Project Dad

Most of you know that my Dad passed away 9 ish years ago in April of 2002. Saddest day of my life thank you very much. This year I have been on 'Project Dad' trying to collect and save some of the things that remind me of him and can be passed down when we have kiddos. My dad sang and taught people about Jesus a lot. We have him recorded singing the national anthem at a Charlotte Hornets game on VHS. We have tapes of him singing in churches and giving his testimony. I'm very thankful for my cousin Steph and my aunt Carol and uncle Mark for all their help after Dad passed to put those things together. Now, we're in the process of converting them all to current technology, DVDs and CDs etc. This past weekend after a wedding we visited my grandparents (Dad's parents). They are just awesome and fun to be around so we like spending as much time with them as we can. Their names are Ruby and Jewell and they've been married 66? years this November. My grandmother handed me a small panasonic recorder, you know, the ones with the mini tape cassettes in them that people used to record college lectures on or themselves talking to help them study. Well, low and behold I'm listening to one of these on the way home and it's all of my Dad documenting a mission trip he went on to Belize! It is the coolest thing! I love being able to hear his voice and hear him talk about how he loves Cheerios and Corn Flakes, with sugar,  and all the goofy things that he says that remind me why I'm me too. :) He says how he wished 'mother and daddy', 'Bobby Cox', and 'Lynn Guin' could be there with him. He talks about how he isn't strong enough to go out on some of the outings and do the hard labor but he goes into the streets and hands people fliers inviting them to church and telling them about Jesus. As per usual, he'll be in the middle of talking and bust out in song. I love this man! Seriously, nothing makes me happier than hearing my Dad bust out in song. He talks about how the people down there worship Jesus and how they don't need fancy things to do it. He talks about how he didn't get to see the Mayan ruins because the roads were too bad and the trip was too hard for him so he went and visited people in a restaurant while the others went. He went into bars to meet people. He would tell anyone about what Jesus did for us!! It is my hope that I can be as bold as he was, as intentional, and as passionate.
I can't wait to get all these converted so I can make copies and give them to my other family members. So sweet and so special. I would encourage everyone to take photos, take videos, and organize them so that when you're gone others can remember you and still hear your voice!
It's also my prayer that Adam and I would have a musical family like mine was. If only he'd get me those piano lessons I keep talking about... ;) Too bad the flute isn't as cool!