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Deborah's toast to her dad
Happy 80th Birthday, Dad!
When I thought about giving a toast I was trying to come up with one special time or one of your amazing accomplishments I should highlight, but I couldn’t because there were too many! You’ve been an inspiring and fun dad all the years so there are many personal stories, but it would be too limiting to not mention some of what you’ve done for others and the community.
Even as a kid others looked to you as a leader. Public speaking has always been one of your fortes recognized as early as when you won the school speech meet doing an Abraham Lincoln impersonation. Imagine tall Jim with the tall hat …. perfect.
You were sports team captain and helped lead your college basketball team to playing in a championship game at Madison Square Gardens. Pretty exciting!
All that set the foundation for a life of accomplishments and making a huge impact on the communities and people around you.
Peace and justice issues have always been at the forefront of your activities. It’s fun to think about you marching with MLK and being part of such incredible national history. When you spoke to Marina’s class last year about it, a parent approached you after asking if she could shake your hand because she was so moved by what you did in Selma as part of the civil rights movement. That’s the kind of impact you’ve had! I remember you telling the story about the black woman you stayed with during the march who said it was the first time in her life she could look a white person in the eye. What an incredible moment for both of you.
I could go on and tell stories about the all black church you were hired by to integrate the congregation (successfully half white when you left!), or the American Indian Fishing rights you helped to secure in Washington state, or the Anti-nuclear movement protests in Arizona (we were the kids holding up the signs in front of the airforce base!), or aiding refugees needing asylum so they wouldn’t die trying to cross the Sonoran desert south of Tucson, but that would fill hours.
All these actions are just examples of how you lived your life according to your beliefs. You stepped out of your comfort zone to help others. Sometimes it meant facing angry people or risking things in your own life, but you made the choice to stand up for those without a voice.
Your sermons were a perfect place to share your message. Always inspiring to the congregation, you challenged people to go out and stand for their own principals. On most Saturday nights at our house, you could hear the next morning’s sermon being practiced so you could deliver it memorized and often walking in front of the people (all that wisdom had to be put into 20 minutes, and no more!) 4 kids, a dog, and who knows what else going on couldn’t have made that so easy. Numerous people have told me over the years “that was the best sermon” or “there’s no one who can pull people together like your dad.” Completing your doctorate during these years was also a fete, considering all that was on your plate, but again, it was something that put you in a better place to help others. Whether it was a church with a different theology, a group of another religion, or an international group with cultural differences, you found common ground to work together.
All this progressive work was done in a fun and adventurous way. You were quick to participate in funny skits, jokes, or laugh when life didn’t go as planned. When does it? You could lead a congregation in dealing with serious issues, and then get them all to laugh and sing a silly version of the 12 days of Christmas with motions. That’s the kind of charisma we all enjoyed in your company!
When you are busy enjoying life and who has time to stop to put gas in your car? We have many funny stories about running out of gas but one in particular was driving to church. Of course running late (with 4 daughters to be ready, it’s amazing we got there at all.) The car stops and you being the problem solver you are, jump out, go to the nearest house and ask for a ride (for all 6 of us.) The guy in the house probably figured it wasn’t in his best interest to turn down a pastor in need of a ride on his way to church and kindly gave us a ride. I think that guy even stayed for church!
We have learned from you to not dwell on the past, not to worry about the things you can’t change, and to make the people around you feel validated and special.
Knowing you, it makes perfect sense that you would ask us all to share something we have learned in the past 10 years (your 7 year old niece Ami said she has lots to say about the last 10 years).
You’ll take that wisdom, couple it with your own and look ahead to the next 10 years with an open mind, and adventurous spirit, and a sense of compassion that will be inspirational to all of us who have the pleasure of knowing you!
Love, Deborah
When I thought about giving a toast I was trying to come up with one special time or one of your amazing accomplishments I should highlight, but I couldn’t because there were too many! You’ve been an inspiring and fun dad all the years so there are many personal stories, but it would be too limiting to not mention some of what you’ve done for others and the community.
Even as a kid others looked to you as a leader. Public speaking has always been one of your fortes recognized as early as when you won the school speech meet doing an Abraham Lincoln impersonation. Imagine tall Jim with the tall hat …. perfect.
You were sports team captain and helped lead your college basketball team to playing in a championship game at Madison Square Gardens. Pretty exciting!
All that set the foundation for a life of accomplishments and making a huge impact on the communities and people around you.
Peace and justice issues have always been at the forefront of your activities. It’s fun to think about you marching with MLK and being part of such incredible national history. When you spoke to Marina’s class last year about it, a parent approached you after asking if she could shake your hand because she was so moved by what you did in Selma as part of the civil rights movement. That’s the kind of impact you’ve had! I remember you telling the story about the black woman you stayed with during the march who said it was the first time in her life she could look a white person in the eye. What an incredible moment for both of you.
I could go on and tell stories about the all black church you were hired by to integrate the congregation (successfully half white when you left!), or the American Indian Fishing rights you helped to secure in Washington state, or the Anti-nuclear movement protests in Arizona (we were the kids holding up the signs in front of the airforce base!), or aiding refugees needing asylum so they wouldn’t die trying to cross the Sonoran desert south of Tucson, but that would fill hours.
All these actions are just examples of how you lived your life according to your beliefs. You stepped out of your comfort zone to help others. Sometimes it meant facing angry people or risking things in your own life, but you made the choice to stand up for those without a voice.
Your sermons were a perfect place to share your message. Always inspiring to the congregation, you challenged people to go out and stand for their own principals. On most Saturday nights at our house, you could hear the next morning’s sermon being practiced so you could deliver it memorized and often walking in front of the people (all that wisdom had to be put into 20 minutes, and no more!) 4 kids, a dog, and who knows what else going on couldn’t have made that so easy. Numerous people have told me over the years “that was the best sermon” or “there’s no one who can pull people together like your dad.” Completing your doctorate during these years was also a fete, considering all that was on your plate, but again, it was something that put you in a better place to help others. Whether it was a church with a different theology, a group of another religion, or an international group with cultural differences, you found common ground to work together.
All this progressive work was done in a fun and adventurous way. You were quick to participate in funny skits, jokes, or laugh when life didn’t go as planned. When does it? You could lead a congregation in dealing with serious issues, and then get them all to laugh and sing a silly version of the 12 days of Christmas with motions. That’s the kind of charisma we all enjoyed in your company!
When you are busy enjoying life and who has time to stop to put gas in your car? We have many funny stories about running out of gas but one in particular was driving to church. Of course running late (with 4 daughters to be ready, it’s amazing we got there at all.) The car stops and you being the problem solver you are, jump out, go to the nearest house and ask for a ride (for all 6 of us.) The guy in the house probably figured it wasn’t in his best interest to turn down a pastor in need of a ride on his way to church and kindly gave us a ride. I think that guy even stayed for church!
We have learned from you to not dwell on the past, not to worry about the things you can’t change, and to make the people around you feel validated and special.
Knowing you, it makes perfect sense that you would ask us all to share something we have learned in the past 10 years (your 7 year old niece Ami said she has lots to say about the last 10 years).
You’ll take that wisdom, couple it with your own and look ahead to the next 10 years with an open mind, and adventurous spirit, and a sense of compassion that will be inspirational to all of us who have the pleasure of knowing you!
Love, Deborah