“Always listen to God more than you talk to him.” – Ken Bearnes (1920 – 1983)

Dad left this life 39 years ago. I still seek his advice and insights every day.

Ken Bearnes was a 5’2″ “Buckeye”. When WWII broke out, the US Armed Forces told him he wasn’t tall enough to serve. So, he went north and joined the Canadian Air Force. Via the RAF he met my mom in England. They dated. He was shot down over Holland and was a POW in Germany for almost two years. When he was released, my grandfather wouldn’t let him see my mom because they all thought he’d just dumped her.

So Dad returned a few days later with a diamond ring (that he bought with all of his back pay).  They got married.  And after being a POW, suddenly 5’2″ was tall enough for the USMC.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Dad also served in Korea and Viet Nam. He did things and saw things I’ll never know or be able to imagine.

When he was home, Dad and I would get up at 5am, eat Grape Nuts (remember them?) and tell each other about the miracles we’d seen the day before. I still look for miracles every day and try to like Grape Nuts.

I used to think everyone had a dad like mine.

I know better now.

That makes me even more grateFULL for and to him.

What do you celebrate about your father, or others who’ve ‘fathered’ you?