Weekly Gratitude...

My Dad. There are so many reason I am grateful for the man God blessed me with and I had the privilege to call my dad. If you knew my father... you knew my father loved. His heart was so full of love. My father loved the Lord, his family and his country with all his heart.

His love for the Lord could be seen in his everyday life and the way he treated people... after living through the depression, I know he was grateful to be able to help another in need... so it brought joy to him to work in a soup kitchen.... He took the homeless into his home when they needed shelter and fed them... He cared for our neighbor, Patrick with Aids, when no one else would... took him to the doctor... cared for him... until the day Patrick died. To our single mother friends... he was a fatherly influence to their children... he gave them a father's love. One of his greatest joys was helping others not just our family... he was a servant. My dad... he was the angel here on earth to those who needed help... he never turned anyone away... he knew the meaning of... "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"... he lived his life caring for others, in service to the Lord... and I know the Lord smiled on him.

My dad loved his family. He would do anything for any one of us... he would drop whatever he was doing to show his love for us. If our car quit... he'd fixed it... flat tire... he'd fixed it... sick... he'd take you to the doctor & make you soup... just out of the hospital... he watched over your every need... washing machine finally takes a dive... he'd get you a new one... money tight... he'd give you what he had in his pocket... and if you needed more... he was right there with it... never asking for it in return... He sacrificed, so we wouldn't have to. My dad... my dad, never raised his voice to us... but showed us kindness and gave us forgiveness for our wrong doings. My father loved the privilege of being called dad... and he loved his children with all his heart.

My dad served his country with honor in the U.S. Army... where he received the Purple Heart. He fought for our country... our freedom. He loved this country... and was proud to have been able to serve it. He was an American... and loved this great nation.

My dad... was the kindest... the gentlest... most giving... most generous and loving person I have ever known. And I am so proud and grateful to have been his child and to have been able to call him... my father. He lived his life unselfishly.... he joyfully served others... he showed me what good character is... and what true unconditional love is. And now that he is no longer here with me... I know I can still close my eyes to see him.... for the beautiful person and wonderful father he was. I am his legacy and I am grateful.