its Limbo.  No calm sea or happy dancing there in Limbo, just a boring pause desperate for a breakthrough.  Yet, I found myself there these last few weeks.
I’ve reached the limit for healing my left knee.  I can do no more until I have the right knee replaced.  My surgical knee compensates and I walk lopsided.  Plus it hurts.  My therapist, the standup comic, throws up his hands and says:  “You are in Limb-O!”
I set the date for another surgery.  That’s when the rigmarole began.   I flunked my chest X-ray.  I took it again and got the same result.  I felt like an outcast.
“You are inoperable,” they said.
I visited one doctor and then another.  I completed an echocardiogram. 
I wondered if my primary physician would release me for my very close surgery date.  Fear set in that something was wrong with me yet I felt great.  I didn’t fit the suggested diagnosis.  Why can’t life be smooth?
How to survive Limbo Control freaks hate Limbo.  They map…
Read more