I still love it when my dad takes us out for ice cream.

He would take our family out for ice cream after church, after work or after mowing the lawn in Iowa.

Our favorite hangouts were; Tastee Freeze on Rockingham road in Davenport, Baskin Robbins 31 flavors at Duck Creek Plaza in Bettendorf  and

The old A&W behind the church on Rockingham road.

That was then…this is now. For five decades the ice cream as been on dad and this past weekend he did it again.

All these years I thought it was us that was getting the treats….but for some reason I think dad likes ice cream too.

Thanks pops – Ice cream is truly good for the soul of a family.

This past weekend we finally were able to get our family together to celebrate my dad’s 75th birthday.

Just wanted to post a few pics of  our fun family and brag on my amazing dad.

We gathered in beautiful Sedona for the entire day and had such a great time just being together with our children and thier spouses as well as mom and dad.

Dad turning 75 has kind of crept up on us. He is such a gift to Gary and I and the entire family. In a world of so many absent fathers I am amazingly blessed to have a dad who has always given us his best.

Max Lucado writes: “Today’s my first [Father’s Day] without a father. For 31 years I had one of the best, but now he’s…buried under an oak tree in a west Texas cemetery. Strange he isn’t here…because he was always available. His words were nothing novel; his achievements, though admirable, were nothing extraordinary. But his presence was. Because he was there, life went smoothly…the future was secure…and my growing up was what God intended. He taught me how to shave and how to pray. Helped me memorize verses for Sunday school, taught me that wrong should be punished…and that rightness has its own reward. He modeled…the elusive balance between ambition and self-acceptance. I knew if I ever needed him he’d be there. Like a warm fireplace. Maybe that’s why this Father’s Day’s a bit chilly. The fire’s gone out. The winds of age swallowed his splendid flame leaving only golden embers. But there’s a strange thing about those embers, stir them…and the flame will dance…and knock just enough chill out of the air to remind me that he’s still…present.”

Compare that to an interview with actor Gene Hackman who recalls: “I was just 13, but that Saturday morning is still vivid. I was playing down the street…when I saw my father drive by and give me a light wave. Somehow I knew that gesture meant he was going away forever. To this day the memory’s a ghost that never seems to fade.” Solomon said, “The righteous man walks in integrity…blessed are his children after him.” Proverbs 20:7 (amp)

What a great day of making family memories …can’t wait for the next gathering .

Thanks dad for always being there and thanks for getting us together in Sedona for a great day.

Today’s my dad’s birthday, and so before I start my regular routine of trying to call him and leaving voice-mails.

, I just wanted to put this out here where I know he’ll see it:

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today’s post then  is a tribute to my dad.  Here are a few things I appreciate about him:      First of all,  I am proud to be your son.   Again and again, I meet people who know you,  who’ve spent time with you,  worked with you, and without fail, they tell me you are a man of integrity.

I appreciate the fact that you’ve made an intentional effort to express your love to all of us, even if you  sometimes have a hard time putting it  into words.   I appreciate the way you love and honor my mom.    Thank you.   You taught me to look a person in the eye when talking to him and the value of a firm foundation in a family.   You and mom gave me a rich spiritual heritage that has already show up in my children.    Well, that’s it for now.  Love, your son.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”  Psalm 127:3-5

Love you dad. You are the best.

Just saying happy birthday to my wife and friend Brenda.

Celebrating a birthday reminds us of the goodness of life, and in this spirit we really need to celebrate people’s birthdays every day, by showing gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, gentleness, and affection. These are ways of saying: ‘It’s good that you are alive; it’s good that you are walking with me on earth. Let’s be glad and rejoice. This is the day that God has made for us to be and to be together.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

A birthday is a time to celebrate birth itself, the joy of life. It is also an occasion to rethink your life: How great is the disparity between what I have accomplished and what I can accomplish? Am I spending my time properly or am I involved in things that distract me from my higher calling? How can I strengthen the thread that connects my outer life and my inner life?

A birthday can also teach us the concept of rebirth. To recall our birth is to recall a new beginning. No matter how things went yesterday, or last year, we always have the capacity to try again. Your birthday is a refresher, a chance for regeneration–not just materially, but spiritually.

Happy birthday Brenda…… you are amazing.