Today we gathered at the church where my dad served as pastor for thirty-six years.  It was an emotional, wonderful, amazing day.  It was really something special.

Here is a poem I shared during the program for him and my mom (she certainly was a partner in his ministry!)...

One foot in front of the other, he walked along a path
That he was called to follow, his leader just ahead.
It wasn't always easy, yes, the path was sometimes hard
But the One he followed somehow carried while He led.

The follower kept on walking, for years he persevered,
And when he thought he could no more move forward on his own
Another's strength would rescue him reminding him of this:
There is no thing we do ourselves, we never walk alone.
 
Along the path were thorny bushes, others crying out, ensnared,
And as his leader taught him to, he helped them from their places-
His hands helped push the thorns aside, he helped to disentangle,
He helped apply a soothing balm, wiped tears from their faces.

The troubles he encountered are too many to be numbered-
Sufferings, injustices, sickness, loss and dying.
Sometimes it seemed an endless stream of things that made no sense;
Easy came the question,"Is is even worth the trying?"

The One he followed turned to him, firm and fierce was He,
"Nothing is in vain, my friend, you keep your eyes on Me."

He knew this was the only way to make it on this path,
So he trained his eyes upon the Man who went down this road first.
He watched as this One walked along, as He called to those He saw.
He watched Him touch, and heal, and teach, and feed, and quench their thirst.

While he himself had stumbled as he walked along that path,
His Leader never faltered, and He never didn't have
Just the thing that someone needed; He knew so perfectly
How to meet the ones who came with dignity and love.

The follower spent many years walking down the path
With his eyes upon the Leader, and this opened up his heart.
While he saw the thorny bushes, he could also see the rose-
The petals full of fragrance, with beauty to impart.

He saw it in the shining warmth of two who become one,
He saw it in the radiant face of the mother with her child,
He saw it in the infant's cheeks, new and pink and glowing,
He saw it in the trembling lips as the new daddy smiled,
He saw it in the feathers of the cardinal who sang,
He saw it in the red-cheeked laugh of a little girl's delight,
He saw it in the sun-kissed skin of the boy upon the beach,
He saw it in the lingering pinkish sunset light.
He saw it when he looked and saw the faces that he loved,
He saw it when he looked upon his wife and family,
He saw it when he looked around at friends from now and then,
He saw it when he looked to see his Leader take a seat.

The One he followed said to him, full of love was He,
"Nothing is in vain, my friend, you kept your eyes on Me."

As I said the other day, my parents are leaving a wonderful legacy behind.  What they are taking with them is a lifetime of memories.  It was an honor to be a part of today's celebration!  We heard stories, shared laughs, and shed some tears. 

It was a beautiful day.

 Oh, how I love pictures of feet!  I do!  I love pictures of my babies' feet.  I love pictures of their feet now.  I love pictures of my own feet.

Pictures of feet can tell a story.

This week at I Heart Faces is a non-competition week, and they are focusing on feet (you probably could have guessed that).  Fun!  They are also raising awareness for an organization that does some good for others' feet.  Soles 4 Souls is a charity that collects shoes and gives them away to those who need them.  They do this in countries all over the world, with the help of both companies and individuals who donate shoes.  They are helping to make many someones' stories a little better.

Tucked knees,

Peeping toes.

Big shoes to fill,

But toes will grow.

Toes in water

Get all pruney;

Toes on land

Sometimes get spoony.

Toes and feet

Have things to do-

Sometimes bare,

Sometimes with shoes.

Wrapped up toes

Don't have much fun.

Needles and toes

Don't get along!

(Take it from me;

I'll skip the pic,

But if you're curious

Give a click.)

But once they heal

They like the sand.

They show off tricks

Like handstands.

(Well, maybe that

Is the hands' little trick,

But it's my poem

So the words will stick.)

An auntie's toes

Play hide and seek.

Toes chase balls

Around the beach.

Toes are good for a lot of things,

Useful digits on our feet.

Take pictures of the ones around you;

It will be a treasure sweet.

Head on over to I Heart Faces for some more wonderful pictures of feet!

Arise my soul, arise and sing,

From the depths an anthem bring-

A song of praise, a song of love;

Arise and see your King!

Think of Him upon the tree-

Bleeding, dying, all for thee;

Wretched, far from heav'n above,

Bound by men to set men free.

Arise my soul, arise and sing,

Through the valley now let ring

A joyful hallelujah song!

Arise and see your King!

Risen from the tomb that morn,

A comfort to His friends forlorn,

He conquered death, my Savior strong

That we might be reborn!

Arise my soul, arise and sing,

Take hold of only Him, and cling

To Him for all eternity!

Arise and see your King!

The living Word became a man-

Lived and died and rose again.

Righteousness for infirmity

Brings to my lips a sweet refrain.

Arise my soul, arise and sing!

Arise and see your King!

"Sticks and stones

Will break my bones,"

But words

Will break my heart.

Time does pass,

Anger won't last

And I must

Do my part-

Forgive the tongue

Of one so young

For well-aimed

Verbal darts.

A mother's ear

Will often hear

Such words

Which pain impart.

I am one

Who has a son,

Alike our

tempers art.

How can I teach

Or him beseech

From venom

To depart

When I myself

Do battle with

The flesh which

Tears apart?

Lessons still

Subdue my will;

Our gift is

A new start.

The words conspire

With their fire

A moment

Now to thwart.

We wait a while

And find a smile

Bouys the love

Deep in our hearts.

So I will cling

To One True Thing

That heals the

Broken heart.

You're always teaching
When you have little kids.
They hear what you've said
And they watch what you did.
You must tell them how
To get through each day.
They need to be taught,
To be shown the way.

Let's see what I have
To teach my offspring,
What lessons I'll offer,
What knowledge I'll bring
To bear on their lives
As they grow in my care,
What wisdom I have
That I'll humbly share...

I leave without knowing
Just where I am going-
I think I can get there
Without real directions
Since I saw it online
In a general depiction.
I also don't need a GPS
Since I can call the very best-
My hubs has Google by his side
And he will tell me where to drive!
Good thing I brought
My phone with me...
I'm wrong!  The mantle
Is where it must be.
I have driven for so long
I will have to get some gas.
My credit card is in my wallet...
Oops, it's in my other pants.

We cut out coupons
To help save money.
A good idea, but
Here's what's funny...
I then forget
That they exist.
I'll come across them randomly
So I'll start to make a list.
I look at coupons
In the folder
And this one's old,
But this one's older!

There is a calendar on our wall-
It hangs there, oh so prettily.
With plenty of space to write
What to do or where to be.
But it is blank,
Just like my stare
When you ask,
"Why weren't you there?"
It makes no sense,
I can't explain
Why I don't use my
Calendar or my brain.

I bought a clock,
a big one too,
To see while in
The living room.
But there it sits,
still in the box.
Apparently I have
No use for clocks.

What's for dinner?
Shouldn't I cook?
It's going on five so
Why don't I look
Into a cookbook...
I have plenty!
I'd say there were
At least twenty
On my shelf but
They're gathering dust
Since I hate cooking-
"Fast food or bust!"
That's my motto
Recently;
My poor kids want
Real food to eat.
My husband thinks
I ought to plan
Our meals each week-
He thinks I can!
But it's really hard
For me to do
And so we end up
With no food.


We live in such a crazy way
So this is what I want to say:
"This is what you should not do
Let this be a lesson to you."