Photo Every Day 2026

This week my dad celebrated his 70th trip around the sun. I wished him a happy birthday, but didn’t say much more than that. I didn’t want to accidentally ruin the surprise.

Tonight my two older brothers and I (along with massive help from our wives and my dad’s wife) threw him a surprise birthday party. According to his face, he either never saw it coming, or he is a really good actor. I think the surprise was successful.

He walked into a banquet hall thinking that he was stopping by quick for a ministry fundraiser (not my idea), but he was instead greeted by 70+ friends and family members who were there to celebrate him and wish him a happy 70th birthday.

This is the look of a man who is simultaneously surprised, thankful, amazed, and a little disappointed in himself for not seeing it coming. (I think the look on Denise’s face says, “I sure hope he’s not mad at me for being a part of this…”)