I’m just an ordinary guy walking along on this journey called life. I’ve called this column … er, blog Father Says, a play on two facets of my complex life. My comments are always filtered through the lens of Judeo-Christian values and largely based on 40 years of marriage raising five children.
I’m a retired owner/publisher of Reveille/Between the Lakes, a weekly newspaper in Seneca County, NY, right smack in the middle of the beautiful Finger Lakes. I’ve worked in the newspaper industry all my life including stops in New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio, Washington, DC, and New York. My late wife — my inspiration in life — and I raised five children and currently have 18 grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
The Light 
A friend sent me your column..great read..I live in Colorado but lived most of my life in Waterloo and Seneca Falls..keep up the good work
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Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I will continue to plod on and hopefully come up with some good work.
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Thank you for following my blog. The support is much appreciated. I look forward to reading more of yours.
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“Beyond the Cloth”
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Likewise.
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Thanks for showing interest in what I put out too. I sincerely hope you continue to find my works entertaining & pleasurable. Be safe.
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You’re welcome. I do.
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Thanks
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Blessings to you…thanks for the follow!
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You are more than welcome. We’re all in this together.
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Hello! I look forward to really diving into your blog. Also, thank you for following my blog at http://faith1stministries.com I hope it has and will continue to be a major blessing in your life. May God richly bless you as you continue to write and blog. Please continue with us on this journey and remember to have Faith 1st. — Sebastian
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Glad to be with you. I try to expand my blogging and life experience by connecting with other Christian bloggers. Always get some new insight. Have a blessed Easter. Always trying to keep Faith 1st.
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It is my pleasure indeed! I truly look forward to the fellowship and gleaning from your wisdom as well. Blessings!
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Thanks for the follow. I look forward to reading your posts, also.
Blessings, always.
Sue
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You are welcome. I hope you enjoy. Blessings to you too.
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Thank you for following my blog “Inspired2Inspire”!!!
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You are welcome.
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Thank you for following my blog Nanny Cool at http://www.karenswritingblog.wordpress.com
If you ever want a story or column for your newspaper then let me know. Keep up the blogging it’s good x
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My pleasure. I’ll keep your offer in mind. Congrats to you and the family!
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Hope I can deliver! 🙂
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Will do my best x
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It’s good to see someone thinking it through.
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Well done article that. I’ll make sure to use it wisely.
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Thank you for following my blog! I look forward to sharing with you in the future. God Bless you!
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You are welcome. Hope your daughter is feeling better.
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Thank you very much! We went back to the doctor today and they said she was doing better. We still have a little ways to go, but at least she is feeling better. God Bless you
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She’s (and you) are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Thank you, my friend.
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Hello, thank you for following my blog. I pray it will be an encouragement. I look forward to reading your posts. Blessings upon you and your quiver full of grandchildren.
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Thank you. I hope we can encourage each other.
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Thanks so much for following my blog. I look forward to reading at yours 🙂 Blessings to you on your journey with the Lord!
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You’re welcome. Hope you find something interesting on mine.Onward and upward.
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An absolute pleasure to meet you and look forward to your opinions.
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The pleasure is mine. Hope you enjoy the posts. I haven’t seen Payton yet … can’t wait. Babies are so special and bridge generations.
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Hello Sir, I wish I knew your name, can’t see it anywhere on your blog. I’d keep searching though. Thanks for the follow. I look forward to reading from the Father 🙂
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My name is Joe. I don’t share my last name to protect my family. Hope you enjoy my posts and I’ll keep checking yours.
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Okay, I do. Thank you Sir
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Love your openness about your JudeoChristian values and that you are simply sharing your perspective with the world. Me too. That;s what my blog is all about.
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Amen. If you can’t walk the walk, you shouldn’t talk the talk. Loved your last post, especially the line, “Good, better, best; never let it rest; until your good is better; and your better is its best.”
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Thanks so much for following my blog.
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You are welcome. I found it interesting.
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Hi,
Many thanks for following my blog. I completely appreciate it! Great blog you have here, really interesting! Wow, it must be amazing to have a family that large, I am envious. Also, in awe of your journalist experience, now that is cool!
All the best, Bex
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You are welcome. I like to follow a variety of blogs from around the world … just to hone in my own perspectives. Having a large family has its ups and downs … biggest is not getting to see them all the time since they are scattered around the country. Keep up the good work!
Joe
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Well, thank you for deciding on mine anyway, I appreciate it!! Yes, this is always the problem with families. Thanks, I hope I can and will 🙂
Bex
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Upstate NY… beautiful area… from NW PA myself.
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Yes it is. I’m fortunate enough to be right between the two largest of the Finger Lakes.
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Psst, I nominated you for 2 awards : http://publictransituser.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/awards/
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Thank you for the encouragement!
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You are most welcome
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Thank you so much for following poetrycottage. Praying you will be blessed and that any needs for you or your family will met by the Father.
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Your words moved me. May the Lord bless you as well.
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Hi, I just nominated you for a Sunshine Award. For more information: http://geanieroake.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/sunshine-award-3/
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Thank you.
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Hi there. I read your post on suzis blogparty. (the mouse trap) It was awesome! Read a few more and decided to follow. Hope that is ok with you. Great blog.
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Glad to share it and glad you’ll be following my blog. I hope you enjoy my meager words. I’ll be following yours as well. The more the merrier.
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I nominated you for an award. To read about it, please follow the link.
http://vakunzmann.wordpress.com/2013/12/23/procrastinator-thy-name-is-victoria/
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Thank you for the nomination. I posted this on your comments … I have to echo those procrastinator comments. I am forever putting off things for later … then rediscovering them much, much later and often well after the fact. Thank you for the nomination and the kind words.
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Thank you for following my blog at http://poetryjoy.com I really appreciate it! It’s a pleasure to meet you and read about your life and amazing family. They must provide a lot of material to inspire your writing here. As a newly fledged grandma, I can see I have much to learn from people like youI have followed back and look forward to reading your insightful posts. Blessings 🙂
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It was my pleasure. The family does provide plenty of inspiration! Hope you enjoy.
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You have a nice blog here.
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Thank you.
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Great Blog!
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Thank you!
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I see you’ve found many of my friends here. I’ve met many wonderful people who challenge and inspire my walk with Jesus.
Thank you for following Lessons by Heart. Writings are sparse at the moment. We’re in a season where much is happening, but nothing I can freely share just yet. (We have a family of 5 and a recently-separated man staying with us until God sorts some things out for them.) At the moment my “ministry” is to love on them. Since the kids here are 8, 5, and 2, that takes a fair amount of time. :
You have a nice writing style…easy to enter into, easy to read. I especially enjoyed the recounting of your faith walk with your wife. It appears that she moved to heaven fairly recently. I am truly sorry for your loss. A spiritual companion is hard to come by. To have had one and then find oneself without must leave an immense hole in your heart.
May the Lord grant a bountiful harvest for your labor here and at home as you shed His love abroad into others’ hearts.
In Christ,
Tami
\o/
Praising Jesus who makes all things new!
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I enjoy “sharing” our journeys. We each have so much to offer each other … be it prayer, encouragement or even, at times, chastisement. I understand about time being at a premium with the little ones. My time is limited because of work but I enjoy sharing my faith through anecdotes of life. Actually handed Karen over to the Lord’s care about five and a half years ago. I know she and the Lord are preparing my arrival. Enjoy the peace of Christ … especially as we celebrate the reason for this season and the foundation of our faith. I hope you get a chance to stop by often and enjoy your visits.
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thank you for following my blog! happy that you like it 🙂 what an interesting blog you have! for sure will be back here 🙂
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My pleasure and thank you. I’m sure we’ll bump into other again.
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Thank you for following our blog. We look forward to staying connected. We also love the Finger Lakes of CNY and are based out of Syracuse. -ChronicleMe.com
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My pleasure. It looked interesting. Thank you for following my meagher words as well. I’m actually in Seneca County … a hop, skip and jump away.
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Nice to meet you sir. As a relatively young father and a blogger on the same page with you, I look forward to learning from your wealth of experience.
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Nice to me you, too. I hope my “words of experience” help along the way. Visit anytime.
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Thanks for visiting Sweeter Than Honey! Looking forward to enjoying your blog!
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You are welcome. I always like to follow quality blogs.
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Thanks for the follow, looking forward to exploring your blog!
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Hope you like it. Feel free to wander around.
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Thank you kindly for following my blog, it means a lot to find like-minded people online. I will be reading your articles with interest and hope you are blessed and uplifted by the Lord always.
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You are welcome. Enjoy.
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Thanks for following my blog! I look forward to read from your journey. Glad to get connected. God bless you!
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Thank you for following our blog. Hope you are blessed by what you read. I’ll be following yours also. May I ask how you found us?
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Fellowship of Christian Writers …
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Cool! Thanks 🙂
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Thank you for following me on the blog, I look forward to reading all that you have to say!
Gb
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You are welcome. I try to follow quality Christian blogs. I liked your latest about taking things out of context. Walk with the Lord!
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I’ve read a few of your blogs and really enjoyed your perspective. Simple, direct, but touches my heart. Thanks. and thank you for following my blog.
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Thanks for following ZimmerBitch and introducing me to your blog 🙂
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You’re welcome
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I am so totally on board here. Thank you for sharing!
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Glad you’re here, too. Hope you enjoy.
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I don’t know how you found. My blog but I am glad. I came over to get acquainted and found myself spending much more time here than I had expected. I will gladly be a follower. Thanks for following me also.hope you will enjoy our journey together.
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dawnlizjones introduced us. I’m glad you stopped by … I know I was impressed when I visited your spot.
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Thanks to Oneta Hayes, I’ve found your blog! I’m watching my stepdad pass from this life to be with his Eternal Father. I’ve wanted to blog about life and death, but I may just re-blog your post(s) if I can find a re-blog button….What I’ve read so far is so wonderful and encouraging!!!
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I’m so sorry about your stepdad. Being on a death watch sucks. But we know this life is just a transition — for all of us — to something far better. It’s time for a celebration.
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Yes! Unless you are the one who is a caretaker and you’re leaving her behind!!! They are both believers but have been fighting with God over His decision to do it His way! But my step dad was given a reprieve so he now has a second chance to go with dignity….and maybe my mom will now go first. It’s been so hard on her but she stepped up to the plate and became his caregiver! A sloppy one but she seems healthier and stronger now. Thanks for your reply! I’m with you on how I pray I can exit into the arms of Jesus!
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My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family. BTW, it’s okay to fight with God. I know I did and came to the following conclusion … https://wisdomfromafather.com/2012/09/12/conversations-with-god/
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Prayers to you. In the past five years I’ve watched first my beloved spouse and then (on Father’s Day) my father die, and writing is very therapeutic even if you don’t chose to publish it (or publish it right away).
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Oh my! Our family can identify! My sister was 52 years h n her husband died from a sudden heart attack – while our dad was dying. Marsha prayed for dad to hang on a while longer …. dad did but he was comotose as cancer was destroying him….maybe I need to write this….but it’s her story from 1999. Now don’t think she’d want to see it….
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Joe, enjoyed your thoughts on surrendering life the majestic way. Salivated over sausage and pepper sandwich. 19 years vegetarian after cancer, I have retreated back to a treat like this in recent years on rare occasion. Father Vincent Zuliani at DBT my senior year 1978 would always remind us “Life is a gift from God, do not spoil it. Reap his harvest Today.” Thanks.
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Amen to Fr. Vince!
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Hello Sir,
I dropped by because you kindly followed my blog. Thanks very much for the support of this newbie blogger. I read your 5min exercise on the subject “table”. It was lovely to see you and your family all together. You are indeed a very blessed man. How wonderful to have such a large gathering for a meal and special occasion. I would have left a comment under the exercise but could not see a comment box to do so.
Wishing you God’s continued blessing upon your life and the lives of your loved ones.
Carol
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Thank you. Looking forward to following your posts as well. It’s always uplifting to read other persepctives.
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Wonderful blog! Keep inspiring!
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Thank you!
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I’m glad to have found your blog and look forward to exploring. Thank you for the follow!
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Thank you for reading and following holdingforthhisword. Praise God for His goodness to us, Amen! May Jesus Christ richly bless you through His abundant mercy, grace, love and peace. Amen!
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Thank you for sharing.
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Hi there. Thank you for visiting and following HoB. Much appreciated!
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My pleasure
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I am so sorry about your wife (my spouse and I had a short thirty years together, beginning as teenagers, and only four children). I look forward to reading more–I always thought I’d be a newspaper writer and am glad there are still real papers out there, and aspire to be able to write more of the sweet than the bitter someday, as you do.
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Life is bittersweet. It’s designed that way, I believe, so we can appreciate the sweet even more.
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Thanks for following my blog …
and, quelle coincidence because I’ve just finished reading a book by R.J. Ellory that featured Seneca falls (unless there are more than one of ’em in the U.S.A. ?
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My pleasure. Small world. What book?
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Hi! Thanks a lot for the follow!
Awesome blog! 🙂
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Thank you. Interesting topics on your’s a well.
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My pleasure!
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I’ve just started reading your blog and I really enjoy it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and family with us.
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Thank you again
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