Thank you Dad,for always being my solid rock,for teaching me values that withheld the test of time,for teaching me patience (a lesson still being worked on)for supporting me,pushing me,accepting me,loving me.I am who I am today because my father is who he is. Steadfast in his conviction to be a man. A man not defined by outside criteria but one who bases decisions in love and value and honor. Salt of the earth kind of guy.I come from a working class family but somehow growing up I taught to believe I was equal to anyone. I was taught the value of a dollar, how not to follow others just because everyone else was doing it, and how to stand in my own space and be my own man.So thank you Dad. You have taught me to be able to see remarkable people, remarkable things, because you are remarkable and always have been. Thanks for being truly remarkable.Your loving son,Chuck[img_assist|nid=199|title=Me and My Dad, Leon|desc=|link=popup|align=center|width=380|height=506]
Posts Tagged ‘Me’
Ok I’m off the ledge
I seem to have the problems addressed that I was working on. All but one. I still have a blog I put out there and is lost but I have let it go like a message in a bottle, maybe someday someone will find it and read it. I’m not sure it will take them anywhere but is it not all about just putting positive energy out into the world to attract that same type of possitive energy back to you. So I’m sending out the thought. If technology has you down. Step back. Turn the computer off. Take a deep breath and think about how people used to have to read by the light of the fire. Ride horses to town to get groceries, well actually to get supplies they were home growing their own vegtables. Hunting for meat, picking wild berries. It’s not always about “The Google” so someone commonly referrs to it as. Ok not turn it back on and see if the computer fairies have fixed the problem. Chuck Franks, PCC
Family grows just in time for Christmas
I recently read on a blog about how I should focus on negative topics to catch peoples attention and to drive up traffic. Well I choose not to do that. I choose to focus on positive, wonderful, and good things. Here is something personal to me, I just read on a family website blog. I have watched Jake grow from just a boy himself into a fine young man. And to witness the circle of life is a beautiful thing to see. I have learned much about love from the this huge family. A gift most of them never even realize they are giving, yet give freely and openly every day.
Jake Wilkerson, Dec. 18th 2008
Man, being a Dad is awesome! I didn’t know exactly how I was going to feel, everyone has told me, “you’ll feel different when its your own.” I thought maybe a little. I have been around so many babies and helped raise most of my neices and nephews they were like my own. When I was in the room holding Nays leg back as she pushed I first got a little light headed, I had to sit down and breathe for a sec. I prayed that the Lord would help me to be strong. When it was time for her to push again I was fine. When little J’s head poped out I got a little chocked up. I held it back cause there were about 8 people in there besides me. I gathered myself and cut the cord, but when they took him over to clean him off
I heard him cry, I looked at Nay and I just couldn’t hold this one back. I sat down with tears in my eyes I covered my face. It was just something u can’t describe. I thought this is what everyone was talkin about. And that feeling hasn’t really went away. Having a son has changed me tremendously. I always fell short of my goals in life even though I was pretty good at what I did it was like I went so far just to fall short of the goal. All of my past failures, my insecureities, my selfishness, my dreams that I had slip through my fingers, it all fades as my eyes are opened to a bright future as I look into his face. I’m not putting all my dreams on him but he and Nay are the sum of all my dreams and goals, to have a loving family. My only goal now is to provide a good life for my family, to raise him up right in a Godly home. I pray and know that he will experience the love that I had growing up. I thank all of you in the family that gave that to me. I love u all so much.
James: Very well said, Dad… just hearing you re-tell the experience brought tears to my eyes. I believe your heart has just grown two sizes… (or did it get smaller because you’ve given a part of it away?) The very most important thing you will be able to teach him, will be LOVE! Congratulations on your new arrival! He is in good hands.
Patty: It is soooooooo awsome. It will even get better as you teach him to grow into a little man. There will be some rough times but the times outweigh the bad ones.
Michelle: brought tears…. heck I am balling!!! I am very happy for you and Nay. I hope the feeling never goes away! You will/are be an awesome dad. I love you too.
Thanks, I haven’t had a good cry in awhile. lol
Frank: Chuck and I are right there with you Michelle. I don’t know how many times I had to stop to wipe my tears as I tried to joyfully read this posting to Chuck. Each time I looked over he was wiping the tears also.
Jake and Nay, we want nothing but that moment’s joy to last your whole life long. As Aunt Patty said may moments like this outweigh the rough times that are sure to be there too.
This family knows how to pass down it’s Heart. I am proud to be included in your company!
Uncle, Great Uncle Frankie & Chuck.
We love you all.
World AIDS Day
Today is a day when people are suppose to take a moment and recognize that HIV/AIDS has affected their lives.
As a gay man I can say it touches my life every day. When I first was even recognizing that I was gay was when HIV was first discovered back in the early 80′s. I have lost many friends to this disease. I have lost role models. I have lost friends. I have lost loved ones. Some of my friends from college never saw the age of 30.
I’d prefer to continue my thought process from this morning though from a gratitude perspective. So on the flip side, AIDS has given me special moments with special people who no longer are with us. I have seen people put aside their differences for a bigger cause. I have seen and experienced love conquer hate as people face this virus. I’ve seen individuals rise to the challenge and be more than they ever thought possible.
I remember going to Washington DC and seeing hundreds of thousands of people visit the AIDS quilt as it was spread out on the lawn. I remember thinking how sad, that all these people are here cause they lost someone.
Then I realized what would truly be sad is if no one came. If this huge quilt was laid out and no one came to honor the lives it represented. Those hundreds of thousands of people represented love. Love of someone they lost. Love of life and the value we place on it.
So take a moment today and tell someone you love them. Then think about giving a donation to a local HIV/AIDS service provider or cause.
Here are some quick links to make it easier to give directly to their donate pages. But here are two of Kansas City’s HIV/AIDS service providers.







