Father's Day

 This is a photo of my father, Rev. James "Rondy" Ledford who was the pastor of Moss Memorial Baptist Church in Clay County, North Carolina.

My father's love was like no other.  It gave me the warm feeling of protection and gentle guidance and inspired me to live up to his example.

As with most little girls, my bond with Daddy began when I was about 3 years old.  I would look out the living room window off Swaims Road, waiting for him to come home from work.

When I heard his old black Ford pull into the driveway, I rushed out to greet him.  He hugged me and we walked hand in hand to the house.

I opened his lunchbox and often found a moon pie that he purchased at the little country store.  He also got my brother, Harold, and sister, Barbara, and our Mama moon pies, too.  On special occasions we enjoyed RC Colas with our treats.

When I reflect on my childhood, I'm amazed how he could build anything.  His favorite color was brown because he liked to work with his hands.  Daddy made a playhouse for us kids, built a porch and pantry for Mama's canned goods, fashioned beautiful birdhouses, and built a church.

Together he and Mama built Pine Grove Baptist Church with other founding members.  They mixed mortar on site to construct blocks for the little country church.  After he helped to plant the church, Daddy was called by God to preach.  He was the pastor of several churches in Western North Carolina for 40 years.  He was a father figure to some orphans who attended Shiloh Baptist Church.  All of these youngsters grew up to be outstanding citizens.  

Although Daddy passed away many years ago, my bond with him remains constant as the sun coming up each day.  I was very blessed to have a wonderful, kind, and compassionate father.

I wish all my blogger friends a very happy Father's Day!