My Dad
January 30, 2010
It is early on Saturday morning. I am supposed to be getting ready to load a bus and head to Asheville, NC with the Lee Singers, but yesterday a massive snow, ice and freezing rain storm hit Cleveland. It was such a big storm, not only did Cleveland get about 5 inches of snow and ice, Asheville was to get 12 inches. Needless to say, the Singers are not traveling this weekend. So, I find my self with a few extra hours to sit by a fire, drink some coffee, and reflect about life.
Last night Melissa, Reba and Greg (my sister and her husband), and I gave my father an 80th birthday party. Other than the fact that we had a massive winter storm leading into and during the party, it was a very special night. Family and friends gathered from all over to celebrate dad’s big day, and to enjoy a great time of fellowship. I have a couple of reflections from last night I would like to share.
First, I used the term fellowship in the last paragraph. It is a term that I grew up with living most of my life attending church services and engaging in “fellowship” after the services in people’s homes. It has been a long time since I have experienced real fellowship, but last night I was taken back to its real meaning and experience.
Second, I once again learned what it means to be blessed. After my dad opened all the cards and gifts he began to thank everyone for their thoughtfulness and he began to express what a blessed man he was.
In context, this is the same man who was born during the Great Depression, lived as poor as poor could be as a boy and young man, had two sons that were both born with MD and died at the age of 17, and served as a pastor for over 20 years where he not only built successful ministries but also had to work two and three extra jobs just to make enough money to provide food and housing for his family. This is the same man who has had at least 20 surgeries including the placement of a stint and knee replacement in the past year. Yet, in the midst of all these issues, tragedies, and hardships he has maintained the expressions of how blessed he is and how good God has been to him.
My father is the true example of a follower of Christ. He has lived a life devoted to Christ and has realized that to live is Christ and to die is gain.
My dad has been the greatest influence on my life. He has demonstrated how to respond to life’s issues with prayer and praise. He has demonstrated how to work hard to give God the best effort not for personal gain, but because God is worthy of our best in everything we do. He has demonstrated how to be a faithful husband who has loved and respected his wife for 61 years. He has demonstrated how be a good father by providing a balanced approach to discipline and grace. He has demonstrated how to be a pastor who loves people more than preaching. He has demonstrated how to grow old with dignity, grace, will power, and the attitude of thankfulness for all of God’s blessings.
I am a blessed man. Thank you God, for allowing me to have such a great father.
