A 41-year career comes to a close

My dad's retiring this year. This Friday is his last day as a teacher in Dinuba Unified School District.

I didn't think I would feel much when my dad retired, but it's hitting me in a weird way - positive, but strange. He has said that he is similarly surprised about the experience. He is not usually comfortable with long, lingering goodbyes, but with his retirement, he's told me, he's enjoyed some significant moment with many of his colleagues.

A friend and fellow teacher and volleyball official, Craig Tomlinson, put together this collage for him. It is really remarkable to see pictures from so many yearbooks, and images that capture his personality and style all put together like this.

I'm proud of ya, Dad! You inspire me!



Update:

Maybe this better-resolution photo of the collage is easier to enjoy...

Percy Jackson's got NOTHING on MY God!

Raising kids is amazing. It's a confusing, exhausting, joyous, incredible adventure.
We make it up as we go along, which is hard to understand and appreciate when you're the kid.

The other day, my faith, my love for my sons, and my love of books all came together in a great way.

(I understand that this could be another example of showing you the good parts of my life, and none of the bad. Kind of like Facebook can be, showing only the "highlight reel", and not the "behind the scenes" footage. There are plenty of "behind the scenes" incidents in my house, just like yours...)

I have read several of the Rick Riordan books, because my 4th grade students, and my 5th grade son, are all very interested in them. You might know the movies "Lightning Thief" and "Sea of Monsters". He has read them, too. The basic concept of those books is that the Greek gods are real, and the main characters are caught up in the quests and the conflict between the mythological characters. They're very good. Very entertaining. I recommend them, even to adults.

My 11 year old and I were reading a Bible devotional together, and so the following is what I wrote to him:

I just read Day 35, about super powers.
Again, I'm struck by the contrast between what our God is like, and what the Greek gods were like.
They had specific powers, different from each other.
They had rivalries between each other.
They were immature, selfish, un-dependable, and scary.
Etc
(Not sure why I'm saying "had"... as if they actually existed at some point. Maybe because the sincere belief in them was real many years ago.)

Our God is all-powerful.He is the source of all power, all prophesy, all "magic", all creation, all healing, all protection, and everything good.
AAAAAAAAAND.....
He is GOOD!!!!!!!!!
Ultimate, eternal power, AND ultimate, eternal GOOD.Makes me want to go to church and worship today!
I love you, son.
I hope and pray that you grow in awe and love of our great God.
Dad

This was on a Sunday morning, and I was looking forward to worshipping at church...worshipping this God that is all-powerful, and yet loves me and has nothing but the best in store for me.

This let to a really cool conversation. Although he wasn't terribly wordy or eloquent this particular time, this is part of some incredible conversations we've been having.