Yesterday, my dad turned 75 years old. As I thought about him on his birthday, it made me so thankful that God put such a wonderful example in my life. He started pastoring a little church in NOrman, Oklahoma when I was 2 years old, and stayed in that same church until after I was married. Almost 21 years he was there. Then moved to Mulberry, Kansas and pastored a church there for 13 years. He pastored others before I was born, but those are the two that I remember.
I remember him working a full time job, and then coming home tired and having to visit the hospital or other things that pastors do. Also he always raised a big garden because there was six children, and they needed to save money on groceries. If he wasn't visiting the hospitals or something related to church in the evenings, he was always out there in that garden.
He started having heart problems in his forties, and we honestly thought we would never get to see him get old. In and out of the hospital, surgery after surgery.
Sixteen years ago, we had a fortieth anniversary party for him and mom because we never thought dad would live to see the fiftieth. Now much to our surprise, sixteen years later, dad's still here and mom's the one that's gone.
Dad was one who trusted the Lord for alot of things. I've seen him carry a burden so great that he would almost stagger with the weight of it. But he knew how to pray things through.
Once when I was a child, he was worried with something and decided to go on a fast. He had nothing to eat for 23 or 24 days. I will never forget that. He was so weak he could hardly stand, but the Lord came through and answered his prayer.
Now that i'm older, and looking back on things, I realize that there's alot of times I could have probably made his life alot easier, but as a teenager, you don't look at things the right way.
I'm just so thankful that God gave him to me, and I know the last few months have been really rough on him but he has shown unbelievable strength through it all and I love him.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
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