Happy Birthday Daddy

  
My daddy would be 70 years old today.  

I am sure he is celebrating Big if they celebrate birthdays in Heaven. If they celebrate homecomings, this November will be his 8th homecoming anniversary. 

 I miss hearing his voice and his great big hugs and kisses and even his sneaky mischievous bite of my nose. I miss all his silly rhymes and poems and his calls just to say nothing but “It’s Your Daddy & I love you”

I miss the emails and the phone conversations that lasted for hours and hours never running out of things to say. I miss that he loved large and always tried to help someone even in the times he had not much to give. I miss sharing recipes and what new music we found. I love that he never ever made me wonder if I was loved or special or the apple of his eye. He always said or signed his pictures “My favorite daughter” which he also did that to my sisters too! 

He gave me a love for all sorts of music and taught me to never despise the hard times. I loved how he could tell a story and make you feel like you were right there. He always made sure I knew he was one of my biggest fans. 

Sometimes I imagine my dad and my brother Toby (whose 10th homecoming is in a few weeks) and the amazing mansions with elaborate gardens and koi ponds and all the amazing art Dad is now creating for Jesus and my brother Toby playing and loving on all the animals and babies in Heaven. 

I spent far too many years very sad on their birthdays and homecoming anniversaries. I grieved my brother’s death in 2006 without hope and was able to grieve my dad’s death in 2008 with much hope. 

I am comforted now that because of the sting of their deaths I have come to know Jesus on a much more personal and deeper level. Because of my trust and their trust in Jesus, we will all one day be reunited. The more time I spend in my Heavenly Father’s presence the closer I feel to my earthly Father and my brother Toby. 

I am thankful for the moments that I see my dad’s dimple and quirky smile, his funny and hilarious personality and of course his True Die Hard Dallas Cowboys fan in my son, And I see his amazing artistic talent and fix anything, so creative and kind loving spirit in my daughter.  

Happy Birthday Daddy! No sad tears today –

 I promise not to be a squall monkey.  
   XXOO ~ Your Favorite Daughter, 

                        Michelle Bollom 

All Humanity

  
May the Lord flood you with an unending, undying love for one another and for all humanity, ….              ~ 1 Thessalonians 3:12 The VOICE 

God’s love is so unlike our love. His love is the most honest, pure, complete, unending and unconditional love we will ever know. God loves the murderer, the rapist, the thief, the liar, the abortionist, the adulterer, the slanderers, the complainers, the atheists, the same as He loves you and me. 

The truth is, we are all guilty of many of these things and more at some point.

God loves the sick, the weak, the lost, and the ignorant as much as He loves the healthy, the strong, the saved, and the educated. 

May we continuously seek to love like Him. Ask God to flood you with an unending and undying love for one another and for all humanity. 

Lord, forgive me when I place conditions on love. Help me to love the unlovable. Help me to not judge or condemn others by their opinions, their faults or their sins.  Help me not to withhold love for others and give me an authentic love for all humanity. Help me Lord to love like You. ~ In Jesus Name, Amen. 
                       XXOO Michelle Bollom