First Day on Kenting Vacation

Today was our first full day on our holiday in Kenting, Taiwan. We always love the time spent here. So peaceful and so many things to see and do. We're staying for a full week this time. The kids are so excited. There will be pictures to follow. I promise.

My Dad

In Taiwan, Father's Day is on August 8, because the Chinese word for the number 8 is "Ba", so 8/8 is "Ba Ba", or Papa, or father, in Chinese. But, back in the land of my birth, and many other places in the world, yesterday was Father's Day (June 21). I had just been thinking of giving my Dad a call (it was late evening Taiwan time), when the phone rang. It was my Dad. "Hello", I said. "HAPPY SON's Day!" he said cheerfully.

"What? I'm suppose to call you!", I replied. Well, he explained that as he felt he was "getting up there" (age 82) and not sure how much time he had left (what kind of talk is that?), he decided that this year on Father's day he was going to call his children and tell them how much he loved them and appreciated them. Not much has moved me to tears the past few years, but I suddenly started to get a lump in my throat.

I have been reading the numerous greetings and well-wishes to fathers around the world on my Facebook and Twitter accounts the past 48 hours. I personally didn't post anything there, but I thought I would just say right here that I love my Dad. I always have. I haven't always liked him, but I do love him, and always will. He has always had a deep love for his children, and it has shown, more often than it's been briefly eclipsed by any faults he may have. I often catch myself in moments with my own kids and think, "I'm so much like my Dad.", and you know what? I'm glad about that. Because when I look at many of the poor excuses out there these days that even try to pass for fathers, I am grateful to God for giving me a man as kind, generous, faithful, thoughtful, interesting, compassionate, and encouraging as my own Dad is. "Thank-you, heavenly Father, for giving me such a great earthly father!"

MY DAD