An opportunity to say “I love you”
June 20, 2021(Sunday)
Originally a “From the Pastor” article in the church newsletter.
Became a blog June 17, 2007 (Sunday)-Edited and repeated last
year and today. This blog must be pretty good because the
original newsletter article was praised by Jack Green when
he was president of South Texas Chilren’s Home, and he
demanded excellence.
Today is Father’s Day.
In a way, I had three fathers growing up. When my parents divorced, I lived with my mother’s parents, so my grandfather (“Big Dad”) was a father to me. When my father remarried, I lived with him and my stepmother, Dorothy. When my mother remarried, I lived with her and my stepfather, Joe, who became a father to me. So I had three “fathers,” Charlie, Forest and Joe. I dearly loved them all.
Wanda always bought all the cards for special occasions, so on
Father’s Day, she found herself buying a card for her father, and
three cards for my three dads (father, stepfather, and grandfather).
As the years went by, the list shortened, from four, to three, to two,
to one, to none. Now there are no cards to buy, and Wanda is no
longer here to buy them.
That time for me has come and gone. This day is a strong reminder to me that all of us should show our love to our family members in every way as often as we can. The opportunities to express our love will not always be ours. The day will come when all we have are precious memories. And then the day will come when we will become memories.
Is there someone you should contact today to say, “I love you?” Do it.
Do it now. You’ll be so glad you did. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
THAT SILVER HAIRED DADDY OF MINE
Gene Autry and Jimmy Long
1931
In a vine covered shack in the mountains
Bravely fighting the battle of time
There’s a dear one who’s weathered life’s sorrow
It’s that silver haired daddy of mine
If I could recall all the heartaches
Dear old Daddy, I’ve caused you to bear
If I could erase those lines from your face
And bring back the gold to your hair
If God would but grant me the power
Just to turn back the pages of time
I’d give all I own if I could but atone
To that silver haired daddy of mine
I know it’s too late, dear old Daddy
To repay for the heartaches and cares
Oh dear Mother is waiting in Heaven
Just to comfort and solace you there
If I could recall all the heartaches
Dear old Daddy, I’ve caused you to bear
If I could erase those lines from your face
And bring back the gold to your hair
If God would but grant me the power
Just to turn back the pages of time
I’d give all I own if I could but atone
To that silver haired daddy of mine
Here’s the song performed by Glen Campbell and his parents.
Gene Autry (1907-1998), a Texas boy raised in Oklahoma, wrote the song with Jimmy Long in the year I was born. Perhaps you would like to hear him sing his own song (scene from movie).
Click here to read all about Gene Autry, the original singing cowboy