I already knew a little bit about Craig who now lives in Temecula, a beautiful town in Southern California surrounded by mountains. Our mutual friends would always try see him and his wife when they came out to visit us. Because he measures in at a mere 6’7”, I would say “seeing” Craig isn’t hard to do. Height aside, it’s his heart and his passion to live into his faith that really makes him stand out. I would also find out that Craig used his height to play basketball. He spent six years playing professionally overseas in Uruguay, France, and in his father’s homeland of Sweden. I learned his father, who died when Craig was 14, left his country to make a new life in America. He abandoned his native language for a new one, and never went back or stayed in touch with his past. Craig used this time playing basketball in Sweden to reconnect with family. And to this day they remain close. His daughter is friends with her distant cousins. To celebrate his birthday, Craig thought about doing a 68-mile bike ride. But decided to make it a 68-minute walk instead because he’d “like to live to see 69.” Like he mentioned to me, “With age comes wisdom…and humility.” To this day, he has only shot a crossbow once, “and that was at a target.” Craig recently retired from a long career in education, which he always saw as his ministry. “I have never been bored.” Craig loves to ride his bike, workout with weights, and golf. Although he loves to spend most of his time outside, Craig also has a social media ministry; reaching people he knows and to those he does not know with messages of love and peace. His followers include former students whom Craig wants to give them another voice than that of what’s going on in the world.
1 Comment
Craig Swanson
11/12/2020 07:35:34 am
Hope we can meet in person one day...maybe when Darlene & Jon are out in CA again! 😀
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Ian MacdonaldAn ex-copywriter turned punk rock pastor and peacemaker who dedicates his life to making the world a better place for all humanity. "that they all might be one" ~John 17:21“Prius vita quam doctrina.”
~ St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) * “Life is more important than doctrine.”
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