Father

As I listened to the faith story the last Sunday (Father’s Day) I was reminded of how important my dad was in my desire to serve God through missions. My life circumstances do not define me; the loss of two husbands, being fired from a dying company, relocating, finding new employment, new friends, new church, raising two boys, family relationship struggles.

No, when I look back it was my father that helped define me. He had a quiet faith. The kind that if you looked you could see was there but was not an in-your-face kind. He was a steady hard-working man that had a heart for missions. He enjoyed traveling when he could. He never took a traditional ‘mission trip to a foreign country’ but used his talents wherever he could to help others and serve God. This was evident in his helping neighbor’s when he was laid-off from his cement finishing work in the winter. He was not one to just sit around and not do anything. Even in retirement you would find him working on cutting and rolling balls of blue jean material to make rugs.

He served at Camp Jim many hours as a board member and helping with cement work as needed. He helped at the local Bible Camp in Blackduck with projects as long as he was physically able to.  I don’t think he knew what an influence he has had on my life. I know, I never thought about it or realized it before.

My dad is gone now but I am thankful for the influence he had on me. I owe my desire to travel with a purpose and serve God to his example. Thank you, Dad.

 

G