Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Dear Cousins Vickie, Patti, Lisa, and Becky,
I'm so sorry for the loss of your dad. He was a very special man and he played an important role in my life, for which I will always be grateful. He was my Godfather. He was also there to encourage me during my confirmation (even though at the time my heart was far, far away from the Lord). He and your mom were the wedding coordinators at our wedding in 1985 (Amber was our flower girl). He was there for my ordination as a pastor in 1998. He was always there as a steadfast presence for good in my mom's life. I will never forget his Uncle Donald-isms like, "You guys get everything;" "It's Uncle Donald, your favorite Uncle;" and his jingling his keys when it was time to leave. Another thing that I will never forget about your parents is the care and devotion toward them on the part of you, their daughters. I've never met siblings as committed to loving and caring for their parents as you four. Your parents did a great job of raising their daughters!
The most important blessing I received from Uncle Donald was his steady example as a Christian man. The words of the Apostle Paul apply to all who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus, including your dad: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" - Romans 8:38-39.
