A Father's Love

When Megan Becker was 5 years old, she made a paper tie for her dad for Father’s Day. Her dad commented on how much he liked it and  that he would wear it on her wedding day. She giggled and went out to play. Through the years, the tie hung on the mirror in his room. He would dust it off from time to time and comment, “I will wear this at your wedding.” In her teenage years, Megan would roll her eyes and say, “Okay dad!” When her parents moved into their new home, the tie was no longer on the mirror. Without Megan knowing, her dad had hidden the tie so she would assume that it had been lost in the move. Two years later, on her wedding night, just before the father daughter dance, Mr. Becker put on the paper tie and turned around to dance with Megan. She told her dad, “I will treasure this moment for the rest of my life. Love you dad!”

John Miller is a lifelong Major League Baseball fan. Through the years, he has collected baseball cards, including several Jose Altuve sets. After his father died, looking through the cards reminded John of the many hours he shared with his dad at baseball games. Miller is a single father. Recently his 10-year-old daughter mentioned that she had outgrown her shoes and needed new ones. With money being tight, John made the decision to sell his baseball card collection. He spent time boxing up his cards and then took them to the local dealer. While at the store, another customer overheard John telling his story of the need to sell the cards. Eventually, the story made it to the Astros organization and Altuve. A few days later, Altuve made a surprise visit to John at his home. Explaining that he heard the story of Miller selling his baseball collection, Jose replaced the Altuve cards John sold and also included some he had been wanting to add to his collection. His daughter, Emma, received a signed jersey. Before leaving, Jose handed John an envelope. He had written a note and included a check to cover Emma’s new shoes, school supplies, and money to set up a college savings fund. The note stated, “You gave up something you loved for someone you love even more. That kind of sacrifice deserves to be honored.” Through tears, John replied, “I never imagined something like this could happen. I just wanted to be a good dad. I never expected anything in return.”

I’m grateful that God lavishes his great love on his children every day. Because we are loved, may it make a difference in how we love, speak to, help, and treat others.

 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

1 John 3:1a

Caring in Action

 

During his college years at North Carolina, Jason Brown played football. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens, in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft. In 2012, at the age of 29, Brown chose to walk away from a $37.5 million contract. He felt that helping people was more important than playing football.  Even though he had no farming experience, he used the money he had saved and bought a 1,000-acre plot of land in Louisburg, North Carolina. Jason began watching YouTube videos to learn how to be a farmer and plant, grow, and harvest crops. He now grows cucumbers and sweet potatoes, at First Fruits Farms, and gives the produce to local food pantries. So far Brown has given away more than 1 million pounds of food to feed people in need.

Hasbro Children’s Hospital is located in Providence, Rhode Island. In 2010, Steve Brosnihan, the hospital’s resident cartoonist, began flashing his bike light toward the hospital every night to say goodnight to one of the patients. News soon spread and local businesses, tugboats, stores, and the university began to participate in the ritual. Brown University’s Sciences Library displayed a smiling face, using LED lights.  In keeping with the tradition, every night, at 8:30 p.m., the people, boats, and businesses flash and leave on lights to send a goodnight message to the children to remind them that the people in their city remember and care about them. In response, some of the patients flick the lights in their room back at them. 

 

Renk was riding home on the subway. A boy got on at the next station. As he entered, it was apparent that several people were staring at the worn-out shoe he was holding in his hand and the mismatched socks he was wearing. He had an old backpack and messy hair. After a few stops, the man sitting next to Renk leaned over and said to the boy, “Hey, I just bought these for my son, but they might fit you better. He’s got a pair already anyway.” He handed the blue tennis shoes, with the tags still on them, to the boy. Although he was unsure, he tried on the shoes and they fit! The boy’s smile and “Thanks” changed the outlook for those on the subway that day.

 

May we, too, show we care by our actions.

 

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 1:22

 

Thoughts by the Dozen

 

"How you make others

feel about themselves

says a lot about you.”

~ Kerry life and loves

 

 

“Nothing can dim the light

that shines from within.”

~ Maya Angelou

 

 

“It is not what you do for

your children,

but what you have taught

them to do for themselves,

that will make them

successful human beings.”

~ Ann Landers

 

 

“We are all called to be

exceptional in the ordinary things,

faithful in the little things,

trustworthy when nobody’s looking.”

~ Elisabeth Elliott

 

 

  “In Mark 2, Jesus healed a

paralyzed man because of his

FRIENDS’ faith.

This is why your

circle matters.”

~ Unknown

 

 

“People do not decide their futures;

they decide their habits,

and their habits decide their futures.”

~ F. M. Alexander

 

 

“Our days are happier

when we give people

a piece of our heart

instead of

a piece of our mind.”

~ Deb Sofield

 

 

“Courage doesn’t mean

you don’t get afraid.

Courage means you don’t

let fear stop you.

~ Bethany Hamilton

 

 

“Sunflowers are a reminder to

be strong,

stand tall,

and always find the light.”

~ Unknown

 

 

“One of the most sincere

forms of respect is

actually listening to what

another has to say.”

~ Bryant H. McGill

 

 

“Some endings aren’t failures –

they’re beautiful beginnings in disguise.”

~ Annawin

 

 

“If you want to know

someone's mind,

listen to their words.

If you want to know

their heart,

watch their actions.”

~ Chris Weisler

 

 

After thinking through and discerning what is best, may we be willing to put it into action.

 

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14