35 x 2 = 70

For the one and only time in our lives my father is exactly twice my age. Dr. John turned 70 on April 21. If you don't know my dad, he has done many things in his life, but in this act of his play he is Indiana Jones armed with dental equipment instead of a whip. He spans the globe pulling teeth, fixing smiles and healing hearts by introducing people to Jesus and encouraging Christians living under difficult circumstances to persevere.

From what I've seen, God is doing a bit of heart surgery on the good doctor as well. He returns from his adventures physically exhausted, but immediately begins planning his next trip. He's addicted to giving a cup of cold water to thirsty people. I've heard about the underground church in China, Dr. John has been there. I've seen pictures of the poor in India, he has fed them. I have a bit of understanding now about the destruction a tsunami can bring upon the earth, he has handed out food and blankets to victims and sat with people who formally made their living from the sea, now afraid to go too close to the water. I've heard the stories on the news of children and husbands whose bodies were never even found after the storm. Dad has heard those stories from the mouths of their mothers and wives.

I made a comment recently to my parents that I thought was a radical assessment of spirituality in Western civilization. I zinged my words at them and spouted off how I thought that what I was saying was true and revolutionary but I couldn't preach it in our churches for fear of being stripped of my American citizenship. My mom smiled and said that what I was saying sounded a lot like what she had heard another man say 35 years ago. Dad simply grinned and went back to reading his paper.

I hope that means I am following in his footsteps. I hope that means God is molding me the same way He has molded, and is molding my father. I hope that means in another 35 years I will be as spiritually mature, as loving and as sold out for Jesus as he is. I hope.