MEMORIES OF DAD

It has been almost 16 years since we said a temporary goodbye to Dad. I think of him often, “hear” his humorous comments as I watch the news, and “see” him in my oldest son, but today I can’t stop the tears.

Dad I miss you. Sometimes our family needs your “no nonsense” wisdom; we need to hear one of your crazy stories once again. I will never forget your arms around me as you told me goodbye the last time we saw you. I think you knew it would be the last time and you hugged me extra tight, hoping the imprint of your arms would always remind me of your love.

So many memories of you flood my mind. As a little girl I loved to watch your hands. You had strong hands with long slender fingers that could build a cabinet, assemble a toy or tenderly button a little girl’s coat. I knew there wasn’t a thing in the world that was too hard for those hands to fix.

You were the one who taught me how to sing. I loved to hear your voice in church and I loved the fact that you would cry every time you sang a solo. I will never forget my favorite song;

Don’t ever take the ribbons from your hair.
Each tiny bow is tied with loving care

You’re pretty as a picture and I love each precious curl

You’re mommy’s little problem, but you’re daddy’s little girl

You’ll never grow too old to wear your bows

They’ll always match your tiny turned up nose

And even when you grow to be like mommy sweet and fair

Don’t ever take the ribbons from your hair.

It has been said that our picture of our Heavenly Father is formed by our Earthly Father. Dad, I learned from you that God is my provider, my protector, and always faithful. Thank you Dad for the lessons in honesty, integrity, and commitment that you modeled for me. Thank you for walking away from the neighbor as he swore at you in front of your family. Thank you for being honest when the cashier gave you too much change. Thank you for standing up for me when the teacher cheated me out of a good grade and thank you for standing with the teacher when I was wrong.

Thank you for loving Steve as a son. It must have been hard to give your 18 year-old first born to another 18-year old teenager who didn’t even have a good job. I remember your teary eyes and how your knees shook as you walked me down the aisle. You knew that you were no longer the most important man in my life but you also knew that no one would ever take the place of my dad. You were so excited when you found out at the age of 42 that you were going to be a grandfather. I had been running up and down stairs with laundry, but a minute later, after you heard the news, you told me that maybe I shouldn’t be running on the stairs. I laughed but it made me feel all warm and fuzzy, as it still does 39 years later. You were so proud of Steven and Phil as they grew and went to college. You would be even more proud of the responsible men they have become.

I would love to see you with your great-grandchildren. Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine you with Mackenzie, Madison, Caleb, Nathan, Anabel, Maicie and Payton. The girls would wrap themselves around your heart. You would love Mackenzie and Madison’s beautiful red hair, brag on how smart Mackenzie is and melt into Madison’s big blue eyes. I can hear you say “hey, big boy” to Caleb and ask him if he hurt the floor when he falls over. Nathan and Anabel’s big smiles and mischievous antics would rate one of your great big laughs. You could never resist the littlest ones, so I know you Maicie would follow your voice and cuddle right up to her Papaw-Great. You would even find a way to communicate with Payton, The worst part of even temporary goodbyes are the things you don’t get to share.

I don’t understand everything about death, but I do understand eternity. Once again Dad, you’ve gone before all of us to pave the way. I am so thankful that you loved the Lord. I’m thankful that you believed in the Blessed Hope, that,” We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Dad, I know that it is just a temporary goodbye and I am so thankful that someday soon we will be able to sit down and talk for eternity. For today I’ll just remember your smile, your deep voice and your arms holding me tight as I look up to Heaven and say “Happy Father’s Day.

AND GOD REMEMBERED....

I feel so alone. Nobody even knows I exist. Nobody cares. Does God even know I’m here? I’ve been obedient, done everything He asked but I think God has forgotten or is too busy with everyone else. Have you ever had days, weeks or months in which these words became your refrain? Then the story of Noah will give you hope.

Consider how Noah must have felt after God shut the door of the ark and the days continued to pass. I have read many different theories on how long Noah was actually on the ark, they range from 150 to 377 days. What we can know is that it must not have been the most pleasant of experiences. The Genesis account tells us that the world was so wicked that the mind of man was continually on evil. In the midst of the evil, God found one man, Noah, who was righteous, faithful, and “perfect in his generations.” God called Noah into service; gave him the instructions and Noah obeyed. Genesis 6:22 tells us, “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” I have to confess that I’m not sure I could say I have equaled Noah in faithfulness.

Finally, the years of building the ark, as God had commanded ended, the animals were gathered into the ark along with Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives. For seven days they waited for somebody; anybody from the congregation Noah had preached to for all those years of building, to join them in the ark of salvation. Imagine his disappointment when no one came and God shut the door. The long rainy days began. The monotony of feeding the animals, cleaning the waste, listening to the rain, living in the gloom and repeating it day after day had to have been depressing. There was nobody to care if Noah existed except a depressed wife and kids and hundreds of loud, stinky animals. Had God forgotten him? After all he had done for God was he sentenced to die on a creaky boat, alone and forgotten? NO, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY! Genesis 8:1records, “And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark…”

We all go through seasons of loneliness and isolation. We are studying God’s Word, seeking His will through prayer, obeying everything we know and hear from God, yet we seem to still be stuck on a stinky boat. God hasn’t forgotten you; the stinky boat is all part of His plan. Wonderful, fresh, new adventures are ahead. After many days, when the time is right your story will continue, “And God remembered….”