A little post to my Father this day after father’s day. Of course it
is the day after Father’s Day, but being that we live in California
now it makes it tough to spend that day with him (he was golfing in
Bend, OR anyway). So, in his honor and in someway to celebrate my new
father-to-be status, we all hopped in Big Red and headed down the road
to Ojai. Big Red was the name my dad gave the truck shortly after he
bought it back in 1987 or ‘88. I was in fifth grade when he bought
the truck and I can remember many of Father’s Days driving the
mountain roads in Big Red. Whether we were in Montana or Washington,
the truck was always a focal point for the day’s special activities.
I really wished I could have spent yesterday with my Dad, I wish we
could have jumped into Big Red and headed up to Lake Casitas and threw
the kayaks in the water. Living in California, I miss not being able
to see my dad as frequently as I could when I lived up in Washington.
However, he has to take a lot responsibility for where I am today. It
was his example of confidence and trust in God’s provision for our
family, that has enabled me to live in that same confidence.
Certainly more that I probably give him credit for. The older I get,
the more of a “risk taker” he seems. Today, I feel like I need to sit
down with him and have explain to me where he gets his energy and
faith for the challenges he chooses to tackle. Yet through it all, he
continues to provide.
I also believe my dad was the example that gave me the confidence to
pick up and move to California. Recognizing that he took our family
through a similar “life altering” move from Montana to Washington, I
think that experience helped me to rationalize moving away from my
comfortable life in Washington, living near friends and family, my
house and property, etc., etc.
I certainly miss my dad, and not being near him to golf on Father’s
Day is something that makes living at this distance so difficult, but
I’m hopeful that our grandson will provide significant incentive for
him to plan on making the trip to California more often!
Happy Father’s Day Dad!
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