Daddy

Father's Day weekend is coming up this weekend and I want to take a moment to remember my daddy.

I was only 15 years old when I lost my daddy. Anytime is a hard time to lose a parent, but 15 was a hard time to lose your daddy. In my eyes, I still needed him.


Dad and I had not gone through driver's training together, we had not gone through the years of me begging to stay out late, or me begging to take the car somewhere. He had not seen me grow into a woman, I had not graduated, we had not decided what I should do with my life after school. We had not finished the dating years, he had not approved of the man I was to marry. He had not walked me down the isle. He would not get to know my children. We had so much unfinished business. Still so much to do. I needed him.


To this day I have my daddy on a pedestal. I have very fond memories. I see him setting at the head of the table, laughing - his belly jiggling. I see him with Mom. I see him enjoying Mom's cooking. I see him being ornery and teasing someone. I see him in the outside swing. I see him in the recliner watching the news. I see him in a pickup driving (so slow I do not want my friends to see us! this is important at 15), I see him with sheep, hogs, Dolly, cows, chickens. But I do not see him with a cat. I see him holding a child and smiling. I see him in church. I see him pitching horseshoes, washers. I see him playing cards and domino's. And there is so much more. I can still feel the kiss on my cheek to say good night. And every night "I love you, daddy" and he would tease and say "no you don't", "yes, I do daddy".


I felt so safe when he was there and at first, so scared when he wasn't.


I still miss him. I wish he would have known who I married - his best friends boy. I wish he would have known my kids and I sure wish they would have known him. But someday when we all meet on the other side..................


Gratitude: Thank you for giving me Horton Farr for my daddy.


Prayer: Keep John safe and healthy, so our kids can have their daddy for many years.


I am so thankful God blessed me with Horton and Violet Farr as parents. I do not know why I deserved the best, but in my eyes that is what I got.




Happy Father's Day
by Tami Blackwell



Give 'em a hug, a great big kiss.
Because one day, he will be greatly missed.


My daddy has gone far away from this land,
I miss the precious touch of his loving hands.


I never knew last year was the last day,
I could look at my daddy, hug him, and say:
"I love you, Daddy! Happy Father's Day!"


Don't let one day go by without telling him
how dear he is!
Remember you may not have another year to tell him this!


All I have now is great memories, a heart
full of love and eyes full of tears, and
to remember his love throughout the years.


Now I will have to look up at the stars and say,
"I love you, Daddy! Happy Father's Day!"



Please remember when you pray, to thank your
heavenly father up above.
For your father he gave you with so much love.


"He lived, for Jesus died;
He died, for Jesus Lives."

Family Reunions

I am so thankful for family reunions. I think they are so important. And I believe they are even more important now that both our parents are gone.

As long as mom was alive, we all heard from one another through her. She was our "hub". Now it just seems harder to "keep up". And I for one miss that. I miss knowing what everyone is doing, how everyone is feeling, where folks are moving, who's having the babies and when, where everyone is going for vacations. I miss praying specifically for someone's ailment, someone's traveling, someone's hardship, someone's big move, etc. I miss not getting to hear all the special blessings each family has that I will never get to know about, because at the time of the excitement, the phone call never gets made to our "hub" so the good news will be spread.

Mom always wanted us to tone down the activities and just visit. It took her passing for me to realize the importance of this. Now I hunger for the visiting, catching up on all the news, bringing the memories up and rehashing them, making new memories, shedding a tear and laughing till our sides hurt. Enjoying the activities, seeing how much the children have grown.....so much to take in - in one short weekend. Strengthening my bonds with my siblings, my nieces and nephews. Getting reacquainted with my great nieces and nephews and meeting some for the first time.


It will be another year now till we have another reunion. And I for one am sure looking forward to it.


Gratitude: My extended family (all 100+ of you). And for family reunions.

Prayer: Safe keeping for all my family in the following year. Please take care of them, I love them all.