June 21 is Father’s Day. While it is a Hallmark holiday, it is appropriate to note its occurrence in a Christian context. In this issue Beacon Lights does this with a twist, celebrating not fathers, but fathers-in-law. From the fertile and practical mind of Ray Ezinga, life-long member and often officebearer in Loveland Protestant Reformed Church, comes his unusual letter that appears in the context of Fathers’ Day.

A few words of explanation are in order.

Recently Ray called me to let me know that in the course of disposing the earthly goods of a relative of his wife who had passed away, they encountered the letter that appears in this issue. Ray had forgotten that he had written it in 1991, but upon its discovery he wondered if it was suitable for publication. He read it to me over the phone (which brought tears to my eyes) and I quickly decided that it was worthy of publication.

The father-in-law to whom Ray writes is John Hagar, a solidly Reformed man (also raiser of goats and a gardener) who was the father of Ray’s beloved wife Jean, who passed away in 2014.  As is evident from the first paragraphs of the letter,  Ray went to Michigan from Colorado to visit his relatives, but there was apparently a mix-up as to the dates on the timing of his visiting his father-in-law. Following his return home, Ray wrote this letter to his father-in-law.

Young people, take a lesson from what this wise saint writes. Choose well. It matters!