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Hi Dad!
It's time for my video slide show for you. I had a lot of fun making this and had many great memories flood my mind as I went through the photos! You were the best kind of father ever! And if it is true, what the psychologists say about women seeking out men who remind them of their fathers, I did a great job in marrying Brad! Thank you for always believing in us and in all the help you and Gaynel have given us over the years with the medical roller coaster we have been on!
I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day and that you know how much we love and appreciate you!! We will see you next weekend for your birthday!! Thanks for going to church with us on that Sunday. I want to show you off!!
Enjoy the slide show!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Permanent Fingerprints on My Heart ...left by my Dad
Fingerprint [fing-ger-print]: noun/
any unique or distinctive pattern that presents unambiguous evidence of a specific person, substance, disease, etc.
There are many sayings that refer to a child's likeness to their parents:
You are a chip off the old block!
That apple did not fall far from the tree!
...and many more.
My sister and I have been working hard over the last 2 weeks scanning photos and trying to find the perfect song to put a slide show together for our dad. As we spoke about all the photos and the memories that were attached to one...it was clear to see that our dad, Mikel Conner, has left permanent fingerprints on our hearts and lives.
We found ourselves making comments like , in that photo he has "the Mikel Conner stare!" .... meaning he was expressing "the look" we were all to familiar with when we had shocked, surprised, or exasperated him! It was the lowered head, with the eyes looking at you straight way over the tops of his glasses... it was a look we saw often and still giggle about today when my sister and I see each other in parenting trials...and inevitably one of us says to the other, "You just gave that child "the Mikel Conner" look!
...And it is still quite effective after all these years!
My sister and I have pulled some photos of our favorite memories of dad and have put them to music. My sister found a poem that she liked and wanted to share with my dad. So I am going to post her slide show and the poem for her.
So dad, this one is from Tami's heart to you:
any unique or distinctive pattern that presents unambiguous evidence of a specific person, substance, disease, etc.
There are many sayings that refer to a child's likeness to their parents:
You are a chip off the old block!
That apple did not fall far from the tree!
...and many more.
My sister and I have been working hard over the last 2 weeks scanning photos and trying to find the perfect song to put a slide show together for our dad. As we spoke about all the photos and the memories that were attached to one...it was clear to see that our dad, Mikel Conner, has left permanent fingerprints on our hearts and lives.
We found ourselves making comments like , in that photo he has "the Mikel Conner stare!" .... meaning he was expressing "the look" we were all to familiar with when we had shocked, surprised, or exasperated him! It was the lowered head, with the eyes looking at you straight way over the tops of his glasses... it was a look we saw often and still giggle about today when my sister and I see each other in parenting trials...and inevitably one of us says to the other, "You just gave that child "the Mikel Conner" look!
...And it is still quite effective after all these years!
My sister and I have pulled some photos of our favorite memories of dad and have put them to music. My sister found a poem that she liked and wanted to share with my dad. So I am going to post her slide show and the poem for her.
So dad, this one is from Tami's heart to you:
Dad by Kit McCallum I know it's not often enough I share with you Dad; Seems long ago, when I was young; And as I grew, you stood patiently behind me, Thank you for loving me as you do; It may not be often enough I share with you Dad; But thank you for being the father that you are; | |
(Technical difficulty loading my file...so I will try again this afternoon...SORRY!)
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Selling the Concept of Virginity to a Sex Crazed Culture
Ok... I had to laugh when Brad told me this story this afternoon! I even went home to double check the facts on the web to see if was SERIOUS! With his humor, sometimes you just cant tell!
So here's the story... The Christian, abstinence-based purity program, TRUE LOVE WAITS, has marketed their slogan to K-Mart for affordable merchandising options for teens.
I will post some of the catalog photos... this is for real! LOL!
Can you imagine why we might have a hard time selling the concept of virginity to our teens with a message like this?? Seems a bit like a mixed message don't you think!??!
So who wants to rush out and buy this TRUE LOVE WAITS slogan to plaster across your daughter's back side? Since when did butts become billboards? I guess that is a good marketing strategy! It can surely draw an eye of an interested young man... but to sell the concept of purity...?? Come on!!
Sometimes you just have to scratch your head and walk away.... what are we thinking??
Who is the girl supposed to hope gets the message??
Anyone wanna share some thoughts on this one??
Dawn
So here's the story... The Christian, abstinence-based purity program, TRUE LOVE WAITS, has marketed their slogan to K-Mart for affordable merchandising options for teens.
I will post some of the catalog photos... this is for real! LOL!
Can you imagine why we might have a hard time selling the concept of virginity to our teens with a message like this?? Seems a bit like a mixed message don't you think!??!
So who wants to rush out and buy this TRUE LOVE WAITS slogan to plaster across your daughter's back side? Since when did butts become billboards? I guess that is a good marketing strategy! It can surely draw an eye of an interested young man... but to sell the concept of purity...?? Come on!!
Sometimes you just have to scratch your head and walk away.... what are we thinking??
Who is the girl supposed to hope gets the message??
Anyone wanna share some thoughts on this one??
Dawn
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Grateful for Pastor's Ponderings
As I mentioned yesterday... I am on a roll!
I am finding as I look through these photos albums that I have so many memories and so many feelings that I simply cannot put words to. And if I were to try, I would only mis-speak, stammer or put my foot in my mouth as in typical Dawn-like fashion!
So I am finding these music slide shows a good way to express what is in my heart without messing up with my words.
My pastor has been an integral part of our life-- he's like family.
In the (almost) 10 years we have been in this church, he has baptized my husband, all 3 of my children, prayed and cried with us through the loss of 7 babies in pregnancy, the death of brad's father and some other deeply wounding experiences.
We have a motto in our church..."we are doing LIFE together!"
Boy howdy! We've given him lots of LIFE to deal with! Pastor David is a sophisticated, slightly balding man, and I am most certain that our family has contributed greatly to the number of hairs on his head that have either turned gray or turned loose!
I have lost count of the life lessons that Pastor David has taught me that has changed the course I was going. These were life-changing lessons. He has seen me at my worst... He steered me through times of deep seated legalism that I needed to break free from. He has navigated me through "the valley of the shadow of death" where I teetered on slippery slope of losing hope... his words, his guidance, his prayers...and his constantly pointing back to Jesus has anchored me.
So as I was looking through more photos last night, I though I would make a video slide show as a tribute to my pastor.
There is a line in this song that really rings true for me where Pastor David is concerned. "Cheer up church...you are worse off than you think. But don't despair, do not fear, His grace is near."
Pastor has seen me in what I thought was my worst state ever-- but he was able to see far beyond the place where I thought I was ...and instinctively knew I was far worse off that what I was able to discern at that time. He is a true shepherd... he never scolded me. He never doubted me... He simply encouraged me to never forget the GRACE of God in all circumstances.
Pastor David is keenly aware that the congregation he shepherds in not HIS sheep, but GOD's sheep and he pastors us with a great stewardship of knowing that we belong to God.
So this one is for Pastor David...
Love, Dawn
PS...you should read his blog at www.pastordavidkerr.blogspot.com !!
I am finding as I look through these photos albums that I have so many memories and so many feelings that I simply cannot put words to. And if I were to try, I would only mis-speak, stammer or put my foot in my mouth as in typical Dawn-like fashion!
So I am finding these music slide shows a good way to express what is in my heart without messing up with my words.
My pastor has been an integral part of our life-- he's like family.
In the (almost) 10 years we have been in this church, he has baptized my husband, all 3 of my children, prayed and cried with us through the loss of 7 babies in pregnancy, the death of brad's father and some other deeply wounding experiences.
We have a motto in our church..."we are doing LIFE together!"
Boy howdy! We've given him lots of LIFE to deal with! Pastor David is a sophisticated, slightly balding man, and I am most certain that our family has contributed greatly to the number of hairs on his head that have either turned gray or turned loose!
I have lost count of the life lessons that Pastor David has taught me that has changed the course I was going. These were life-changing lessons. He has seen me at my worst... He steered me through times of deep seated legalism that I needed to break free from. He has navigated me through "the valley of the shadow of death" where I teetered on slippery slope of losing hope... his words, his guidance, his prayers...and his constantly pointing back to Jesus has anchored me.
So as I was looking through more photos last night, I though I would make a video slide show as a tribute to my pastor.
There is a line in this song that really rings true for me where Pastor David is concerned. "Cheer up church...you are worse off than you think. But don't despair, do not fear, His grace is near."
Pastor has seen me in what I thought was my worst state ever-- but he was able to see far beyond the place where I thought I was ...and instinctively knew I was far worse off that what I was able to discern at that time. He is a true shepherd... he never scolded me. He never doubted me... He simply encouraged me to never forget the GRACE of God in all circumstances.
Pastor David is keenly aware that the congregation he shepherds in not HIS sheep, but GOD's sheep and he pastors us with a great stewardship of knowing that we belong to God.
So this one is for Pastor David...
Love, Dawn
PS...you should read his blog at www.pastordavidkerr.blogspot.com !!
Sunday, June 01, 2008
A Tribute to My Husband: The Leader of the Band
OK...so I am on a roll. I am not sure why mixing family photos and memories to music has been very therapeutic lately...but it really has!
Tonight I spent some time thinking about my husband and how grateful I am for his never-ending devotion to our family. I have thought about how much of his life has been involved in mentoring and training other musicians. He is on his 3rd generation of musicians in the church who he has led, trained and discipled.
As I was looking through my photo albums and picture files, I came across photos of people that Brad has been directly involved in their musical training and/or leadership training. He truly has a living legacy of people he has shared his gifts with!
I have always heard Brad tell stories of those stolen moments of deep conversations with his father- things he still quotes to this day-- and just how significant a role his dad played in his life just by being available.
I know without a doubt that my husband would not be the man he is today if it had not been for the man his father raised him to become.
Generations will reap what my Mother and Father-in-law have sown into their 14 children!
I am forever grateful to the man who only had a third grade education and taught his "baker's dozen" more life lessons, manners, ethics and a vibrant faith in GOD than many a college educated person that felt there were better things to do than talk with children.
Of his 14 children, the majority all went on to higher education and professional careers and have happy and healthy families. My in-laws have 36 grandchildren!
I am just so very proud that Brad has so much likeness of his father. His character is pure gold.
I would like to share my husband and his heart with you. As you watch this slide show, you will see many of the people that Brad has invested his life. He is living a life well spent!
I love you Brad!
Forever, Dawn
Tonight I spent some time thinking about my husband and how grateful I am for his never-ending devotion to our family. I have thought about how much of his life has been involved in mentoring and training other musicians. He is on his 3rd generation of musicians in the church who he has led, trained and discipled.
As I was looking through my photo albums and picture files, I came across photos of people that Brad has been directly involved in their musical training and/or leadership training. He truly has a living legacy of people he has shared his gifts with!
I have always heard Brad tell stories of those stolen moments of deep conversations with his father- things he still quotes to this day-- and just how significant a role his dad played in his life just by being available.
I know without a doubt that my husband would not be the man he is today if it had not been for the man his father raised him to become.
Generations will reap what my Mother and Father-in-law have sown into their 14 children!
I am forever grateful to the man who only had a third grade education and taught his "baker's dozen" more life lessons, manners, ethics and a vibrant faith in GOD than many a college educated person that felt there were better things to do than talk with children.
Of his 14 children, the majority all went on to higher education and professional careers and have happy and healthy families. My in-laws have 36 grandchildren!
I am just so very proud that Brad has so much likeness of his father. His character is pure gold.
I would like to share my husband and his heart with you. As you watch this slide show, you will see many of the people that Brad has invested his life. He is living a life well spent!
I love you Brad!
Forever, Dawn
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