On this Father's Day 2017, I would like to dedicate a wonderful song to all the fathers out there but especially to my 5 fathers!
Most of all I thank my Sweet Heavenly FATHER for creating me!
Secondly, in spite of my biological father not even admitting that I'm his son, I'm thankful that he gave me life!
Thirdly, I'm forever grateful for my Dad who adopted me with Mom & raised me to honor GOD & be respectful of others!
Fourthly, my father-in-law not only raised my wife to live her life in service to GOD & to others but he has a ministry that brings light to the darkness that made Medellin, Colombia the most dangerous city in the world for many years!
Finally, I'd like to thank many people who have been my spiritual fathers!
"Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating & too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a living they forget to make a life." ~ John Wooden
"Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating & too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a living they forget to make a life." ~ John Wooden
If I was to list all their names I'd be writing until the Fourth of July but I shall share this blog with them personally & if they don't mind, I will add their names as I get permission from them or their loved ones as they deserve more than I could ever give them because they actually took the time to get through my tough exterior & see the tenderness within me.
"A father teaches his children that the battle is not determined by the enemy that stands around them, but by the GOD who stands within them. And that lesson can only be driven home as they watch their father stand around them, while GOD stands within their father." ~ Craig D. Lounsbrough
My spiritual fathers began at Kirk of the Hills church with the Associate Pastor who actually introduced me to the best Youth Pastor ever because while still being fun, he was charismatic & with his wife & soon to exist children, their openness to allow the HOLY SPIRIT to do whatever HE chose to do saw our youth ministry grow from single digits to over 100 teenagers at a Wednesday night Bible study even during the school year!
"Go For It!" could not have become what it became without the support & investment of time of several couples who I would love to name but shall wait for permission to do so.
I was thrilled to wake up this morning & get the go ahead to write about one particular couple that went above & beyond being at our float trips or Six Flags outings or STL Cardinals Baseball Games or Weekend Retreats at the Lazy W Ranch!
John & Barbara had a daughter a grade below me & a son a few grades below me but that didn't stop them from treating me like one of their own. If there was no baseball or hockey game to go to & I didn't want to see a movie at the cinema, I would stop by their house unannounced & they would drop whatever they were doing & at least make some popcorn & chat & watch a movie together which most of the time included some pizza & soda.
That may not seem like a whole lot to some people, but to me it meant the world. When I was in missionary training in Prospect Heights, Illinois with International Teams, John unexpectedly went to be with the LORD. I cried for hours when I heard the news & I made the long drive back to St. Louis. I was shocked when Barbara invited me back to their house after the funeral to be with her & the kids & the rest of John's family.
As I sat outside in my car wondering how I could ever express how much John meant to me, the HOLY SPIRIT prompted me to this SCRIPTURE:
"Thanks be to GOD, who always leads us as captives in CHRIST's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of HIM everywhere. For we are to GOD the pleasing aroma of CHRIST among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?" ~ 2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-16
I was able to sit with Barbara & her daughter & son & tell them individually that John was a living example of this verse because their was a sweet spirit within him that was evident whether he was in the church sanctuary or in a local supermarket. John's pleasant demeanor was much more than simply being kind & courteous. Everywhere he went there was the unmistakable presence of JESUS Himself living in John. Even a cashier or a server at a restaurant would be blessed & their life would be different because of an encounter with John.
I hope to add much more about my spiritual fathers along my journey & amazingly, several were actually my boss & I still appreciate them greatly to this day.
But for now, let's move on to a couple of photos before I finally share a link to a song along with its beautiful lyrics.
"A father teaches his children that the battle is not determined by the enemy that stands around them, but by the GOD who stands within them. And that lesson can only be driven home as they watch their father stand around them, while GOD stands within their father." ~ Craig D. Lounsbrough
My spiritual fathers began at Kirk of the Hills church with the Associate Pastor who actually introduced me to the best Youth Pastor ever because while still being fun, he was charismatic & with his wife & soon to exist children, their openness to allow the HOLY SPIRIT to do whatever HE chose to do saw our youth ministry grow from single digits to over 100 teenagers at a Wednesday night Bible study even during the school year!
"Go For It!" could not have become what it became without the support & investment of time of several couples who I would love to name but shall wait for permission to do so.
I was thrilled to wake up this morning & get the go ahead to write about one particular couple that went above & beyond being at our float trips or Six Flags outings or STL Cardinals Baseball Games or Weekend Retreats at the Lazy W Ranch!
John & Barbara had a daughter a grade below me & a son a few grades below me but that didn't stop them from treating me like one of their own. If there was no baseball or hockey game to go to & I didn't want to see a movie at the cinema, I would stop by their house unannounced & they would drop whatever they were doing & at least make some popcorn & chat & watch a movie together which most of the time included some pizza & soda.
That may not seem like a whole lot to some people, but to me it meant the world. When I was in missionary training in Prospect Heights, Illinois with International Teams, John unexpectedly went to be with the LORD. I cried for hours when I heard the news & I made the long drive back to St. Louis. I was shocked when Barbara invited me back to their house after the funeral to be with her & the kids & the rest of John's family.
As I sat outside in my car wondering how I could ever express how much John meant to me, the HOLY SPIRIT prompted me to this SCRIPTURE:
"Thanks be to GOD, who always leads us as captives in CHRIST's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of HIM everywhere. For we are to GOD the pleasing aroma of CHRIST among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?" ~ 2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-16
I was able to sit with Barbara & her daughter & son & tell them individually that John was a living example of this verse because their was a sweet spirit within him that was evident whether he was in the church sanctuary or in a local supermarket. John's pleasant demeanor was much more than simply being kind & courteous. Everywhere he went there was the unmistakable presence of JESUS Himself living in John. Even a cashier or a server at a restaurant would be blessed & their life would be different because of an encounter with John.
I hope to add much more about my spiritual fathers along my journey & amazingly, several were actually my boss & I still appreciate them greatly to this day.
But for now, let's move on to a couple of photos before I finally share a link to a song along with its beautiful lyrics.
This is my Dad with Martha Luz a week before she was officially my wife & FYI, that is a pineapple full of my Dad's favorite food in the world . . . ice cream!
This was my soon to be father-in-law with his daughter just moments before she became my wife!
Before we get to the song you've been waiting for patiently, I recently asked Kenny Marks what inspired him to write this song & he told me this.
"I wrote 'Like a Father Should Be' with Phil Madeira & recorded it with Kim Hill as a tribute to my immigrant father, Michael Marks (Mrakovich) who was from Yugoslavia. His kindness, patience, faithfulness, sense of humor, generosity & love helped me become grounded as a kid & a young man. Just "Like a Father Should Be' & my own children have been blessed by my father's life." ~ KM
Your quiet laughter
The smile on your face
The way you held mama
In a loving embrace
You show the kind of love
I needed to see
Dad, I know you've been
Just like a father should be
Your gentle strength, your loving touch
Your faith in JESUS taught me so much
You had the patience to put up with me
Dad, I know you've been
Just like a father should be
You gave me everything
You could give
And you were the one
Who taught me how to live
I pray that, one day
My son says to me
"Dad, I know you've been
Just like a father should be."
You gave me everything
You could give
And you are the one
Who taught me how to live
I pray that, one day
My son says to me
"Dad, I know you've been
Just like a father should be."
I pray that, one day
My son says to me
"Dad, I know you've been
Just like a father should be."
I love that you're my father!
The last line of that song & the title of a Facebook Note that I published for my Dad on Father's Day 2010 & is now a blog is exactly the same:
Here is a link to "Like a Father Should Be" on iTunes via the album "Absolutely Positively!"
Or you may use this link to "Like a Father Should Be" on iTunes via the album "Fire of Forgiveness!"
Kenny & I reminisced about my high school years a couple of days ago which included me running the sound system for a concert of his at high school in Saint Louis, Missouri that kicked off a lock-in for our youth group "Go For It!" at the Kirk of the Hills!
"Follow Him" is my favorite Kenny Marks song!
I hope you enjoyed "Like a Father Should Be" & if you were blessed to have a father like that, make sure you let him know how grateful you are!
Kenny Marks is on Facebook & if you enjoyed his music, I'm sure he'd enjoy hearing from you but more than that, simply sharing it with someone you love & care for would make Kenny's day!
"I'm crazy in love ... with my National Resophonic Tricone guitar ... a great source of creative resurgence in my songwriting." ~ KM
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