Family Business

Posted in Thank You! on June 10th, 2008 by Administrator| | .

“Your children like olive plants around your table.” Psalms 128:3 (NAS)

The Olive Tree is a symbol of vitality. Its lifespan can reach close to 1,000 years and still bear fruit. When the Olive Tree maximizes its fruit production, it is then cut down to a stump. Out of that stump an olive shoot will sprout up. That olive shoot is then planted and, in years to come, will produce fruit. That is a beautiful picture of our children taking over the family business.

For 35 years, my father served as a volunteer fireman for my hometown of Fairdale, Kentucky. From 1969 to 1984, my dad was the Fire Chief. My father served the community of Fairdale like no other. I witnessed him fighting fires all night long. He would park cars at all the high school games and local fairs. He would take the jeep that was used to fight field fires and water all the little league fields. He coached little league teams. He would have the fire house involved in all kinds of charity events. God blessed me with the greatest example of what a community servant was all about. My dad will always be my hero.

In June of 1994, my brother Gregg called me at work and told me Dad was in the hospital. I thought Dad was invincible. He worked all day at International Harvester and fought fires all night long. He never missed a game that Gregg and I played. He never took a vacation day that he didn’t spend it with his family. He was always on the go. While in the hospital, we were told that he had cancer. Dad put up one awesome fight but eventually he lost his battle with cancer on December 11, 1995. I will never forget the last words my father said to me while he was alive. At Audubon hospital in Louisville with tubes strapped and taped all over his body, he lifted himself up with all his strength turned and said these words to me:

“Marlon if God would give me a little more time, I would spend it all with young people.”

My father dedicated his whole servant life to kids whether he was coaching them, working the concession stands, parking cars, getting the field ready for them to play, or raising money for special needs children. I looked at him and said “Why would you spend more time with young people, Dad?”

He responded: “They need somebody!”

The greatest advice I was given is to live a life that honors your dad. Everyday for the past nine years I have tried to honor him by being that somebody for children. I have tried my best to be an olive shoot of my dad and keep the family business of community service going strong.

I guess the questions that I want to ask dads this Father’s Day is: What family business will your children take over once you leave this world? What legacy of service are you passing on to them that they will one day take over? My prayer is that my three boys will one day continue the family business of community service, and for your kids to do the same.

Marlon

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