06/16/2026
As our families grow and our children begin raising children of their own, life seems to move faster than ever. Careers, school activities, and the everyday demands of life can easily keep us apart. That's why it's so important to make time for one another whenever the opportunity presents itself. Family gatherings are more than just meals and celebrations—they are moments when memories are created, stories are shared, and traditions are passed from one generation to the next.
This past weekend our great niece celebrated her third birthday, and our family had a celebration of not ONLY HER birthday, but of our family as a whole.
It was inspiring to hear the laughter of grandparents, see the curiosity of young children, and the conversations between siblings and cousins that help strengthen the bonds that hold a family together. These moments remind us where we came from and give our children a sense of belonging and connection that can't be found anywhere else.
Years from now, it won't be the busy schedules or the long workdays that we remember most. It will be the birthdays, holidays, reunions, and simple afternoons spent together.
A week after my father went to his permanent home, I had to speak at a "father-son" breakfast in our local community. I got there and didn't know what I was going to say. With everything that had happened the week prior, I didn't have the chance to prepare.
But, I asked God to use me as his vessel, and he spoke through me to get a message to the fathers, older brothers, uncles, grandfathers there.
I remember I said, "If I had a calendar and a calculator, I couldn't tell you how many years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds my dad was there with me...But, I remember that he taught me how to throw a curve ball, when I wanted to play football one year and my mom said, NO! You'll hurt yourself...My dad hid my pads and helmet in the truck of his car so she wouldn't get upset, and when I pitched in Little League, I could hear him in the stands shouting, THAT'S MY BOY!" So, I say that to say to you gentlemen, give these kids those SPECIAL MOMENTS that they will carry with them forever. Those special moments will carry them through the tough times when you're not there."
I STILL do that to this day...Father's Day, Christmas, His birthday.
Time with family is one of life's greatest gifts. Whenever we have the chance to gather, we should embrace it, because those moments become the memories we treasure forever.
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