Many of us were fortunate to be raised by a responsible, moral, conservative father -- imperfect though he may have been. He scoffed when his children cried, "that's not fair." He taught us work before play, the value of money, self-respect, right and wrong, and the limits of government and the power of personal responsibility -- if not in words, by his example. I am grateful for many blessings, but a conservative father (Everett Wiley Wilson) is chief among them.
I use the word conservative with a small "c". While he voted Republican most his life, politically he was probably a Libertarian. He listened to Neal Bortz everyday after he retired. His conservative world view did spill over into his politics. My own father never organized anyone. He expected people to organize their own lives, and their own communities, free from the obstacle of tyrannical government preferably. He never presumed to rule over another, nor did he expect anyone to tell him how to live his life. He never lectured from stadiums grandiosely flanked by Greek columns, but his words resonated. He never padded a resume, nor embellished, let alone created, his own history. And yet, his history speaks volumes.
My father grew up with strong, Christian, honorable men who served and defended this great nation, knew hard work (he was 10 when the Great Depression started in 1929), God-given liberty, and right and wrong. My father grew up when Sunday was reserved for family and church; before helmets were required to walk to the mailbox; and before putting the playground bully in his place with a discreet right hook was criminal. He knew how to change the oil in his own car, and how to farm and garden before leftists commandeered produce for social change. He watched great men land on the moon, and even greater men returning from war. He understood why soldiers fought those wars, and he was grateful and humbled. He fought in World War II and didn't like to talk about it. He grew up before MTV was around to bash Christians, and glamorize teen pregnancy, victimhood, bad behavior, and hedonistic drunkards from the Jersey Shore. To my knowledge, my father never dealt drugs, ate dog, nor perfectly recited the Islamic call to prayer.
So, God bless the conservative father. May we have more of them.
Without love, all my charity is nothing. Love is the start and end of it all. It doesn't matter what I say or think or do. I am completely bankrupt without love. Sacrifice is nothing without the starting point of love. Jesus made this so very clear. Paul got it. I must lean in, hear Him and love. Giving from love changes everything. Giving and sacrifice without love is useless. There is a difference.
