The Invitation
My dad turned 50 yesterday and we planned this surprise party for him over the past couple of months…invitations were created and sent (as you can see), party supplies were purchased and hidden, music was purchased and downloaded and hope was extended that he would not discover us. Amazingly, he didn’t, and on Saturday, after taking him to a movie and lunch, when the call came in from a work associate to come to work and put out a fire, he totally bought it. Off we drove to the party, without even a hint of suspicion in his heart.
There were lots of old and new friends waiting to say hello, give him a hard time about his age, but mostly to remember all of the ways my dad has impacted their lives. There were the old military friends who served with him in a cause that still unites them. There were neighbors who share a fence and their thankfulness for his snow shoveling, grill conversation and breakfasts spent talking. There were my mother’s friends who know how great he is by the flowers he sends her at work, just because, and the way he’s always willing to help their company look good at city wide events. There were church friends who have benefited from his teaching, shepherding and time, even when that time is not visible to them, but, were it not given, would reveal gaping holes in their church family’s life. There was a wife who has spent the last thirty years celebrating his life by respecting him and knowing she was loved in return. There were two kids who know the rareness of a father who cares beyond material possessions, who gives without expecting anything to return to him, who has time and time again laid down his life so that they might know his love and the Love that doesn’t ever fade. The people came to celebrate a life that has been so well lived, that it is hard to know how to tell him “Congratulations” without saying “Thank You”.
Happy 50th Birthday, Dad. Thank you.
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Horsing Around in the Old Sanctuary
Summer 2003
Just a Few Years Back Now
there must have been some sort of mistake. because i (his favorite daughter) didn’t get an invitation….
kim, were you in charge of sending out invitations?
happy birthday pappy #2!
oh, and that photo strip of you guys is one of my new favorite things.
hey guys! just catching up on your blog again…we are now connected to the internet at home! yeah! no excuses for not reading your blog OR posting comments:) so glad to hear that the birthday party went well. you have a very special dad…but i guess i don’t have to tell you that:)
Thank you for making us feel apart of it through your blog, we really missed out though. We miss your mom and dad so much. I’m glad you got to go Home for it, Kim. Happy Birthday Rick!