As I sit down to write this note, I am grieving the recent loss of my dad and preparing for an upcoming memorial service. It is life markers such as these that remind us that we are “just passing through” and our days are definitely numbered. Psalm 103 states, “As for man his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

My dad was my hero and he will be greatly missed. If only I could have one more hour. Yet at times like this, I am reminded of the vow he made to God as he sat in a German P.O.W. camp.He promised that if he got out alive he would strive to make his life “count.” And, indeed he did! He lived a life of loving God and serving others while modeling for me what a godly earthly father looks like. Thank you Dad!

Let us all be reminded that as our lives are racing past us, only what we do for God and other people is what lasts. Let us deepen our walk with Him daily and continue to look for opportunities to serve others in His Name. I am encouraged by the dedication of these two principles that I see within the SI family, and I count it a privilege to work together with you.