"A job worth doing, is worth doing right"

I remember the day so clearly.  June 28th, 2003.  It was a beautiful Saturday in Raymore, MO.  Evie was big and pregnant with our first child, Hayden.  We were surrounded by her family and life was good.  Little did I know that my world was about to be rocked by one phone call. 

Before I graduated high school I had already joined the Marine Corp.  I know, seems funny to think that I wanted to be a military man, but I did.  There was something inside of me that longed for adventure, discipline and a good challenge.  And boy was my dad proud.  You see, he joined the army at age 16.  You guessed it, he lied about his age, but his size told a different story.  He stood around 6'3" and looked very intimidating. 

Knowing my dad was proud of me was the highlight of that season in my life.  We didn't have a great relationship, but things were getting better.  I was fortunate to come along later in my dads life, he was a little more mellow.  My mom and dad had three kids, then ten years later I showed up.  My dad didn't want another child.  He suggested that my mom get an abortion.

In case you're wondering, she didn't. :)  My mom ended up giving her life to Jesus while pregnant with me.  My dad on the other hand, did not.  Needless to say, it was tough growing up in a divided home.  But I loved my dad.  He was hard on me, I'll spare you the details, let's just say when he got angry I paid for it.  But he did teach me one very valuble thing, and that is to always do your best.

That lesson has never left me.  It has been a constant in my life for almost 32 years.  It is what I live by.  He would always tell me, "A job worth doing, is worth doing right".  Even though I didn't fully understand it when I was a child, I know exactly what he was trying to instill in me now that I'm a man.  But as a Christian man, it means even more to me, because now, I give my best for the Lord.

In the nineth grade I almost lost him, his heart was failing and I missed a lot of school just spending time with him at the hospital.  He ended up having a quadruple bypass.  Unfortunately, that was not enough to convince my dad to stop smoking and work on his health.  There would be a few more surgeries and scares along the way.

Life is full of ups and downs, this I know.  It can take you places you don't really want to go.  For me, that was the day my sister called me, the date was June 28th, 2003.  I answered the phone in my usual playful way, but this time there was no laughter on the other end.  I heard my sister crying and my heart begin to sink.  I asked what was wrong.  All she said was, "Dad is gone".  I've never felt so broken.  It was like every cell was overtaken by grief and sorrow.

You see, it was also a beautiful day in Arkansas.  My mom and dad went for a motorcycle ride in the country.  Riding along on my dad's Honda Goldwing, mom recalls she was singing "you light up my life" in my dad's ear.  One second here, the next gone.  Not even a month later my son was born.  I wanted my dad to hold his grandson.  To see the joy on his face would have been priceless.  But my dad never got that chance.

But this is no sad story.  Why?  A few years before that fateful day, I witnessed the greatest miracle in life.  My mom and I were getting ready for church, as we did every Sunday, little did we know that is was no ordinary Sunday.  You see,  a few months prior we had given my dad a beautiful Bible with his name engraved on it for his birthday, believing that one day he would give his heart to the Lord.  And it just so happened that on that particular Sunday, my mother had the privilege of leading her husband to the arms of Christ.

Even though my dad never got to hold his grandson, and even though I miss him so much it hurts.  I know that he is with our Savior!  My encouragement for you today is this.  Don't ever stop praying for your loved ones.  We cannot see the future, but God holds every moment.  When we ask, when we pray, God listens.  Jesus tells us, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." - John 14:13

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior, today is the day of salvation!  Trust me, it doesn't matter how old or how young you are.  You can know the unconditional love that only God can give.

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.   For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”   For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  - Romans 10:9-13