A Special Day

Today is a special day in our family.  We celebrate our little Claire having been a part of our lives for 6 whole months now.  Wow ~ time flies!  Not only are we celebrating the half birthday of baby Claire, but we are also celebrating the 83rd birthday of my grandfather, Jim Winter.  Daddy Jim is my mom's father and is a very special man, indeed.  He is full of wisdom and experience and has actually written a book about his life that I hope will be published before too long; what a treasure to posses!  


I could go on and on about Daddy Jim, my love for him, and what he has taught our family.  As I was thinking about his birthday and the fact that he has so much wisdom to offer, I thought I'd let him share a little bit from his heart here.  I wish that I could post his entire book; however, when it is published, I will let you know where to buy it!  I asked him a few questions the other day in an email, and his responses are below.  I hope that one day everyone reading this would have a chance to meet this man that we so love and respect.  

Daddy Jim standing on his dock at Lake Santa Fe.

  

1. Though the changes have been numerous, what has been the biggest change in our country in your lifetime?
I'm 83 years old today and I have lived through perhaps the most exciting and interesting period in the history of our country. The end of the Great Depression and winning World War 11 were great events in my younger years. Sending astronauts to the moon and winning the cold war during my working years were very significant events. Being a part of "The greatest generation" has really been a privilege.

2. Is there one birthday year that sticks out in your mind above the rest?
My most memorable birthday was my 80th, when most of my family assembled together here at the lake and celebrated with me and Uncle LLoyd [my grandmother's older brother] who also turned 80.

3. What do you feel have been some of your greatest accomplishments in your life thus far?
I think the greatest accomplishment in my life are the three wonderful children and ten fine grandchildren that God gave to Grammy [my grandmother] and me and now six precious great grand children.
From a work point of view, having the privilege of managing the design of many projects that aided in sending a man to the moon and winning the Cold War were very satisfying and exciting to me as a civilian employee of the Army Corps of Engineers.  My military active duty service was two years as a naval officer during the Korean War and one year during the Berlin Crisis, retiring as a Commander,USNR.

4. What would you tell someone seeking advice regarding having a "happy life"?
My advice to someone seeking a happy life is to first surrender your life to the Lord and seek His guidance in all that you do, say and think. If you do this and act on His advice, you will walk in lockstep with God and it will be a joyful and fulilling life.
Be careful in your selection of your mate to assure that you're equally yoked in Christ. Once you are married, remember that your mate should be number one in your priorities and not yourself, followed by your children. One other thought that I' m still striving to attain, is to learn to listen and listen well before you voice your opinion.

5. What are some things that you enjoy doing now.
Roberta and I stay quite busy with our church activities.  I'm still teaching a senior men's Sunday School class and our monthly activities with the Silver Saints trips and luncheon meetings are very interesting. Roberta is a constant help to our ailing seniors and is currently working hard on our 20th Easter Pageant with about 200 costumes to get ready.
When I retired about 26 years ago, we spent quite  a bit of time traveling to Europe,Great Britain, Canada, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Alaska, and the northwest USA.  My advice is to do your retirement traveling shortly after retiring, while you're still healthy and vigorous.
     


Thanks for your interest in my life. God has indeed been good to us in every way and it has been a great life. You ,your parents, spouses, and cousins have indeed been a great blessing to us over the years. Keep up the great work for our LORD AND YOUR FAMILY.      
Love, Daddy Jim


You are loved, Daddy Jim, and we praise the Lord for your life and ministry - not only to our family, but to all who know you.  Happy Birthday!  I hope this year is one of the best ever.