My father-in-law/love Dr. Norman Stookey, would have been 100 years old today. Doc was a godly man who taught me gentleness by how he lived, not just what he said. Suffering with years of macular degeneration that led to blindness, I don’t ever recall hearing him complain about it. He generally took life in stride. He came back from the war wanting to put his zoology major to work with a nature job, but the government put him through dental school so that became his life, whistling and singing while he worked.

I remember one summer afternoon we were gardening in his back yard. I must have complained about something. Without chiding me he simply shared a word picture with me. He said, Bryan if you take all your troubles and stir them up in a bag with everyone else’s troubles, you will always pick out your own when you go your way.

What a gem of truth. We tend to focus on our issues, problems, and challenges. And the more focus we give them, the larger they get, and everyone else seems to be doing better than us. But when we look inside the bag, we discover we are well blessed indeed. Not long after sharing his counsel, Marcia and I took our eldest son to the University of Iowa for consultation on how to remedy his walking problem. We were full of grief that he wouldn’t be able to play sports and enjoy his full abilities. Once in the lobby we were confronted with children with half a face, missing legs entirely….you get the picture and understand how we were instantly humbled and convicted of our own self-centered issues.

I have often been reminded of this in my Leukemia treatments. So many suffer far more. Just the other day I was feeling oh so tired and then watched a man hobbling down the street with one leg. I have two legs that work fine. No complaints.

Dad Stookey, thank you for all you taught me through your wonderful life. Happy 100th Birthday!