Grady Russell

Today is Father’s Day. This is a great day. It is a day when I get to connect with seven of the most fantastic people on earth. Three of them are our amazing children. Three of them are their awesome spouses. Number 7 is a gift from heaven, our first grandson, Drew. We got to see him and his parents today via the Internet. Here is a picture.

I also heard today from Jenn and Keith and Jon and Stephanie. We got to celebrate with them several days early when we were visiting Alabama. Great steak dinner! (Thanks also for a great time with the RC airplane, Jon.)

I was once asked what I considered to be my greatest accomplishments. I didn’t have to think even a moment. Our kids. No, I am not taking full credit here. No accomplishments are ever achieved alone. There are always others involved. Most of the credit for our kids must be given to God. His abundant blessings are readily evident in their lives and loves. Joyce and I were blessed with family and friends who have all added so much to the formula for perfect kids. Yes, perfect. Mark Rutland, jokingly, remarked about the perfection of his grand kids, “It is amazing how such perfection can come from such imperfection. It seems that perfection skips generations!” He was kidding, but I am sure that many fathers must think that. Our kids are perfect in the best possible way, they are all living fulfilling lives, have found phenomenal life mates and they and their spouses are serving God. What more could a Christian parent ask? Each of them have surpassed their parents in almost every way. They are extremely talented. Many of the things that I dreamed for my life I have been privileged to experience through them. Their zeal for God is inspiring. Each of them found the perfect person to augment and encourage them in their relationship with God. Together with their spouses the are all mature believers in Jesus Christ. I am a man most blessed.

Of course, our kids did see some perfection in their parents. 100 % from mom and 2% from dad. Making perfect kids is easy if your start with the perfect wife. We will celebrate 33 years of wedded bliss on June 21. Thanks, Joyce, for giving me so much more than I ever dreamed possible! I am a man most blessed.

Since last Father’s Day, David and Missy brought Andrew into our lives. Jonathan graduated from TSU and married Stephanie. Jenn and Keith moved to Mobile to join the staff of Saraland A/G. I am so proud of them all! I am a man most blessed!

There are at least a hundred other things that I could praise God for, but since it is Father’s Day, let’s just say that these seven have given Joyce and I an abundance of reasons to thank and honor our heavenly father on this day. So to my father in heaven, I’ll say, “Thanks, Father, for so many things, but thanks most of all for these seven! You have given me so much! Because of you I can emphatically express, I am a man most blessed!”