Father's Day...Just Not the Same

Tom's "pride & joy"...Addy Grace

Saturday evening The Engleharts invited us (Papa, Granny, Sarah, Zac, Addy & me) to their beautiful home for fellowship, fishing, food and fun.  As Ginny and mom prepared food, papa fished (Zac & Sarah hadn't arrived yet) I had alone time with God on the dock.  He grabbed my heart as I was lamenting the fact that Sarah and Matt didn't have a dad (in person) to celebrate this Sunday...then He touched me and said, "Tom is celebrating his first Father's Day with his Heavenly Father...it's okay".  With eyes filled with tears I gave thanks for the many years Sarah and Matt did have an amazing earthly father to celebrate and honor.  I am thankful that Tom is having the best Father's Day ever!  Tom would agree that it was never about him, but about Jesus...our real Father.  Addy sure had fun romping in the water, chasing the ducks and running in the country...I know Tom would have enjoyed seeing her have such a great time.

One of many large mouth bass Papa caught!

 I'm so thankful that my parents are here and we can celebrate Father's Day with my dad.

Sarah & Zac enjoy the canoe

Libby & Addy share a bed in exhaustion...not sure Libby was into sharing her bed!

What a fun evening we had ending with a round of Hand & Foot...thank you, Ginny for your generous hospitality!

For Father's Day:

"For His precious children, He serves as both Guard and Guide.

He both precedes us and protects us.

He is simultaneously our Shepherd and Shield.

He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the One Who goes before,

guiding into the future, and the One Who goes behind, gathering up our debris,

our failures, and our poor attempts at ministry,

blessing us and leaving a blessing behind us for others."

 

"After my father's passing, my mother struggled pitifully with loneliness.  There was little anyone could do for it.  Her rambling mountain house seemed desolate, haunted with memories of a vanished hand and a silenced voice.  But she was a sturdy woman with an unusual streak of determination, and as time passed, she began to discover some of the benefits of living alone, such as God's presence."

The Red Sea Rules

by Robert J. Morgan



I'm not sure how long the above "time" was...
I'm not sure anyone would call me "sturdy"...I feel very frail...
I'm not sure if I have a "streak of determination"...
I'm thankful that I have not had to "learn the benefits of living alone" (without Zac & Sarah)...

...that day is coming

BUT...I pray that I will practice the presence of Jesus and never truly feel alone!

As I think of my parents leaving on Monday, to return to their home in Florida, I can become quite sad.  I'm choosing to be happy for them (they have been gone for over a month!) and choosing to be thankful for all they have done here for me and with me!  I know 'life must move on' so I press on with Jesus on this journey He has me on...thanking Him and releasing what He calls me to release to His perfect plan...it's not easy.

Kelly, Mom & Me at the Papaya Street Grill

"Girls Night Out"

I'm going out in "public" more and more without my wig...with the warmer weather,

it's just too hot!  I really feel uncomfortable around people I know...vanity, oh vanity...

it's just that my hair grows SO slow!  I don't think too much about it until I catch a glimpse of myself, see my shadow or see a reflection and then I think, "who's that man?"!!

 

"But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers,

then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good,

so that we may share His holiness."

Hebrews 12-8-10