The Perfect Parents

When I was a child and you would make me mad I would often wish God had given me my ideal of the perfect parents. As I have gotten older, God has shown me the qualitiess that make up a "perfect" parent. First on the list is an unconditional, never ending love. Next comes patience, selflessness, support, laughter, joy, the ability to let go when necessary, sacrifices, and most of all a love for God. In other words. . .

YOU!!!

I want to take this time to say that unspoken thanks for all you have done for or taught me during my childhood, youth and recent adulthood. When Chris and I were younger, I think we never stopped to think of all that you did without and gave up just so we could be happy. I am extremely grateful to you for all of this and most of all to God for seeing fit to send me to be Jerry and Wanda Stokes' little girl. I can only hope and pray that as I parent one day to my children I can do as good a job as you did. All my feelings can be summed up in the chorus of the song by Ray Boltz:

Thank you for giving to the Lord;

for I am a life that was changed

Thank you for giving to the Lord

I am so glad you gave.

I Love you Mama and Daddy!

Merry Christmas 1992!

Jerry & Wanda

Jerry & Wanda

You chose each other 35 years ago;

Of your own free will you came to be one. . .

With all you had , you vowed to share all that would come your way: physically, emotionally, spiritually.

You laugh in good times, cry in bad & support each other in the valleys.

Your love and faithfulness has served as an example to others as you cherish & honor each other.

You gave your vows to each other on November 4, 1966 & choose to keep those vows daily.

May you continue to uphold the Lord's idea of marriage for many years to come.

Happy Anniversary

11-4-2001

Clouds

Lazy sunny afternoons

perfect for adult or child

to lie on their back gazing up

at soft clouds drifting by

Imaginations soar on wings

as the birds up in the sky

what kind of pictures do you see

in the clouds floating by?

Many a summer afternoon

those fluffy white cotton puffs

have entertained many a child

just by looking up

a bear, a dog or a choo choo train

even a pig float by

a giggle is heard or even perhaps

a most contented sigh.

4-27-11

The Forestry Prayer

Lord, Grant us your protection as we protect your creation.

Help us educate the human race to the importance of taking care of our natural resources.

Surround us with angels as we go out to fight the fires that strive to consume our woodlands.

Give those around us the understanding to step aside and let us do what we are trained to do.

May others see that we are doing the best we can to keep our trees and forests here for another generation to enjoy.

Daily show us your glory in each and every tree, plant, shrub and animal.

Use Smokey Bear to encourage future generations to become Rangers.

And may we always promote to the citizens of our nation that "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires".

Amen

written for my brother and his fellow employees of the Florida Division of Forestry

The Blank Page

The sun rises early in the morn

Another new day begins

A blank page in life's story

Another chance to start again

Another chance to do what's right

To impact those you meet

To tell them about the Son of God

How they can walk on golden streets

The past has been forgotten

You can't go back in time

So embrace this new day

To make a difference in someone's life

As the sun goes past the horizon

At the end of the day

Will you see many things written there

Or will you still have a blank page?

4-4-11