Fathers Love Letter

Josiah

"Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did--with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Laws of Moses." 2 Kings 23:25

Old Testament reading is resplendent with rich stories of men and women seemingly larger than life to us. Josiah was one such man. Reading Kings and Chronicles can be a bit on the depressing side. As the history of the Kings of Israel and Judah are detailed in these wonderful pages in the Bible, it is disheartening sometimes to read the phrase "...he did evil in the eyes of the Lord..." over and over and over again.

But then someone like Josiah comes along and on reading through what he did during his reign, something inside just wants to bust out in a cheer! Seriously. Just as your heart grows weary with reading the evil the kings before him did, your heart lightens up and becomes filled with hope as you read how Josiah tears down every evil thing those kings and their people had constructed as a substitute for God.

Josiah became king at the age of 8 and reigned for 31 years - I wonder how many it took to tear down the evil that had built up over years and years and years? This man was a man of authority, focus and action, and he applied those traits to completing the tasks he had been divinely given. He appears to be driven to complete the destruction of evil within his kingdom and leads his people by his own example to be holy and personally accountable for their actions.

At 39 years of age, Josiah was killed by the Pharoah Necho king of Egypt. There is no indication of any wrongdoing on Josiah's part - in fact, the Bible indicates Josiah did not stray from doing right in the eyes of the Lord. And yet, he suffered a much earlier death than most.

It seems sometimes as if serving the Lord doesn't guarantee a long life on this earth.....but does guarantee the best life - one filled with purpose and communion with Him.

Struggles

Does anyone else feel a little bit like Leah?

The number of times Leah is rejected is mind-boggling. Maybe I am just oversensitive seeing as how I am a middle-aged single woman going through a number of struggles. But Leah really got hit hard.

A young man came to town, Jacob, who had been sent from his father to find a wife from his family. He sees Leah's sister Rachel and wants her as his wife. He works for 7 years for their father (Laban) just to achieve that. And on the night of his marriage, Laban sneaks in Leah instead of Rachel for the consummation of the marriage.

Now, right there alone, huge rejection. I think if my father snuck me in to sleep with someone who desired to marry my sister, the thought might cross my mind "Have I no worth as myself?" or "My father doesn't even think I can marry." What was wrong with Leah, I wonder? The bible says she had "weak eyes", but what does that mean? Was she ugly because of weak eyes?

As if that rejection was not enough, after sleeping with Leah, Jacob wakes up and is not happy about this situation at all - he wants Rachel, and is willing to work yet another 7 years to achieve that. So, Laban gives him Rachel as well while he works.

While he is working off this 7 years, God blesses Leah with children because he sees how she is unloved. With each successive child, Leah's thoughts are basically, "Now my husband will love me." In the scriptures, you can hear the plaintive wailing in her heart as one unloved. My heart breaks for Leah and for those, and there are many, who just like Leah, have been passed over or used for someone else's purposes.

God sees your heart and hears your prayer - He will provide love and solace to those unloved.

Remember

So, it is Veteran's Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day here in Canada. Both of these countries garner my interest as my life has been lived in both. I did not know until recently that one of my family members, Capt. Michael Joseph O'Brien, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, also spent some time in Canada, though in Newfoundland and not out here in the prairies. I did not know either, or had forgotten, that his father, my grandfather served in the U.S. Army in the Panama Canal....that was a long time ago for sure.

Anyway, here's a slide show to honor his life and his recent funeral at Arlington.

Part 1

Part 2

Arlington Ceremony

Against All Odds

Against All Odds

It is the kind of day that legends are made of and of which epic stories are told. And I was there. Please join me as I recount and relive one very interesting day. I’m not telling it in short format, so feel free to skip over any parts you want. But trust me, just as I would not wish this story to unfold in any other way than it did, I would recommend you read every word and let your spirit absorb the wonder of the day.

Saturday morning and I was up at 5:00 a.m. Tired, but looking forward to driving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to watch the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team face the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the playoffs of the 2010/2011 college football season. My friends Bob and Jocelyn have a son – Jean-Marc that plays defense for the Bears and I have watched him play for the past five years. This is his last year of college football. The Head Coach of the Bears is also a friend. Jerry Friesen is the only head football coach I’ve ever known at the college level, and has a very interesting leadership style. He is not a yeller and a screamer at all, but seems to be a quiet encourager – unusual in light of the sport he coaches.

I’m not going to lie. In some ways, it had been a painful year of watching the Bears. Though they started off in September looking strong – they won their first two games – they ended up winning only one more out of the next six games and ended up with a 3-5 record, squeaking into the playoffs in the 4^th spot. The weekend before, we had traveled to the University of Calgary to get trounced by the Dinos by a score of 37 – 5 and I thought it was the worst game I had experienced to date. The very first play, we returned the kickoff for a touchdown, but because of a holding penalty, it was taken back. A few weeks before, I had watched the University of Saskatchewan defeat us decisively at our homecoming game 33 – 9. And the week before that, I watched us work hard to win a game against the University of Calgary and had the game stolen from us with only a few minutes to go in the 4^th quarter. There was a decisive point where one of our guys could not quite receive a pass, but tipped it right into the hands of a Dino who ran 45 yards for a touchdown.

It was at this point, when this highly improbable interception happened, it occurred to me that something bigger than these games was going on. Seriously, they were now losing games against all odds. They were playing well in some games, getting a lead, but then losing in the most unlikely ways. My thought then was “God is working on someone or something.” I believed it then and believe it now.

From this fan’s perspective, there was a lot of hard work going on, but very few results. But when supporting your friends, it is important to just appreciate their hard work – if I see someone working hard for their objectives or for something they love to do, I am willing to throw my weight (which is considerable) behind them. These guys did not appear lazy or complacent. A key play would happen for the opponent and our team would receive the short end of the stick yet again.

Saturday, their task was to play and win against the #3 team in the country of Canada – the University of Saskatchewan Huskies – and on the Huskies’ home turf to boot. Saskatchewan takes their football seriously. They are consistently good performers. Bob and Jocelyn’s other son, Cory, played for them for four years and had some great experiences. Griffiths Stadium is a beautiful stadium that seats 5,000 fans. Back in 1936, on opening day of the first Griffiths Stadium, the Huskies beat the Golden Bears 5-3. The stadium was rebuilt a few hundred yards from the original site in 1967 with additional improvements in 2006, thanks to a $5M donation from PotashCorp.

Arrival at Griffiths Stadium – 12:10 p.m. Weather conditions – sunny and warm. Stadium conditions – Bears fans outnumbered by Huskies fans by an estimated factor of 200 to 1. Over 3,500 in attendance.

5:15 a.m. – hop in shower, dress in requisite Golden Bears hoodie, pack a bag with books and computer, head over to meet Bob and Jocelyn at 6:15 a.m. We picked up Nancy Glesman and a cuppa jo at the Sherwood Park Tim Horton’s on the way. The drive from Edmonton to Saskatoon was beautiful since the day was quite beautiful. Unseasonably warm temperatures, sunny skies, and the sunny dispositions of my travelling companions made for a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

We stopped in Battleford for some lunch. Bob showed us a newspaper with a headline claiming that Saskatchewan feared an upset by the Bears. I told Bob that I did not believe any of the Huskies feared the Bears. In that same article one of the Huskies was quoted as saying there was no way this was going to be a bad game for him since this was going to be his final post-season. Seriously, the Huskies had a 6-2 season compared to the Bears 3-5 season. Any betting person would realize that a bet on the Bears would be considered a long shot.

Fireworks and a huge cheering squad led the Huskies onto the field. Three minutes later, the Huskies scored a field goal. End of first quarter: Huskies 3, Bears 0.

The Huskies scored the first three points of the game early on. Our defense was having a great day, though, and they held the Huskies back for the entire rest of the first quarter. We were having a good time in the stands – in front of us was a family of 3 generations of men – a grandfather, his son and two grandsons. The young grandsons were quite fun to watch as they experienced one of their early football games. As the foot stomping began in the 1^st quarter, one of the young boys turned to his dad and asked “Why are you doing that?”

A boring second quarter – Huskies scored two more field goals early on, and Edmonton finally kicked a field goal a little over halfway into the 2^nd quarter. End of second quarter: Huskies 9, Bears 3.

It was clear that the Huskies’ quarterback was getting frustrated. His body language and he was quickly on and off the field spoke volumes. A very well-seasoned quarterback, he was used to passing the ball well and having it received well, too. But he threw a number of incomplete passes in the first half of this game. Our defense continued doing a great job, though the Huskies managed to get into position for two field goals. Our kicker did a great job getting a 46 yard field goal to get us on the board at last.

Cory’s girlfriend, Lindsey, joined us, and Cory arrived shortly after halftime. Lindsey is a very interesting young lady and it was fun to hear about how she is working at the fieldhouse in the area of fitness and training with a heart-healthy focus. She comes from a farming family and we had actually passed their farm on our way to Saskatoon. She is very friendly, has an infectious laugh, and it was fun to catch up.

11 minutes into the 3^rd quarter, the Huskies had scored three touchdowns in fairly quick succession. With 7 seconds to spare in the 3^rd quarter, the Bears scored their first touchdown of the game. End of third quarter: Huskies 30, Bears 10.

It was hard to watch the three touchdowns scored by the Huskies. Our defense was being taxed big-time. They spent an inordinate amount of time on the field. Our offense was not able to stay on the field for any significant length of time, and we were looking a little tired. With 7 seconds left in the 3^rd quarter, the Bears’ quarterback pass connected with our receiver, which garnered us our first touchdown. It felt good to get some points on the board, but it still seemed like a long shot to victory.

Glancing toward the sky, there was a large cloud formation that looked like an angel’s wing. I pointed it out to Nancy and Lindsey and laughed at myself for wondering if it was possible that an angel had actually shown up.

Almost halfway into the 4^th quarter, and no further action. At the 7 minute mark, though, the Bears scored again. Huskies 30, Bears 17.

It was great to see the Bears get another touchdown, but we still knew the odds were long they would see victory today. I pointed out to Nancy that the angel wing still appeared to be overlooking us.

Five minutes pass by, and no further scoring. Huskies 30, Bears 17, with less than 3 minutes left in the game.

And then it happened. Something clicked. The Bears scored another touchdown. We were marching down the field, passes were connecting, and the running game was working, too. The Bears’ quarterback looked intense, though he had passed up a few opportunities to run the ball himself, and seemed to let the clock run down unnecessarily a couple of times.

I looked to the sky – Got Wing? Yes.

I knew it COULD happen, but WOULD it? I could not sit – I wanted to really see these plays and I was believing it would happen. There was a little bit of angel wing still in the sky and an energy in our team that I had not seen before. Just about 2 minutes later it did. A long pass into the end-zone, the kind we have normally not been receiving, was received. With 22 seconds left in the game, we converted and led the game. Golden Bears 31, Huskies 30.

Seriously??? I mean, really??? 22 seconds later and we were the victors in the most amazing football game I had ever witnessed and likely will ever witness. Years of witnessing disappointment in the faces of the Bears’ players had conditioned me to the point that I forgot what can happen when God shows up. I do absolutely believe that there are no coincidences, no accidents, and that God called this game long before anyone else did.

I totally appreciate the faithfulness of the Bears over the past few years and in this game. Jerry and Jean-Marc are men that are exceptionally faithful leaders in my view. Though struggles abounded, and seemingly senseless losses occurred, I never noticed despondent behavior, but rather 110% effort on and off the field. And during this game in particular, I totally appreciate the team’s faithfulness as they were 110% engaged through the entire game, never giving up, but going for it.

I can make no claims on knowing what God’s will is or his purpose is in particular situations, but on this game day, I witnessed what happens when our will and God’s will aligns. There are no odds high enough that His will cannot overcome. He is a God that achieves mighty feats….against all odds.

Final Score: Golden Bears 31, Huskies 30, Kathy - 1 huge dose of faith.

Bat Pack Minus 1

One day a little group of lady bats got together and decided to form a group - they called themselves "The Bat Pack", sort of like the Rat Pack for female bats. This little group met every Wednesday for a year. Sometimes, one of the bats would bring a bat friend. Every time they met, they encouraged one another, uplifted one another, sympathized with one another, empathized with one another, prayed with one another, and just generally enjoyed one another's bat (not bad) company. One day, a bat flew in from far, far away for a special long-term project. So, she joined the bat pack and everyone was pleased. She shared her life, her stories, her recipes, and her special warrior spirit. You see, she had fought many battles and has the scars to prove it. Her undefeated record and victorious spirit inspired the other bats in a way they had not anticipated, and their hearts were uniquely and wonderfully touched.

After about 10 months, the special project was done, so the new bat made plans to move on to her new long-term project far away. The new bat made a wonderful celebration dinner and the Bat Pack said their goodbyes with laughter, tears, sighs and prayers.

Two Wednesdays later, the Bat Pack still mourned the missing bat, but is looking forward to hearing more stories of battles engaged and won from far away in bat miles, yet still quite near in God's kingdom.

Leadership 101

“Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.' “ Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go.” "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." …“

Judges 4:4-9 (New International Version

Leadership 101

Uncle Mike died.

I just did not expect to hear that or read that so soon. Capt. Michael J. O’Brien (i.e., Uncle Mike) was larger than life to us. The oldest of five children, he was my mother’s oldest brother. The pecking order was Mike, Mom (Ann), Bobby, Kathleen (for whom I was named), and Steve. Perhaps being first born prepared him for leadership in other capacities throughout his life.

Actually, all of my mom’s brothers have been very successful in their lives and their careers. They have all had some extreme challenges, too. But Uncle Mike was our family’s “Kennedy”, if you will. He was a Viet Nam veteran and a leader in the United States Coast Guard, serving as Chief of Staff Enlisted Personnel and Liaison Office to the White House among other positions. Subsequently, he led numerous lucrative initiatives for the Grand Bahama Port Authority in the Bahamas. He retired with Honours from the United States Coast Guard and so will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in October.

Visiting the O’Brien side of my family was a treasured experience for me as a child – the earliest memory I have of being around my uncles was actually while playing “Old Maid” with my grandmother (we called her “Nanny”). In hindsight it is obvious that they would signal to her what cards she should pick from my hand because I always lost that game, and I seem to remember finally catching them at it.

I’ve always been proud of my uncles. My mother held them in the highest esteem and I followed suit. I knew I had the best uncles a person could have. They represented strength, humour, goodness and honour to me. I felt their hearts were inclined to do the right thing in all circumstances. That was their objective.

My mother’s brothers are all very well educated, intelligent and politically astute – they are the type of people that can quickly and accurately assess situations and respond on their feet, though they waste no words generally speaking. I’ve always appreciated just sitting and talking with my uncles and getting their perspective on situations in my life or in the world at large.

One of the most memorable perspectives I received was in 1997. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to take my mother on a trip to Florida and the Bahamas for Uncle Mike’s second wedding. At that time, the news of the day included a big court case involving the Virginia Military Institute’s (VMI) policy disallowing women into their programs. I was eager to get Uncle Mike’s perspective on the situation simply because he was a leader in the military himself previously. When I asked him for his take on the issue, he paused for a moment, then looked at me and said, “You can either do the right thing, or have someone make you do the right thing – which would you prefer?”

It seems so simple when stated like that. He captured the whole case in one statement – clearly, the leader of VMI had a choice. Yet clearly, he had wrongly chosen to fight the issue and indeed, later that year, the institute was forced to accept women into their school. Imagine how much stronger a leader he would have been, though, if he had chosen to do the right thing himself instead of being corrected and forced to do so by a judge.

Life’s challenges and temptations seem to put me in the same position as that VMI leader every day. And I can either do the right thing, or face correction just as that military institution’s leader faced. This is my training ground right here, right now. How will I choose to live?

Lord, I thank you for the lesson available through the study of Deborah and Barak. And I thank you for all of my uncles, and in particular right now, my Uncle Mike. Thank you for allowing Mike a long life, a life well spent in loving others, encouraging others, defending others and leading others. I pray that you comfort his family and others who will keenly feel his absence from their lives, including me.