To My Dad on Fathers Day

From my earliest memories of you to the present, I have always been proud to call you my dad.
I remember sitting on your lap and snuggling and feeling like no matter what you would protect me. Even though I've made choices in my life where you weren't able to protect me, I know that if you could have, you would have. I remember getting up early and going fishing, learning how to bait my hook (YUCK) and take care of the fish once they were caught. We would just fish and chat and even though I don't remember what we talked about, I'm positive you taught me several life lessons. I remember Friday night fish fries, where you'd take me along to get our take-out meals and give me your lemon so I could try to eat it without making a face. I remember packing to go camping and how much I loved it. I remember that you were the best looking, hardest working, strongest, most talented, smartest..........daddy in the whole wide world. You could do anything. If there ever was a time I didn't know something, I knew you would have the answer. And now, I just want you to know, I still believe all those things and I love you VERY much!
Lin

Time Slows Down For No Man

So, November has quickly turned to June and we are only 11 days away from the wedding. The day we welcome another member officially into our family. I am SO excited. Sarah is such a joy. They seem to have so much fun together. I have loved having things going on that have brought my family home. So next summer...... Jimmy graduates...... no weddings in the works, but with Polly having had her 20th Birthday and Peggy about to have 18, it's only a matter of time. Then I sit back and think about what a shame it is that we have to have things going on in order to see loved ones. I'm probably the worst one , because I allow my life and the things in it to consume my time and not take advantage of the time God gives me. I have seen and talked to my dad more in the past couple of monthes than I had in a couple years before that. But, why did it have to take him losing his wife of over 30 years for that to happen? There are reasons I know, but are any of them good enough to miss out on so much? I also have a brother whom I haven't had much contact with throughout the years, even though I think of him often and love him, life comes in and takes over. I have gotten to see him twice so far this year and he and his wife will be here for the wedding. I want to make a way for that to continue and add time with a sister whom I want to get to know better. Then I look at my kids and grand kids and think about how there are long stretches of time where I don't see them or even talk to them. I don't want to lose those times. Even the kids that are in town, everyone is so busy (me included) that we just lose touch and I don't want that. I guess the reason for this contemplative mood is a book I read the past couple of days. A friend of mine from northern Minnesota lost a daughter to a terrible accident almost nine years ago and has written a book about the incident. I remember her calling me in the middle of the night to tell me and feeling like I was so far away (we had just moved) that I couldn't do anything. The thing that keeps coming back to mind is, have I taken the time to be with each of my loved ones and made sure that they know how much I love them? Have I put things down and spent time with them? Not enough..... help me Lord to make that happen.