Happy Birthday Dad

My Dad passed away just a couple of days before his birthday in 2019. A casual thing to some who were not really close to this great man, but to others, a devastating moment that the patriarch of our tribe was gone from our eyes.

He was normally a man of few words, a quiet man that spoke volumes in his own way. He left us with towers of wisdom that one can only see by looking back. Now after some time of healing and reflection of a life that most definitely stands out, we can see that he touched a great many lives in a unique way.

​He took in many to shepherd them over the years and in most cases was taken advantage of, even by his family and closest friends at times. He never stopped trying to help people and he always had a soft spot in his heart for children.

I never worried about things when I was growing up; all I had to do was ask my Dad. We never had much, but we were always blessed and our actual needs were always somehow met. His entire family helped each other out and was a reflection of a generation all but gone now.

Marshall Andrew Turner, Specialist 5 US Army

Well today on the anniversary of his birth, I wish to honor the man, the Dad, the soldier and my earthly shepherd.

A shepherd's job is to feed, lead and meet needs.

It wasn't always easy, and sometimes it looked like there wasn't a way but we made it through.

God is the ultimate source for everything, but He does it through people. My Dad was definitely one of them.

Thank you Dad for who you were and for everything you did for us, and still doing today. The sacrifices, the long hours and the patience to endure the things that you really were unable to change.

In the words of an old Brad Paisley song... "I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be"