I was serving as the Division Chaplain at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1990-1992. The first year Dee and I, Nikki and Robbie were there, we attended the Post Chapel on Sunday mornings for both Sunday school and the weekly worship services. It would be warm inside with the heaters turned up and the Spirit of God in our hearts, while outside, the temperatures could be from minus 20 to minus 50 degrees below zero.

One of the chaplains sponsored a program for us at the chapel entitled "Dad, The Family Shepherd". It was a program just for fathers and espoused some very wonderful precepts. In the seminar we were told that a father will affect 6 generations that follow him. It was said that no matter what he professes, whether it be good or bad, it will certainly affect the next 6 generations. In this seminar, they had tracked enough families through research to know this to be true.

I thought of my own father who died almost four years ago and is buried in Fairburn. Dad still speaks to me from the grave. I still feel his influence and love every time I think of him. I remember a thousand memories of the wonderful times we spent together and would give anything to be able to spend just a day with him and let him know how much we miss him and love him. Thanks be to God that I will see him again because of my relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dad had gone blind and was cripple and had dementia for the last 10 years of his life and so I would go over my folks house almost every day and go in and have prayer with him and see Mom. Many days we would put him in the car and take him driving and go get something to eat. He would just sit there and smile and enjoy being with his family. He also was crazy about "Kit-Kat candy bars. Every time I pass the candy rack at Krogers, I think of him.

I remember one day when I was visiting him that he said to me "Son, we don't have any unfinished business between us, do we?" I thought for a while and said "No Dad, I can't think of any" and he said "I don't have any either". We then told each other how much we loved each other and I left.

If your parents are still living, have that conversation with them before time robs you of the opportunity. If you don't have an "Abba" father relationship with your heavenly father, take care of that spiritual relationship on Father's Day 1999 too! God bless you and your father today.

(Dr. Knox Herndon is a recently retired U.S. Army chaplain and pastor of His House Community Church, 193 Johnson Ave., Fayetteville, behind the Mask Tire Co. Herndon can be reached at 770-719-2365 or by e-mail, KHern2365@aol.com.)

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