Dad. We miss him so much, as it feels he went too soon; but I know that death may always feel like that.
But this post is not to remember his death, but to remember his life.
“Every man dies, not every man truly lives.” – William Wallace, Braveheart
Classic quote, possibly a little over used, but none the less relevant. In the context of Braveheart, this has epic implications; but I don’t think our actions in life need to be of epic proportions to have epic impact.
My dad was a simple kind of man. You could learn his priorities in life over a cup of coffee, it was obvious what he cared about. He loved Jesus, He loved his family, he loved golf, and he had the strongest work ethic I’ve ver seen… He also loved mexican food.
His love for Jesus drove him to devote himself to others. He was selfless, and he was caring. Growing up i n California, I remember he and my mom constantly involved in ministries and community. They would serve outside of church, and they would serve at church. I grew up in Calvary Chapel Downey. Every Sunday after church, I would run all around that church playing with my friends for about an hour as my mom and dad stayed to pray and talk with anyone who needed it.
Simple action, small sacrifice of time, but huge impact that I didn’t even realize until I got older.
To avoid an incredibly long blog, I will leave it here: My dad was and still is one of the most, if not the most, impactful people in my life. I am thankful that he and my mom loved us children the way that they did. In this world of growing responsibility and opportunity, I want to honor my dad by seeking focus in life. I want to calibrate my priorities in a way that my kids feel as loved and encouraged as I did.
Simplicity leads to focus, and focus leads to impact.
I love you and miss you so much dad.
Here is the link to the initial blog “Remembering our Father”
George Grayum: In loving memory
And here is the link to the memorial slideshow:
The Story We Write 