We spent a few days before Father’s Day at a lakeside condo near Branson, Missouri. Our oldest grand daughter, her husband and their newly adopted son (our first great-grandchild) were able to join us for a day at the lake and in the pool. It was a special day for us.

There is a special story behind X-man coming into the family and all I can say is, “It was a God thing.” He is five years old and a very happy, easy going, full of energy…okay, he’s all boy! But that’s not the end of the story. Our grand daughter has been trying to get pregnant for a several years and there have been disappointments and challenges along the way, including our grand son-in-law being diagnosed with testicular cancer! Well, here is her story in her own words.

For those that have been following our story for the last 3-4 years or so I’ve been so eager to share this part of our story…

I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2017, and in 2022 we found traces of PCOS in my right ovary. I was told early that I would likely need intervention to become pregnant. After a couple of surgeries and minor procedures, we were told we would have to endure fertility treatments, likely IUI or IVF.

In 2021, Blake was diagnosed with testicular cancer. We were immediately moved to a fertility specialist and we were so anxious for the future of our family. Infertility and fear controlled a lot of our months to come. Thank goodness we found our doctor.

In 2022, we experienced 5 failed fertility treatments and 1 suspended IUI treatment. In March of 2023, we received news that we were experiencing a heartbreaking loss after we had just shared our news with family and friends. We were devastated. I was ready to be done with fertility for awhile and take a break. Grief was and sometimes still can be suffocating. After a loss, you feel so alone and for me, I had so much anger.

But God. He paved a way for us through that season of life. In late April, we were floored when we found out we were expecting, again. We conceived with no fertility drugs, no bi-weekly scans, and no intervention whatsoever. The Lord has made His presence known daily through this sweet baby and we can’t wait to experience this season of life together, with Xavier.

Please continue to pray for us on this journey. There are so many unknowns and we are being monitored closely. But we know we serve a BIG God.

Words cannot express the joy that my wife, myself and the whole family is experiencing. YES!!! It is a God thing! It is a glorious prayer answering God thing. There is no other way to say it, “Thank you God for all that you do.” What a glorious Father’s day week-end we had.

Before we move on the Monday’s Music Moves Me, I would like to say a few final words regarding Father’s Day. Being a father is the most important job in the world along side being a mother. In other words, parenting is the most important endeavor that any couple can undertake. Children are like any living thing in that they survive and even flourish under certain conditions. The ideal growing conditions for human children are found in God’s Word. The ideal family unit consists of a loving mother and father working together, under the instruction of God’s Word to raise children to be responsible adults. Again I say, the Bible is life’s instruction book. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Where are you going to find better advice than from the Creator of life. The epistle further states that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. The purpose of Scripture is for the man of God that he may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived and wrote Proverbs, was inspired to write to fathers, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” It is the parents responsibility to raise responsible children, not nanny, preschool, public or private school, and certainly not government agencies. God gives us a special gift in the life of a child and we should care for that life with our very lives. A couple of songs come to mind.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

This week the theme at 4M is The Beatles. We are to select songs by Beatles as a group or the members after Beatles. I was a teen when the Beatles hit the shores of America and the “British Invasion” was on! Like many groups, the Fab Four started as a boy band with song like, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You”. The group matured and so did their fans, by the time the group broke up The Beatles were the biggest band in the history of Rock and Roll. Their list of No.1 songs is legendary. I have to admit that I was not a Beatles fan in the beginning. My tastes leaned more toward The Rolling Stones and The Animals, The Beach Boys, Temptations and Four Tops. Like many converts, the Rubber Soul album was the release that turned me on to The Beatles. Here are a few of my favorite tunes. Have a blessed week..