Dear Old Dad

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here

During coffee hour Sunday morning, we held wrapped up the drive for the food bank. The bins in the narthex were full to overflowing and Joan reported around $800.00 in cash as well. To celebrate we held the draw for the hanging basket. After a number of refusals, the Jim Dallimore was declared the winner.

In honour of Father's Day on Sunday, I've posted a number of "Dad Moments" collected from members of the congregation. 

Joan writes:

On June 1968 I was married in Scotland.

My dad and I left for our church in the wedding car with the white ribbons on the front.  I was obviously in a white dress that had a train, with dad in a morning suit, (which was another story.) On arriving Dad helped me out. Before entering our beautiful old church Dad asked "are you sure this is what you want?"                                

Inverkeithing parish church, in Fife, Scotland

 

I replied, "Yes, I'm sure" Again Dad spoke. "It is not too late to call it off." I think he said this because I was shaking so bad. Finally Dad came out with his real concern. "Are you sure? He's English, you know." But I was sure and we proceeded down the aisle with my bridesmaids following behind us.

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 From Pam:

Pam’s Dad, Reginald Middleton

 Serving as an engineer with the RAF taking care of ‘Lancs” during the war, my father suffered Tubercolosis as a result of neglected Pneumonia, which landed him in a Sanitorium for the remainder of the war.

Many did not survive this disease, and this could have been a real tragedy for this young, newly married airman; as he was about to become a father, my father!

His health was quite fragile during my early childhood which meant that he spent a lot of time at home, however, it provided an opportunity for father daughter bonding which was quite unusual in those days, becoming the foundation of a deeper and lasting relationship.

Although my father was not an overtly religious man, he realised that he had been blessed with a new lease on life, and was grateful for it. He lived every day as a gift, and as he said “each day he lived on borrowed time.”

His example demonstrated to me that one must embrace each day as if it was one’s last and to do whatever good one could do in it.

His life was indeed a gift and a blessing to me; and when he had a massive stroke at the age of 84yrs, he waited until I flew out from Ottawa to Yorkshire and prayed by his bedside, before he breathed his last.

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Barb writes: 

Campbell’s Perfect Tea is a well loved tea in Ireland. I bought several cans when I was there late last year. 

Mr Robert Campbell was a wonderful inspiration is us sixth graders at Tillicum Elementary School in the late 1960’s. I did not have a father t home due to my Dad’s untimely death but I had a perfect substitute at school with Mr. Campbell. He taught us all right from wrong and made learning a jobHe said a lot of us were from families without a lot of money but with hard work and perseverance we would overcome our circumstances.

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Larry recalls:

Arthur Bentley Skaggs was born December 17, 1919, in Long Beach, California.The “Bentley” middle name was given to distinguish him from his father, Arthur Beard, and avoid his being called “Junior”. His Texas relatives all called him A.B.

 Arthur was a proud native son of California, and lived his entire life there, except for 5 years of military service during World War 2 and the Korean War. He served overseas in India, and during his time there, courted my mother by mail. He proposed to her during a lengthy correspondence, and they were married on July 2, 1946 in Las Vegas. He had driven from Long Beach to the wedding with his parents, so, of course, they spent their honeymoon on a car tour with his mother and father.

As a young father to me and my sister, Clarice, he undertook a law degree, studying at night school in Long Beach. He was admitted to the Bar of California in about 1961, and did a number of pro bono cases over the years, but never practised professionally.

 Always active in a church wherever we lived, he sang in the choir almost throughout his life, and often served as a deacon or trustee (somewhat equivalent to an elder). He loved opera, and was a huge fan of Joan Sutherland and a Russian bass, Ivan Rebroff. During high school he often ushered at the Los Angeles Opera to get free tickets.

He joined the Rotary Club at a young age and always took an active interest in their meetings and charitable work, always planning his trips with Rotary visits wherever he found himself.

While supportive of my career in music, he had held out a hope that I would follow him in accounting or the law, but graciously accepted and honoured my musical path. [Ed. Note: When Larry had a big solo number with the Victoria Symphony, his father surprised him by coming all the way from California to attend the concert and cheer on his son ]

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From your blog editor:

So many great memories, but one that stands out is an evening when the whole family was playing the board game "Life." Dad took the early lead and we were all blowing on the dice in hopes of a roll that would advance our playing piece past his. The playing pieces were in the shape of a car. Sadly for Dad, he kept landing on a "have a child, miss a turn" square. It happened over and over until his little car was stuffed with children and he fell behind. When I commiserated with him he replied, "Oh, I don't care about winning. I'm glad to fill my life with children." 

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Happy Father's Day to all Dad's everywhere. May your children bless you and may you be a blessing to your children.