Monday, June 22, 2009

Father's Day Thoughts

Today is Father’s Day. My father was killed in a terrible accident when I was 7 years old. Even though I was very young, I have some vivid memories of times with him.

I was a daddy’s girl. I enjoyed him coming home from work every day. My sister, June and I would run out to greet him when he drove up. We would each grab a leg, step up on his work boot and get a ride into the house on his strong feet. He would head straight to the kitchen where mama was putting supper on the table. He’d walk up to mom and pull her into his arms for a kiss. I can still remember standing on dad’s foot, looking up at the two of them embracing and feeling so safe. “Were my little ladies good today?” daddy would ask mama. I wanted so much for her to be able to answer, “Yes”. I wanted daddy to be proud of his little ladies.

Daddy was gentle and kind but also very strict. He loved God and he loved church and we girls were expected to sit by him perfectly quiet and still during service. We didn’t always manage to fulfill his expectations and discipline followed when we arrived home.

Every night daddy would read a Bible Story to June and me. When he was finished he would remain sitting on the couch and June and I would each kneel at one of dad’s legs. He would place his arms around our shoulders and pray with us. When I was six years old, I asked Jesus into my heart while leaning with my head on daddy’s knee.

Daddy was one of thirteen children and had never received a toy for Christmas. He worked for the railroad and loved trains. Mom secretly saved money out of her grocery budget for a whole year and gave him a train set for Christmas. I can still picture daddy up in the spare bedroom happily setting up communities and towns for his train. We would go to sleep at night by the gentle humming of the engine as it pulled the rail cars around the track. After daddy died, mama would take out his train every Christmas and set it up around the Christmas tree.

I only had seven short years with my Father but his character and teaching gave me the foundation that I have lived on every since. Proverbs 22:9 says “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” On this Father’s Day I am grateful for an earthly father that introduced me to the One who promised to be “A Father to the fatherless and a defender of widows.” (Psm. 68:5) He is the greatest Father of all.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Celebrating a Great Man

June 1st was my late husband’s birthday. He would have been 70. He enjoyed birthdays – his and everyone else’s. He made sure each family member was celebrated on their special day.

We have a little tradition we do since Don’s passing. On his birthday, family members meet at the Dairy Queen for Don’s favorite, onion rings and a dipped cone. The grandchildren and I enjoyed reminiscing about their Opa while we munched on treats. We all desire to keep his memory alive in our hearts.

When I think of Don, I think of the song, “I am a Friend of God”. Don and God were definitely friends. They were in constant communication and sometimes it resulted in events that could only happen because of this relationship.

I recall a Friday when Don came home from work and told me something unusual had happened on the way home. He had been driving his little truck when God spoke to his heart and said, “The next time you see someone stuck on the side of the road, I want you to stop and help.” He watched for someone who needed help but didn’t see anyone. “I’m confused” he confessed. “I felt sure that the Lord was speaking to my heart.” “Continue to keep your eyes alert,” I offered. “Maybe the time is still to come.”

On Sunday during prayer time in Don’s Bible Class, Steve again requested prayer for John, his boss. “John seems to be very interested in God but I don’t know how to approach him about Salvation, “Steve admitted. Steve had been requesting prayer for John every Sunday for about a month and the whole class was praying for this man who was having marriage problems and needed God in his life.

About 11 a.m. on Monday, Don was driving down 405 headed to the church to get his mail and work duties for the week. He glanced up and saw a pick-up truck on the left shoulder of the road. Don quickly went across all three lanes and pulled up behind the man in distress. “Can I help?” Don offered as he walked up to the neatly dressed middle aged man. “I have a flat tire but when I pulled out the spare I discovered it is flat also,” the man responded in a frustrated tone. “Let’s put them both in my truck and I’ll take you over to Discount Tires just off the next exit,” Don offered.

As they drove and then waited for the tires to be repaired, Don became acquainted with the man who introduced himself as John. John shared that he lived in Bellevue but had been in a meeting by the airport and was on his way back to work. Don, who was wearing his Metro uniform, explained that he was a minister that also drove a Metro bus during the peak commuting hours in the morning and evening.

As John became more comfortable, he began to confide in Don about his marriage problems, his fear of the unknown, and how empty his life felt. He admitted that he didn’t know much about God but he had an employee whose peace and joy from knowing God really fascinates him. God put a thought in Don’s heart and he asked, “Is that employee’s name, Steve?” “Yes, how did you know?” John responded in confusion.

Don gave John a big smile and laid his hand up on his shoulder. “John, God loves you so much that he has worked all kind of miracles to bring you and me together today,” Don began. He told him the whole story of how Steve requested prayer for him in the Bible Class, how God had laid it on his heart to help the next distressed traveler, and how God placed each of them in the right place at the right time of the day for this encounter.

By the time John was back on the road to Bellevue, he was a new child of God and Don had made an appointment to meet with John and his wife for marriage counseling. For the next few months Don mentored and counseled the new Christians and helped them get established in a church near their home.

The Bible says, “My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NLB) Don knew the Good Shepherd’s voice because he had spent much time communicating with Him. The grandchildren and I enjoy celebrating this great man. He is our example, our hero.