Hopefully, when we all look back on our lives we will realize that it has not been the things we have accumulated during our lives that made us richer but the relationships we had with the people in our lives. Family and friends that have come and gone are the ones that made life worth living. Some come into our lives for a lifetime while others come in and take part of it as a scene. I would like to end this book and acknowledge those who have journeyed with me for my life and those who impacted me when they entered for a short time.
To My Wife, June: Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.” At 17 years old you came into my life and life took on a whole new meaning being with you. We quickly fell in love and married early. Though we have had our typical struggles through life I can’t think of anyone I would want by my side but you. We traveled and lived in two different foreign countries together while in the Navy – I’m so glad you were there with me experiencing life in Okinawa and Scotland as two young kids – having fun. You have stuck with me during all my job and career changes – especially during the ministry years when we never knew what God was going to do next. You have been a wonderful Mother and now an awesome grandmother. Thank you so much for all you have done for me – I have been a better person because of you. I have truly “found what is good and received favor from the Lord”, I love you forever.
To my Mother: Though God took my father away from me at an early age, he has certainly made up for it by allowing you to have such a lengthy life. When I look back on the first years after Dad passed, I realize how much of an amazing and strong person you were and still are. They must have been difficult years but you pushed through and made sure your children had happy lives. Even in those early years, we were never without and you made sure of that. Your support throughout the years for me has been invaluable – going into the Navy – getting married at 17 – going into ministry – and I am a better man because of you. Thank you for all you have meant to me – I love you.
I once read that if you haven’t started to create a life that offers something of value and sustains long after you’re gone or at the very least, make an indelible impression in the world, then, you’re not living your soul purpose! As I mentioned in my last chapter, “Leaving a Legacy”, I hope that I have and will continue to make that impact. With that in mind, I want to acknowledge the men who have made that “indelible impact” on my life and have helped shape my character:
My Grandfather – Pop-pop: Since I lost my own father at an early age it was my grandfather who became a father figure in my life. He was a person I could look up to and hopefully emulate. He was a kind passionate and caring man who we could always count on to calm down any situation. He never raised his voice but spoke loudly with his actions. Thank-you Pop-pop for giving me someone to strive to be like as I interact with my own grandchildren. You are the reason I call myself Pop-Pop, I just hope I am half the Pop-pop you were. Miss you and love you!!
Chris Poulos: The description I gave about my grandfather can be duplicated for my father-in-law. Chris became my second father. I may have upset him by taking his daughter June away so young and so far for a few years but I know the relationship we formed once we returned home was something we both cherished. I cherish the many years we had together deer hunting out in Mendham, watching sports together, talking Navy, and just enjoying our family together. Losing Chris was like losing my father over again but his memory and impact he made on my life have not faded and are still with me today. I also see his life being played out in two people in my life: my wife June and my son Christopher.
The men in my life that mentored me spiritually:
Bill Wood: Bill was the leader of the Boys Brigade program I attended in my High School years. His commitment to the program, an example of Christian leadership, and care for the boys in his program left an impact on me. He was the male role model I needed during the early years after my father died. Fifteen years later when I found Jesus he was one of the first people I thought of to thank. He was still at Bethlehem Church running the program when I became a Christian in 1986 and continued to run Brigades into the early 2000s. I was able to go back and tell him the impact he made on my life. He invited me to speak to the boys who were in the program at that time and then asked me to be the guest speaker at a dinner banquet. He was still the leader when both my boys, Chris and Robert were in the program in the 1990s. I again had the honor to speak at his retirement banquet sometime in the 2000s with myself and Joe Taraska in attendance. Thanks, Bill for your commitment to Christian leadership and excellent role model for boys for over 40 years.
Jim Robertson: Jim taught me that in life make sure your “yes is yes and no is no”. His love for Jesus and his hunger for the word of God was infectious. Jim was the constant smiling face and positive attitude up at Washington Valley Chapel. I never met someone who was so passionate to tell people that “Jesus loved them”. He even wrote that phrase on many golf balls so if a ball got lost and someone found it, they would know that “Jesus loved them”. It was Jim that encouraged the men to attend the retreats, it was Jim who showed love to the many children that passed through Washington Valley Chapel, it was Jim that left an impression on not only me but my sons and grandsons. I’ll never forget the many men’s retreats we went too together. Also, the many golfing outings we went on, especially the Bible Open. His encouragement and patient instructions on these outings helped me get better at the game he loved. He was always there when you needed him, always kind and giving. He was a brother with a big “B”. For years I went with Jim to the Morris County jail to conduct a Bible study for the inmates, many who came to know Jesus through his ministry. The night he passed we were there singing hymns around his bed at the hospital, singing him into heaven. It was a pleasure to give his eulogy at his memorial service so I could tell others what Jim meant to me and many others. I miss my old friend and golfing has not been the same since his passing. I will finish with an old phrase he often said when we golfed, “back forever, look up never”. Well Jim I’m still trying to perfect that, but after I swing and hit the ball, I catch myself looking up to see if you are smiling.
Charlie Harrah: In the early years of my Christian walk, Charlie came to Washington Valley Chapel as the Sr. Pastor. He and his family stayed for almost 10 years, which I feel were the best 10 years of my Christian life. Through Charlie’s teaching and preaching, I grew tremendously in my faith. Charlie was a storyteller and could make the scriptures come alive and become more personal. It was Charlie that was there as my mentor when I was studying for the ministry. His mentorship is what shaped my future ministry and how I adopted the concept of storytelling in my sermons when I became a Pastor. Thanks, Charlie to being there during the early years of my Christian walk and laying the foundation that is with me today.
Pete Amerman: I met Pete when I was going through a phase in my Pastoral Ministry where I was without direction asking myself and God, what next? I was introduced to Pete who was in the process of planting a church. We both connected and have been together in ministry since 2004. Pete and I started ‘The Well Christian Ministry” together, went on to begin and Co-Pastor, “Living Waters Church” together, and are still together at the writing of this book. When Pete needed to step down from being the Lead Pastor and I was asked to take the role, he easily stepped back and supported me as his Pastor, even though Pete had much more schooling and experience. He has been a great mentor and friend for the last 16 years. Thanks, Pete for being there for me, supporting me, and guiding me through some tough times.
Paul Pagano: I met Paul when I was attending Washington Valley Chapel. Paul and I became Christians around the same time. Our families became very close, with our children growing up in the church together. Paul has been my closest friend since 1986. We have walked with the Lord together, grown together, and raised our families together. Paul and I ran a Boys Brigade Ministry together for 4 years at Washington Valley Chapel. In Youth Ministry, he came with me as we took a group of teens to Florida for Tornado relief. When I went into the Pastoral Ministry, Paul supported me and has followed me and my ministry. When we started “The Well Christian Ministry” he and Patty came and were a vital part of that church. When we began Living Waters Church in Parsippany, he and Patty came over and have been a vital part of that church. I could not see walking with the Lord without Paul being with me. Proverbs 18:34 says “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”, that not only describes Jesus but also describes Paul. Thanks, buddy, for your years of friendship and support.
Karl Samuelson: I met Karl also in the early years of my Christian life at Washington Valley Chapel. Like Paul, Karl came to know Christ around 1986 and we are forever linked to one big event. The Mets-Red Sox World Series in 1986. Karl and I did not know each other but on the night of game 6, I was on my knees in front of my TV praying hoping the Red Sox would pull it off. Karl told me he was doing the same that night but praying for the Mets. Well God answered Karl’s prayer that night because we know what happened. Karl was there at WVC to help support me while I was leading the WVC youth group. Karl came with me to a few events with the teens and was with me when I took the teens on two summer trips, one to Arizona and the next year to Montana. Karl helped me plan trips and then was an important helping hand on those trips. I have some good memories of those summers. Karl and I also did some odd jobs together for a couple of years, painting houses, gutter, lawn work called our little business “K & D Odd Jobs”. We both ran a softball team together for many years. Karl has been a great friend and brother in the Lord.
Of course, life would not be the same without family and friends who have shared it with you. I have mentioned in past chapters how precious my children and grandchildren are to me. I also want to thank my siblings, Joanne, Carolyn, and Scott who have walked the journey of life with me. We have been through a lot but we have stayed together supporting Mom and remaining close. I also want to mention my step-father Steve who I am grateful that he came into my Mother’s life and cared for her for close to 25 years. I am grateful that he treated my mom as an angel and supported me in my Navy decision. Steve told me that the night before I left for the Navy he had a dream that he went with me. I’m sure we would have had a blast together.
What is life without some good friends who have entered into the scenes of your life to walk with You? I have already mentioned and named many in previous chapters. Thanks to Dave Akromas who was a good friend in HS and came into the Navy with my on the “buddy system”. Dave still calls me to kid me about how I talked him into going in the Navy and he ended up in the belly a ship as a Boiler Tech while I lived in luxury as a CT on land for 4 years. There was Bob Dees who I met in Scotland who was my hunting companion and friend. Al Nagle and Tom Hinkleman who I also met while in Scotland where we hunted together and still remain good friends to this day. The three of us will always be linked to our two years together overseas. Dave and Kathy Galya who we met on a train ride down to Disney World. They saw me reading my Bible and being Christians we began to talk about our common faith. We ended up spending the week together and remained friends for many years until the Lord took Kathy home. There were Steve and Marisa Cree who were my two right-hand people and main support when I was the Pastor down at Calvary Gospel for 3 years, I couldn’t have done it without them. I am also thankful for current friends who are with me now, walking life and faith with me: Tom and Nancy, Pete and Sue, Paul and Patti, Ida and Anthony, Mike and Janice, John and Sue.
Remember in life that to be successful in anything you need to first have a strong family unit who supports you and will never abandon you in times of trouble. Cherish those around you that God has given you. You also need good friends and mentors to help you along the way. Be careful who you surround yourself with. Make sure they are people who speak positively into your life and also are willing to correct you when you are wrong. Most of all keep God at the center. If you have those things then maybe the title of your story one day can also be “It’s Been a Wonderful Life”.
With all the love and blessing to all, David (Dad, Pop-pop)
P.S. On the back cover of my book I have a picture of Saber and I in Scotland. I struggled with what pictures to use on the cover of the book that would reflect my life. After a discussion with my wife June about using Saber, she was all for it as she knows what he meant to me. June and I purchased Saber when we lived in Scotland. He was our very first dog (2nd if you count Rusty who we only had a few weeks) and as good as Lilly and now Sammy are good dogs, neither have topped Saber, or any other dog to come. Saber was a champion hunter as I mentioned in previous chapters. I spent hours upon hours training him and it paid off. When he hunted down in South Jersey the guys called him “Champion” and everyone loved him. Not only was he a great hunting dog but he was a great companion. Saber represents everything good about our past. Bought in Scotland, coming home being part of the family in the early years. Our neighbor Mr. Gilman loved him and treated him as his own dog. My father-in-law Chris loved him and loved to take care of him when we went away on vacation. When I walked down the street with him, as he walked by my side without a leash because he was trained to heel, people would look and smile. I once saw a guy hitch-hiking with a sign to California with a black-lab next to him, I pictured myself doing that with Saber. Saber passed away mainly from hip disease probably brought on by the many years of jumping into cold water to hunt. If he could have talked he probably would have said “it was worth it, that was what I was born to do”. He passed the same year my father-in-law Chris passed, 1990. It was a terrible year losing both Chris and Saber. I will never forget when I took him to the vet that fateful day, knowing what was going to happen. The vet gave me a few moments alone with Saber to say goodbye, I will cherish those last moments. I buried Saber up on the hill in our backyard with many tears. It’s been years since he has been gone but I think of him often and love to look at old pictures of him as it brings back many good memories. I stroll up there every so often to wipe the dirt away from his stones and repaint his name on them. I believe God gave man dogs to show us in a way what unconditional love is about. They love us much more than we could ever love them, just like God. Billy Graham was once asked if dogs went to heaven? He answered, “God will prepare everything in heaven for our perfect happiness, and if it takes my dog being there I believe he will be there.” Sleep well, my old friend see you one day in heaven. In the meantime, you and Chris continue to enjoy your time together.
