May 18, 1970 - Didn't End it - Tribute to World's Greatest Parents

May 18, 1970 was and is a date that is burned deep into my mind and being. Some people may remember where they were at when they heard the news that President Kennedy was assassinated (for those of you who were around then) or you may remember where you were when you heard the news about the events of September 11, 2001 or bringing it closer to your own situations you may recall where you were when you heard the news about a family tragedy or triumph or found out about a health situation, etc. We all have those times and as I said May 18, 1970 is burned into my memory.

On May 18, 1970 my family was residing in the city of Calgary where my father worked for an organization called the Janz Team. For the previous 9 or so months since moving to Calgary in July of 1969 my father helped run the Calgary office and also travel showing a film called Downbeat. In mid-May of 1970 my parents went to a Bill Gothard seminar in Seattle Washington and left my two younger siblings, Brian (age 6) and sister Sharilyn (age 3) along with myself in the care of an older lady who looked after us back in Calgary. We were lonely for mom and dad but my parents promised they would return on May 18th, which was a holiday Monday.

I am a little foggy on whether my parents called the day before but all I knew that my parents should be back in Calgary around noon hour and I remember going out and sitting on the curb by our house eagerly awaiting my parents’ return. 12:30 came, 1:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30. Around 4:00 I can remember to this day sensing with deep horror that perhaps my parents weren’t coming home and to an 8 year old mind I thought the worse and apparently caused my younger brother to think the worse too. As we both started to wail that mommy and daddy weren’t coming home. Maybe they were dead! To make a long story short my parents did have an accident as the above picture would indicate and by all rights I should have been an orphan as apparently the police thought they were going to just pull bodies out of the car. My parents had hit some trees near Banff and if they had been wearing seatbelts they would not have made it. As I understand it a priest even stopped to give last rites! Others stopped too including a couple who my parents maintained contact with over a fair numbers after the accident. Yes, May 18th was and is burned into my memory.

However I am so thankful that May 18, 1970 was not the end of my earthly relationship with my parents as despite some broken ribs and other injuries my parents were back in Calgary 5 days after the accident. I just want to share very quickly a few reasons why I am grateful to God that he spared my parents, the world’s greatest parents, on May 18th and why I feel closer to them more and more.

If my parents had been taken on May 18th I would not have had the opportunity to been baptized by my father as an 11 year old. I would not have had the opportunity to hear my father pray at my graduation ceremonies, gone for long walks and talks, heard him pray over the phone for me in different situations, or so many other things. I would not have had the opportunity to enjoy my mother’s cooking, her talks, or in recent times the encouragement to find the answer to a query by googling it on the computer (this from someone who a few years ago would call me about a rather simple email problem!)

I am thankful that May 18th, 1970 did not end my earthly relationship with my parents as I along with my siblings would not have had godly role models as parents to follow. I know there is teaching from somewhat notable Christian personages that say a marriage has to involve conflict and turmoil in order to be a good marriage but I can truthfully say that I have never seen my parents fight or argue in front of us kids nor have I seen them put each other down. I feel their marriage is richer than anything a James Dobson or Chuck Swindoll or any other supposed expert has who says conflict means a good marriage. Absolutely not!! Though I have never married or for that matter really had a relationship I have seen in my parents’ relationship one built on love for each other and for God and family that many others unfortunately do not have.

Along with my parents being an example of a loving couple I have seen them as they have followed God through good and bad times. Being a preacher’s kid growing up one sees a church and Christian people in a different way than others. I am thankful my parents taught us how to treat other people even when my parents were wronged and if they had been taken on May 18th, 1970 I may not have fully learned that. My parents have not only "talked the talk" as Christians but they have "walked the walk" in that they have shown me how a Christian should live. Though I fail many times I am thankful that they have been around to show me what a true believer in Christ should be like

I am thankful that my parents were not taken on May 18th, 1970 for they would not have been around for family gatherings including weddings, baby dedications (my dad dedicated all 5 of his grandsons), birthdays and other activities. I cherish the times we traveled as a family to friends and relatives be it to Edmonton or elsewhere in Alberta and B.C. or to Minnesota and Ontario. If they had been taken 42 years ago I would not have had that privilege.

So yes, May 18th, 1970 is burned into my memory and yes I can tell you almost to the minute and hour what happened on that day but thank God May 18th was not the end. I thank God daily for my parents and am so glad that I have had them around these past 42 years. Love you mom and dad. Love your eldest, Daniel Keith

Qualities of a Fantastic Mother

Leona Clare Goldsmith is the world's best mother! Sorry to all of you that thought you had the world's best mother or maybe are the world's best mother but as there can only be one I have her. Yes, I am totally biased but here me out as I celebrate this fantastic lady who is my mother. Years ago in school I learned about corollaries and facts in math. That is in order for a statement to be true the corollaries also had to be true. That is if x = something and y = something then x + y must = z. In the same way I believe the best mothers will exhibit a lot of the qualities here. I admit I am going from a male perspective but feel that as I think of mothers and my mother in particular I have a good idea of what a fantastic mother is like. In Scripture we see the description of an ideal mother in Proverbs 31:10-31. In that passage we are told of a woman who is industrioius, supportive of her husband, cares for her children and is well spoken of by others. Indeed in 31:28 we are told tht "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." I can remember many instances of my own mother doing these things. My mother kept herself busy, she cared for us indeed many years ago making some of our clothes, feeding us (as the picture above can attest to!) and looking after us when we were sick. She has been a support to my father over the years as they have ministered in numerous churches and places as a pastoral couple and never once have I heard her put my father down for anything. I believe other ladies have come to my mother for advice and yes my brother, sister and I along with my nephews all can attest that we thank God and praise Him for her. Thus a good mother is a Proverbs 31 mother and that is true of my mother. Also in Scripture we are told of the fruits of the Spirit and I believe these should be qualities of a fantastic mother. We are told that a believer in Christ and this would of course include Christian mothers should display love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. It is not my point to go into what all these qualities mean but having seen so many other bad examples of mothers, i.e. I work at a school and see the results of hurting children who are verbally, mentally and at times physically abused by parents including the mothers of the children, I thank God my mother has portrayed the fruits of the Spirit to my brother Brian, sister Sharilyn, and myself. Sure there have been times when my siblings have exasperated my mother (!), okay all of us (!) have and tried her patience but my mother has shown us love all our lives. She has been there with us in the good and bad times and encouraged us. I remember numerous times whether growing up or talking on the phone where I have come away glad that I had a chat to talk over things with my mother. So a fantastic mother should exhibit fruits of the spirit and that is true of my mother. Most importantly I believe a mother is one who shares the same love of Christ with her children. I know my mother does and indeed I share the same spiritual birthdate with my mother though she was saved 24 years before I was. It was August 6, 1942 that my mother was led to Christ by her mother and it was August 6, 1966 that my father led me to the Lord. Over the years mom has been along with my father one of the greatest role models of what a Christian should be like and live like. Though I fail many times mom has displayed Christ for me. Thus since my mother is a Proverbs 31 mother and also exhibits fruits of the Spirit and is a believer she is a fantastic mother and indeed the world's best mother. I trust you have been able to apply some of these to your own mother or to yourself if you are a mother. On this Mother's Day may all you mothers have a great day.