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A Challenge for Dallas

Written by admin on . Posted in basketball, children, Dallas, parenting, prayer. 4 Comments on A Challenge for Dallas


My son, “Sir Dallas James Rutherford,” had a tough day today. He is a junior at Campbell Hall High School in Studio City, and he’s been having some problems with his left knee. After getting some x-rays and an MRI, the doctor informed us that he has a fractured patella. He will be out of basketball for six to eight weeks.

Now for a young man who loves to play basketball, this was NOT good news. He will basically be missing most of his junior year, but hopefully he’ll be able to make it back towards the end of the season. I checked my phone during a break in the middle of my jury trial and it was heart wrenching listening to my son give me this news. Dallas is a fish out of water if he’s not on the court playing a little basketball.

We are doing our best to let him know that God has a plan and that there are a lot of good things that could come of this.

Please keep Dallas in your prayers. He is struggling to discern what God wants for his life. He has been trying his best to honor the Lord recently. God often shapes us through some difficult times and I’m praying that God would do just that. I’ve watched Dallas play basketball many, many times and you can see the joy in him as he runs and competes. I sometimes think of the OLD movie, Chariots of Fire, where God used Eric Liddell to compete in the 1924 Olympic games to honor God. There is such a memorable quote in that movie from Eric. He said, “I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” I’m not sure Dallas has ever totally figured this out, but I do believe he’s at least thinking about it. So hopefully, this will be a time where he can reflect on how to honor God with his life.

I want to thank, in advance, those of you who will keep him in your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Merry Kerri

Written by admin on . Posted in children, Kerri. 1 Comment on Merry Kerri

Somebody noticed my daughter Kerri just because she was on my blog. That made me smile. It made me want to put another picture of her on this blog. Kerri, who is a whopping 10 years old, has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. This is one of my favorite pictures of her. God has a plan for this girl. I’m thinking she’s going to run the church one day… I just wish my children wouldn’t grow up so fast. I just want to PRAISE GOD that she loves the Lord and that it’s IN HER HEART to please the LORD. She serves as an example for all of us.

Happy Birthday KAYLA RAE

Written by admin on . Posted in basketball, children, Kayla, school. 2 Comments on Happy Birthday KAYLA RAE

I am in a state of SHOCK… My firstborn child turned 20 years old yesterday… Am I getting old or what??? The good side of all this is that Renee and I are blessed with three awesome children.
Kayla happens to be the oldest. She attends Hope International University, which is across the street from Cal State Fullerton. Her love is for the Lord and I know that one day she will be in the ministry serving the Lord… perhaps even here at the Shepherd 🙂

I’ve told Kayla from day one, “Be Humble not Hyper.” The reason I tell her this is because she is the most energetic person I know (besides the person I look at in the mirror each day). She loves life and she loves the Lord. Her spirit is contagious and she leads her school, her team, her friends and her peers to a closer walk with Jesus. If you ever get the chance to spend some time with her, you would know what I was talking about.

Ohhhhhhhh yes, you didn’t think I would forget to tell you, did you? She also is the starting point guard for the basketball team. Now, this blog is complete…hehahahehahahahe !

Daddy’s Little Girl

Written by admin on . Posted in children, family, Kerri, picture. No Comments on Daddy’s Little Girl

I love this picture. I took it this past summer while traveling in Portland, Oregon with my little girl, Kerri Brett Rutherford. She is ten years young and she is the apple of my eye. One of her teacher’s named her Merry Kerri because she is always in a good mood. This picture was taken in the downtown area of Portland during a flower festival. LOOK at the COLOR of those flowers. Aren’t you glad that God knew we would enjoy variety and beautiful colors? The background of these flowers only serves as a backdrop to the real beauty of my daughter. She loves the Lord with all of her heart and she told me the other day she is thinking about being the first woman President. Now THAT would be something! But whether she realizes that dream or not, my prayer for her is that she always keeps her eyes on the Lord and that she lives each day illuminating the joy and presense of God to the world around her. And in the same way those flowers brighten our day, her spirit and love for God will change the world around her.

Smile :) Cardinals win first game of World Series

Written by admin on . Posted in baseball, cardinals, children, sports. No Comments on Smile :) Cardinals win first game of World Series

I think many of you know that my father raised me to root for the St. Louis Cardinals. We grew up in the Midwest and most people pull for the Cards or the Cubs. Dad actually took me out of school on several occasions where we would drive to St. Louis to catch a couple of ball games. This past week MY family and I were watching game 7 of the National League Series against the New York Mets, and it was interesting to watch my children cheer when the Red Birds won the game. I thought to myself…. “Isn’t it interesting that their love for the Cardinals was something that I taught them in the same way my father taught me?” And then I had a far more convicting thought…. “I hope that they will ALSO have a love for Christ the way my father taught me to have.” Why do we strive to teach our children so many trivial things when the essential matters of faith and devotion are so lacking? Please, God, allow me to be a father that teaches my children to have a love for You that will cause them to shout and cheer for the things of God.