Just a Moment with Pastor Dan Baty

God places caregivers all along the path of our lives. Today, I want to take just a moment to celebrate one without whom I wouldn’t be here.

Today marks the 48th anniversary of my dad’s passing, and I remember it vividly. I still have a scar on my right arm that commemorates that evening. I scraped it on the uncovered screw of the door lock on my brother’s car as we raced to the hospital.

I remember my dad with gratitude for his commitment to his family. We never wondered where he was. We were never without the necessities of life. We were never insecure about our situation, though I am sure there were many times when he was. He had eight children and a wife, and he was the sole breadwinner. How did he do it?

He modeled reverence for God by taking us to church, saying grace over our meals, and kneeling in prayer every New Year’s Eve to thank God for His provision in the passing year. Then he allowed us to fire his rifle to welcome in the New Year.

I remember him taking me fishing, and how he laughed the time when, as we were about to board the boat, I lost my footing, fell in the water with a splash, and popped up like a cork. “You’ll dry,” he chuckled, and off we went. We always got an Eskimo Pie ice cream bar afterward.

The long drives from Michigan to Louisiana during the summers were grueling with all of us packed into one car, but they always felt like an adventure. My dad drove the entire way, assisted by my mom feeding him. I can still hear the rustling of that brown grocery bag she kept up front, packed with fried chicken and white bread. She would feed my dad and pass some back to us.

Our family wasn’t wealthy, but we were rich in what truly matters: the security of God’s care through the dedication of a father. Thank You, Lord, for Earnest Baty Sr.

Remembering the caregivers along our path is one effective way to prompt thanksgiving to the One who placed them in our lives.

Something to take just a moment to consider today.