John doing something he really enjoys! He throws back everything he catches. He enjoys the peace and quiet times with the Lord as he fishes.
A picture of John's Dad. He was a well respected man who owned a grocery store in a small town.
John standing by his dad at his funeral. A very sad day for us all. John is the oldest of 5 boys, and two girls.
John's mom holding the flag that was presented to her at dad's funeral. She was from England. She married John's dad and came to America after the war. She helped dad build his grocery business and she raised 7 kids. She was an amazing woman. We miss her so much.
John with some of his grandkids at Christmas time a few years ago. He loves his grandkids,...all 14 of them that God has given him.
John getting ready to read scripture at his nephew's wedding last week. Oh how I love this man of mine!
I know that there are people out there who are sad today on Father's Day. Maybe their father has passed away,..or maybe they never knew their dad,...or maybe their relationship with their dad wasn't good. For whatever reason your sadness has come upon you, I just want to say that I am sorry. And that I can understand.
I also want to tell you that there is a Father in Heaven who loves you. A Father who wants to bring peace to your heart. A Father who will be there for you when you need tenderness. All you have to do is see your sins and confess them to Him, and then run into His arms and let Him be a Father to you,....He has adopted you already. He paid the price by offering His Son for your sake. His Son bled and died and took your sins upon Himself,...He rose again and won the victory over death and Hell, so that you could have abundant life now,...and eternal life with Him in Heaven, after you leave this earth.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Last month on Mother's Day I was kind of sad because I was reminded that I had no earthly mother to send flowers, or greetings to, for the second year in a row. We lost John's mom a year ago in February. She was very special to me, and I loved her a lot. My own dear mother passed away in December of 1986, and I have missed her and thought of her daily for all of these years. She was such a wonderful mother to me when I was growing up! She had a hard life raising us kids alone, but I think she did her best. She looked to the Lord and He helped her.
Today is Father's Day and I am also missing my father-in-law who left this world three years ago in February. He was the only dad I ever knew, and he was a part of my life for 30 years. Of course I had a dad at birth, but he was never a daddy to me,...and then he left my mom when I was 5 and I never saw him again,...he just disappeared,....and we never knew where he went,...and eventually she divorced him.
But, from a very young age my mom helped me to understand that I had a Heavenly Father who loved me very much, and that knowledge of Him, always brought me comfort and joy.
I heard a Christian speaker say once, that as Christians, we are all under the umbrella of God's protection,...and women and children are under the umbrella of God,...as well as their husband's, and their father's protection. And then when the children grow up the cycle continues as they marry and have children. This gave me such a feeling of peace and security to think of being under protection and safety.
I always knew that God loved me and protected me,...but then I started thinking of how my dear husband loves and protects me too,....and how he has always loved and protected our children, and now our grandchildren. It is an awesome thought.
I don't know why Women's Libbers want to be so independent,...and some of them reject the strong protection and care from the men in their lives. I never had that from an earthly father,...and I always wanted it,... and needed it. But I do have that protection now, and also the love of my dear husband, and I thank God for it.
I was married before for about 9 years and I briefly had that from my first marriage.
But eventually the marriage dissolved. So, I had some insecurities as to why men in my life left me and could not be depended on,...and I had trust issues.
When I remarried 33 years ago, I carried those issues into this marriage. And there was a time when this marriage almost dissolved too. But praise God that never happened. My husband got saved, and for nearly 15 years now we have had a Christian marriage. John was a "good" man before salvation, who had a good up-bringing in a small town in Nebraska. He had values and he tried to always do what was right. But he wasn't living for Jesus when we got married,...and back then, neither was I.
John has been a good husband and a good father to my three girls. He adopted them and gave then his name, and he also gave them everything they needed for all of these years. He is still very giving to them even now that they are adults,...and he helps in any way he can, to add blessings to their lives,...and to mine,...and to each of our grandchildren's lives.
I praise God for my wonderful, and godly husband. I wish him a Happy Father's Day. I thank him for all he has done for me and for "our" kids, and "our" grandkids all of these years. These 15 years since he became a Christian have been wonderful, and we grow closer everyday.
Happy Father's Day John. You are a blessing to me, and to the kids, and the grandkids! We all love you very much.
