Today is Father's Day!

My Dad - James K. Rutherford - A Genuine Hero - standing next to a statue of some actor!


Dad - an OU fan - headline on paper doesn't look so good!

My Daughter, Savannah - 12 going on 20!

Dad - Almost 60 years of preaching! Many souls in the Kingdom as a result!

My Daughter - Katie - Senior Picture - Currently on European trip - in Venice today.

Me - Uncle Shan Rutherford (youngest of the brothers, preaches in Greenwood, Indiana) - Dad (World's Greatest Father) - Uncle Dean (middle brother, Outreach/Evangelism Pastor in Clovis, California - my Brother Joel (preaches in Langley, Oklahoma.)

I had the privilege of preaching today at First Christian Church in Langley, Oklahoma - filling in for my Brother, Joel, who is in Alaska, with his family, where his wife's sister is getting married.

It was wonderful to preach on Father's Day with my Dad in the audience. He even stayed for both services! His wife, Eva Jo, was kind enough to take the both of us out to lunch after the second service!

I love my Dad and am so grateful for his example of a minister, a father and a man that I had growing up.

Dad turned 79 just a couple of weeks ago. He spent almost 60 years preaching the gospel as a pastor, evangelist, church planter and more. He was a tremendous one on one soul winner!

I've learned so much from Dad - and could have learned so much more, if I'd just paid better attention.

I love you, Dad! It was great to spend part of this Father's Day with you. I hope there are many more to come!

I did miss my daughter, Katie, this Father's Day. I've spent every Father's Day with Katie since she was born more than 18 years ago - except for this one! Katie is on a trip to Europe. She went with her American Sign Language Class and her mother went as a sponsor and arranged for she and Katie to take an extra couple of weeks, just the two of them. They have visited France, but have spent most of their time in Italy. Today, Father's Day, they were in Venice. Katie did call to wish me a happy Father's Day. It was good to hear her voice, but I sure did miss not spending at least part of the day with her. I'm thrilled that Katie has been able to see so much of the world already - China for almost a month last year - and now France and Italy for three weeks! But, I still missed her today! As a Dad, I am so proud of Katie and the fine young woman she is becoming - and the goals she has for her life - to work with deaf children - maybe on the mission field.

I did have Savannah - in person - to wish me a happy Father's Day! As it says by her picture, Savannah is 12 going on 20. I can't believe that Savannah is going to be in the 7th grade this year! She is a basketball player and will get to start playing volleyball this year! She is small, but very quick and very tough! She is also very smart! When I'm not preaching, I usually run the sound and video at God's Shining Light, but when I am preaching, Savannah takes over for me! There are not many 12 year olds who are sharp enough and could be trusted enough to take care of the sound and video projection at the level we run it at God's Shining Light, but with Vanny in charge, I don't even worry about it when I'm off preaching. I know it will be done perfectly. Of course, she did learn from the best!!!

It was, I guess, a Father's Day of mixed emotions! But, life is like that, I guess.

Another Genuine Hero - Joe Hambrick - Sheila's Dad - World's Greatest Father-in-Law!

I am also thankful on Father's Day, that my wife, Sheila, had such a wonderful Christian Father!
Joe has served the Lord for many years and passed that servant's heart along to his children. Joe is a black and white sort of guy - not much gray! What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong! Joe is a man's man, a wonderful father, a loving husband, a terrific grandfather - and, as I said, the World's Greatest Father-in-Law. Joe and his wife, Bonnie, live right across our long private drive (officially, Hambrick Hill Road) from Sheila and I. Between us, we have 8.5 beautiful acres. I'll bet there are not too many people out there who would want their in-laws living right across the street, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Joe is the heart and soul of Hambrick Hill - as well as the Hambrick family. I know this - I would not have the wonderful, loving, Christian wife I do, were it not for Joe Hambrick! Thanks, Joe!

I love you, Dad! I love you, Katie! I love you, Vanny! I love you, Papa Joe!

Happy Father's Day to all of you!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim