Happy 70th Birthday!

Today my Father-in-Love (Law) turns 70! He is such an amazing man. My husband has an excellent example to follow, and I can only hope that Jeff looks as good as his dad does!

I wrote him this letter to give to him on his birthday. It will give you a feel for what Lind is like. I am so blessed to be a Voth, and he is pleased that I have done my part in carrying on the family name by having four sons!

Happy Birthday! We love you!

February 2006

Dear Lind,

I have been blessed to know you since I was a little girl. As a young girl at DICC (when I was not day-dreaming about your son), I was quietly drawn to you because of your voice. I can remember thinking so many times, “what a wonderful voice for a bed-time story,” and I especially loved any special music presentation in which you would read Scripture. I would always think of God smiling to hear your voice reading His Word.

If you add our dating years (and exclude my childhood years), you have been a part of my life for 17 years! And through it all, you have always been “the voice…”

You have been the voice of acceptance…
When I was 19 and marrying your youngest son, I will never forget telling you at Chili’s that we were going to get married. You quickly pulled out your day-timer and penciled in the date. I was so nervous, and that one gesture seemed to be your way of signing off on the deal. Thank you for accepting a young woman of 19 to be the bride to your Jeff.
The night of our rehearsal dinner, you told me that if you could have chosen a wife for your son, that it would have been me. It touched me then, as it does even today.
I love that you send me Valentines. It thrills me every time I open the mailbox and get one!

You have been the voice of encouragement…
Through our early years of marriage as Jeff and I found our way through apartment living, careers, finishing college, and buying our first home, you have always been encouraging. You have always had a listening ear and a word to encourage us. You encourage us still, and I thank you.

You have been the voice of support…
As we struggled through years of infertility, words can never express how grateful I have been for your support. We knew that you were always on our side, cheering for us, and hoping along with us.

You have been the voice of prayers…
We have physically felt the words of your prayers that you have spoken over us and wept over us day after day and year after year. You have left a legacy of prayer on behalf of us, and we pray only that we can follow in your steps.

You have been the voice of silence…
When we came to your house on that December morning of 2004 and told you about Andrew having Down Syndrome, you were wise enough to know that words were absolutely not necessary, and you held me as I cried. It was absolutely the right thing to say.

You have been the voice of love…
What an example you have set by the way you have loved your wife in front of all of us. I have a fine husband because you set the standard of excellence in loving your bride of all these years. Through good times, your joy has been doubled, and through the very dark times and deep waters that you have traversed, there was never a doubt of your love. What a heritage.

You have been the voice of joy…
As our babies have been born, and as they grow, I love to see the joy on your face when you see them. You so obviously delight in your grandchildren.


Jeff and I have always claimed as our family verse…

Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

You have been an example of loving God this way. It has been impressed on your children, and as much as it is up to us, will be impressed upon your grandchildren.

I pray you have a happy 70th birthday!
I am thrilled and honored to be your daughter-in-law.

Blessings,


Molly