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There are a few moments in life that you don’t want to miss. Some of the big ones in a man’s life are the day he gets married, the day he has kids, and the day he retires. After 33 years of getting up at 5am, my dad retired this past weekend, and it was just that kind of occasion that is not worth missing.
The beginning of October is also the perfect time to visit northern Wisconsin. The trees were all changing color and the air is clear and crisp – it all adds up somehow to making you feel more alive. This trip really did have a single purpose, but I still would have liked to go fishing. Just spending time outside is such a contrast to the Caribbean; it felt wonderful.
I arrived Friday just before the party. Kari and I put together an impromptu rap song of all our favorite memories of dad and work (yes that’s right I did say “rap song” – it was… how do I say this… “really really bad – what, what”)! We also presented dad with a mock present, a display-case-framed -boot. You need to know that when we were younger, dad would come home from work and make us kids take off his boots: his stinky, fire-fighter boots. So we framed one of the boots and put an inscription on the box that read: “We finally got them off Dad. Thanks for the “smemories” – your Kids.”
The party was amazing. It lasted so long with person after person coming to the mike to give tribute to my dad’s impression and influence on their lives and the Forest Service. It really made me proud to be his son.
Then the rest of the time was spent with family. Grandma made some of her famous Apple Crisp. My uncles and dad and I threw around the football. We drove down to the land and ate apples from our own trees. At church on Sunday I got to reconnect with many of our supporters and shake a lot of hands; everyone was interested to hear how the hurricane was – what an adventure. I also had the rare privilege of meeting some fantastic people and servants of the Lord in airports and airplanes and in their generosity to house me on my layovers. Thanks to Anthony, to Julie, and to the Gordon family – may God richly bless your giving.
God has blessed our family and all credit belongs to Him. As we put Him first in our lives, we continually see how He blesses us and provides for more than just our needs, but we are rarely in want as well. However it is those indefinable gifts of family and virtue, faithfulness and integrity that we have been truly blessed with. I hope that if a crowd ever gathers around to honor the work that I’ve done in life, that my son will be able to see God’s loving hand of blessing in the same way that I have seen it in my dad’s.