“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” ― Umberto Eco

Okay. I admit it. Friday doesn't really register with me like it did when I was putting in 11 plus hours per day, at least 5 days a week. Retirement does that to you. Even scarier, and, I really hate to admit this one, I occasionally have to look at the calendar on my phone to see exactly what day it is that I am working on. Talk about different! But, it is Friday, June 14, 2019, and this coming Sunday is Fathers Day. The photo reflects dads who made an impact and difference in my life. The first one on the left is my father, Cecil Al, Sr. I carry his name as a Junior. He had a relatively short life. He served in WWII and was making his way up the ladder at the Kansas City Southern Railroad, (KCS) when he had a sudden illness and died on January 2, 1954, at the age of 31. I was 7 years old when he left us for his home in heaven. The man in the middle is my mom's dad, Andrew Rancher McMillan, or Paw Paw Mac, as we called him. He inherited my mom and the six of us kids after dad passed away. We moved from Port Arthur, Texas to a tiny rural village, Hornbeck, Louisiana. In many ways, Paw Paw Mac was a plain-speaking, tough, and to the point kind of person. At the same time, he was a legendary man of faith who believed in serving others as a way to demonstrate his love for his Lord. He was born in 1900 and became absent from the body and present with the Lord in July of 1971. The third photo is of my step-dad, Jose Chavez, who married my mom in September of 1977. He was an amazing little man who was a giant to us in his devotion to our mom and in his tireless support for us all, a huge blended family. He and mom both made their transition to eternal life in the summer of 2017 within days of each other and within days of their 40th wedding anniversary. So BLESSED to have had these men and others who helped me along the way. I pause now to thank God for them all. Amen, Amen, and Amen!

Twelve years ago I was writing about this subject. You can read the entire blog, made up of seven paragraphs, by going to 2007, choosing June, and finding the one I wrote on the 19th. This is an excerpt and I think it is still very good advice: "Wonder how life would go for us if we went about our daily activities with a desire to recognize, encourage, and reward people instead of our usual approach which dares anyone to cross us? As the old saying goes, our attitude really does impact our altitude. Let me say clearly this is not a repackaging of the “positive thinking psychobabble”. It’s essentially seeing people for who they really are, “Those made in the image of God”. And, more or less living out the tried and true golden rule where we give out what we would really like to receive. If you really think about it you will conclude that you can either help or hurt, and it doesn't take much."

Another week of blogging has come and gone. Believe it or not, these daily episodes typically take one to two hours to put together. Some of that time is spent thinking about what to write about. A fair amount of time is consumed finding graphical representations that support the thoughts I'm sharing. Some days the thoughts come fairly easily and flow onto the electronic page. On other days, it's like the saying my grandfather used, it's like trying to pull them through a rat hole backwards. Don't ask me to explain that one. Some think me writing these daily tomes should help to keep my mind functioning. (I know the word tome typically reflects a long book, it can mean a volume forming part of a larger work.) That, my friend, presupposes my brain functions, to begin with. However, it is something I obviously derive some benefit from because I do continue to produce them. Hopefully, some little something buried in one of them has brought a smile, some needed encouragement, or pointed us all to the God who loves us. And, as it so often is the case, that reminds me of a lyric from a song we used to sing, "If I can help somebody as I travel along, ....No, my living shall not be in vain." Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day, Fathers Day Sunday. May God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.