Happy 50th Birthday!!

If you’re looking for someone to hike with, talk to, and learn from, Papa’s your man. Papa is a real man, clean and honest and strong.  He loves to laugh at life’s funny moments; loves to catch the glimmer of light in the darkest trial; loves to watch the sun rise above the mountains and the grass wave in the wind. Years of seeking God and savoring God’s mercies have given Papa a solid foundation in God’s sovereignty and a refreshing outlook on life.

Papa is a down-to-earth guy. He never wavers in his commitment to Mums, and is quick to apologize when he is wrong. Papa has always seemed like the bulwark of our family – strong in body, keen in judgment, faithful in leadership, and professional in ministry. Papa cares for us – really cares. He understands the needs of his family, and doesn’t shrink from making decisions to guard his family that may garner criticism or disapproval from others. Papa takes time to talk with us, to listen to our hurts and needs and dreams. He’s a leader we can look up to.

Papa is an unashamed man of God – as he says it, “a blood-bought sinner.” He is passionate about God’s word, about bringing glory to God in every aspect of life. When we’re drifting spiritually, he helps us fasten our anchors in Christ. He takes time to cultivate his relationship with God, and gladly sacrifices his own interests for those of the Kingdom.

Papa is a family man at heart. He loves to go for a romp over the hills with us kids, to spend hours cranberry picking, to wage snowball battles, to jump in the car and drive a thousand miles to see relatives, to sit up late and play games, and to do everything else that a father could do with his family. And Papa loves to read, his voice rising and falling as the wind hums in the eaves, imitating the dialect of Scottish farmers, old maids, austere butlers, and evil villains alike. We’ll never forget these memories.

And so Papa is Papa. We’re proud to call him our Father and the leader of our family. We’re grateful for his humility and constant desire to grow closer to God, and we’re looking forward to entering the next year under his wisdom and direction.