The Measure of A Man

Shalom!

How do you measure the impact of a life?

A man died on this date in 1971. He was a good man...he loved his wife...he loved his children...he loved his parents...above all else, he loved his G-d. He was my father. His name was Claude B."Bud" Board, Jr. He was 51 years old.

He was part of "The Greatest Generation"...he fought in the South Pacific on a Naval Destroyer Tender in the Second World War. He loved his ship so much that he named his dog "Denny" after the USS Denebola that he served on.

I was 8 months old before he even got home from "The Big War"...I have no memories of those days...what I know of them I learned from my Mother who waited for his return at her parents home in West Newton, Pennsylvania with me, her first born child.

When one thinks of the "measurement" of a man's life, to understand how to measure that life you need only look at his family. My Mother has been a widow for 39 years today...she never dated, not because she couldn't...she had no desire for anyone else in her life...always telling my brother and sister and I that "when one has had the love of a lifetime, there is no room for anyone else"... I like that...it always gave me a feeling of "completeness"...

You look at his children also...what their lives have amounted to...how they have reacted to the influence of this man...my brother and sister and I all married Christian Spouses...we worship with that same spouse each L-rds' Day...we tithe our incomes to His Kingdom Work...we are actively engaged in our respective Church Families...each of us graduated either college or business college...we each have worked every day of our adult lives...we have each served our Country and Our G-d in every way we could...my life today consists of full time work for and with The Land of G-d and Her Eternal Covenant Children...my brother and sister AND Mother all "get it" about Israel and do all they can to support Her as well. My sister and brother's children and their grandchildren married Christian Spouses...and worship together on His Day...in His House...and they are training yet another generation of "Board's" to know and love the Messiah who gave His Life for them so that they might have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of Eternal Life with Him in His Heaven.

Maybe the world measures the worth of a man by the dollars he earns...the title he achieves in his business or professional world...how many cars he owns...things like that...it seems to me that the way G-d would have us measure the worth of life...even one that is cut short in its very prime...is the legacy of his family.

Well done, Dad! Your wife...your children...your sons and daughter-in-law...your grandchildren...and your great-grandchildren...all bow their knees to the G-d you taught us to love and serve...we have carried on these many years without your physical presence in our daily lives...the one who has suffered most is your wife...but the loneliness has been borne gracefully and with dignity and honor by her...you would be proud of how what you planted has grown and matured! Thank you for all the life lessons you taught...the example you set...the discipline you administered...it was not in vain!

On this day, I asked Yeshua to "call you up" to His Side and let you know that your family on this side paused to remember your life and passing...tears were shed...memories were recalled...hearts were broken once again as we counted down the hours of this date you left us for Home. We are running our races as best we can...the finish line is becoming clearer each day...your bride has been well cared for by your children...she is anxious to see you again, and so are we!

The audit of your life is complete...you stayed the course and finished well! We now will continue to try to do the same! We will see you There...reunited with the L-rd we all so dearly love...never to be parted again!

Until then!