New York – New York

New York – New York

After my mother died, my father lived alone in their house in Arizona. One of the things he was not prepared for was cooking for himself. He found recipes in a magazine for senior adults called New Choices but he was not very successful finding some of the ingredients at his local grocery store. Finally he wrote a letter to the editor of the magazine expressing his frustration.

My father was surprised when he received a reply from the editor inviting my dad to come to New York. The magazine offered to do an article in response to my father’s letter including cooking lessons with a professional chef and photos of my father. They would pay for his travel, meals and lodging. My dad was reluctant to accept their invitation until my wife volunteered me to go with him.

We flew together to New York and stayed in a nice hotel in mid-town Manhattan. The cooking lessons and photo shoot involved one full day. We enjoyed two additional days visiting sites in the city. We went to the top of the Empire State Building and took a boat tour to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. It was a memorable time with my father in New York City.

A few months later we received a copy of the magazine in the mail from the publisher. The article included several nice photos of my father working with the professional chef. I’m sure it was their biggest selling issue of the year!

There is a story in the Bible when a man named Abraham took his son on a memorable trip to the hill country in central Israel (Genesis 22:1-14). It was a trip both of them would never forget. I am grateful that I got to enjoy a memorable trip with my father to New York City. It is a trip I will never forget. Let me encourage you to make a plan, set a date and take one of your children or grandchildren on a trip they will always remember. It doesn’t need to be expensive or extensive. A weekend fishing trip or a longer road trip can be just as memorable. You will be glad you did and they will too!

You can find more stories and articles by the author in his book – Let Me Encourage You – Contact him at markh@efreedb.org. The cost is $25 and includes shipping. Enjoy a book for yourself and purchase one for a friend. They will be glad you did and you will too!