Happy Saturday! And Happy Father’s Day Eve to all the dads out there.

Matthew 22: 37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and with all your mind.”

This is Bruce’s first Father’s Day without his first born son in 25 years. Casey was born the day after Father's Day in 1984, but we always considered him Bruce's Father's Day present that year. Bruce is currently busying himself with reconstructing his computer and desk after attempting to reconfigure it this afternoon. I have thought about Casey today and thought that even though he is not here to honor his earthly father, he is in heaven honoring his heavenly Father. I would imagine Casey does that each day. I remember on the day Casey was born and for a long time Bruce seemed the only man who had ever produced a son. On our way home from the hospital Bruce had to stop at his office to show off his boy and then after we got home one of the neighborhood kids came by with a new puppy. Bruce showed Casey to the puppy. Bruce was also there as Casey came into this world and he was there when Casey left this world to be with his heavenly Father.

Bruce and I have always treasured our children and throughout our lives we have worked to instill in our children that your family comes first and that no matter what the problem is, there is a way to work it out. But since Casey’s passing we have become even closer to Geni and Travis and treasure each moment we have with them. Tonight dinner was on the deck. We talked about everything and nothing and it was wonderful.

You know that song, “They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love”? The love that is spoken about in this song is the love that God has for us, the love we have for God, the love we have for each other and the love we are supposed to show to all in whom we come into contact. WOW! That is a lot of love. The song says, we will “work with each other.” Sometimes the people we work with are like sandpaper. You know, they sometimes “rub us the wrong way”? God loves those people just as much as He loves us. If we are growing in the likeness of God then we must learn to love the “sandpaper” people too. The purpose of sandpaper is to smooth out the rough places and make the wood smooth, even and splinter free. We are not perfect so splinters appear from time to time. I think that is what forgiveness is all about. God’s love and forgiveness is what removes the splinters from our souls. We may not like everyone with whom we work, but our job is not to like their actions, but to love them.

The song also says, “we will walk with each other.” When we walk with each other we walk in support. I have a bag given to me by a friend from church with Casey’s name on it. It is a bag from the cancer walk. It held a light. These men and women walk in support of loved ones who have won their battle with cancer, who are still fighting a battle with cancer or who have lost their battle.

And finally, “all praise to the Father from whom all things come.” It is hard to find the words of praise when loss and a broken heart are at the forefront of my thinking, but God our Father promises to bring peace out of chaos, turn sorrow and suffering into joy and peace and fear into grace and glory. I was fortunate that my earthly father did everything he could (and praise God still does) to do those things for me and was the parental model for me so I could raise my family in a Godly manner.

So to Geni and Travis, your daddy loves you more than you will ever know. You won’t really understand that love until you have children of your own. Then you will understand how God has worked in the life of your dad and you in turn can raise your children to look to their heavenly Father because you have been raised not only by a loving earthly father, but a heavenly Father who loves you with an eternal love more selfless, extravagant, limitless and unquenchable than our earthly understanding can comprehend.

So children, if you have the opportunity to see your dads tomorrow tell them how much you love them. And if you do not for whatever reason get to see your dads, remember to say thank you to your heavenly Father and I am sure He will pass the word along.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.