A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE
June 19, 2010
I wrote this tribute several years ago with my dad in mind. I thought you might enjoy it at this special time. Happy Father’s Day!
A Tribute to Dad
By Rebecca Barlow Jordan
He’s a giant of a man, with big, strong hands
that hold your heart in his own.
The words he speaks are apples of gold–
that can melt a heart of stone.
His laugh is contagious–His smile sincere;
His life is a book read far and near.
His love gives generous helpings to all;
For a father, you see, is always on call.
His thoughts are old-fashioned, and sometimes his clothes;
But godliness clothes him–from his head to his toes.
He has numerous flaws, which he often speaks of,
but his family is blind and covers in love.
Long after he’s gone, a sweet legacy stays
filling the hearts of his family with praise.
Memories of a Father
My father died 15 years ago. I still miss him. But his words and his lessons still live on in my heart. Each of the few personal letters he wrote ended with a P.S. – a powerful statement. Sometimes he penned an encouraging truth from Scripture, sometimes a homespun bit of wisdom he learned, sandwiched in between the mortar he used building missions, and the lives he salvaged for Christ along the way. I treasure those bits and pieces of a father’s love and keep them close where I can pull them out in times of discouragement or frustration. God blessed me with a great dad.
God Is the Perfect Father
Some of you can’t recall positive father figures, because of abuse or loss of your dad early in your life. Regardless of your circumstances, God assures us He is “a father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5, NIV). He not only heals our memories; He is the perfect father who never breaks His promise, who loves us unconditionally, and who delights in spending time with His children.
Share a Memory
What about you? Share a memory about your dad. What made him special? How has God been a father to you?
NOTE: The winner of the drawing for the three-book series: Day-votions for Women, Day-votions for Mothers, and Day-votions for Grandmothers is Patti McGoey. Congratulations, Patti!
Ten Ways to Encourage Children, Grandchildren, and Graduates
May 24, 2010
By Rebecca Barlow Jordan
They may be your children, your grandchildren, your friends, or your relatives. As graduates, they may qualify as “young” or “young-at-heart,” like Hazel Soares, a 94-year-old among the many graduates at Mills College, or 98-year-old Nola Ochs, who will soon earn her master’s degree from Fort Hays State University. But they’re all in need of your encouragement. Here are ten ways you can encourage them: Read more
Five Words That Can Change Your Life
January 4, 2010
I love words. Words can change your life. Words are my vocation, partly because of some encouraging words I received when I was only a senior in high school.
Years ago, a stranger clipped my senior picture from the local paper and enclosed it with a hand-written, encouraging note in the mail: “You have a beautiful smile.” Just five words–and a simple gesture that took maybe five or ten minutes, but can you guess I started flashing my pearly whites after that? Read more
