Church Visit by Dad...

A deeply moving experience today in church.

This morning I got up and is my usual custom made coffee and sat and read, had my alone time and got to work getting ready for the day. I checked in here, got the cat and dog ready and left for church. So far a normal Sunday except for my family is headed off to cabin camp and I’m alone this week. No kids, no wife at home right now.

I got to church with an uneasy feeling, greeted my friends and sat where we usually do. The song leader got up and everything started out with all the usual formalities…. Then the pastor got up and began to introduce a man that peeked my interest. He would scan the audience as he spoke and he seemed to pay particular attention to me, as he introduced the man he bio was surprisingly like my father… Born a farmer, stayed a farmer until he retired, recently began to work for a mission board…. And as our pastor talked I began to anticipate my father dressed in his only three piece suit coming out of the side door in the back and heading into the pulpit… and sure enough, there he was, same suit, dark hair, serious smile and determined look At 68 years old my father is a striking figure, he is wide and strong, dark complexion, deep dark eyes, a serious smile, warm and friendly but all the time having a determined look about him as if he was dutifully carrying out a purpose.

He stood in the pulpit, thanked our pastor, gave me one quick look, cleared his throat and with a deep resonating voice began to sing ‘I have decided to follow Jesus…no turning back’, when he was done singing it in English he repeated it in Spanish, and I have no doubt word perfect as well. He opened his Bible, offered the direction to the text, Matthew 28… read the entire chapter then focused on the Great Commission …’Go Ye into all the world...’ With pencil in hand and note book on lap 1 hour had passed before I knew it, his strong voice never wavered and with conviction and making no apology for the scripture taught each one of us there the same way he had taught me so well everyday of my life for my first 17 years.

Leadership was the point of his sermon. In order to lead one must first follow, in order to follow one must be teachable. The focus of any leader is to make leaders of the ones who follow you.

Each time I see my father take the pulpit and preach/teach, it is with such authority and graciousness and with such forceful conviction that he speaks that hardly a man can leave and not be changed. (I know God does the changing)

Today was one of those days that I realize yet again what an amazing man my father is. He is that way because he follows Jesus without turning back. I’m not saying he is perfect, he’d tell you himself he is far from it. But I’m telling you he is no hypocrite.

He used to say this to us boys when we were kids…’if your leading and no man follows you’re just going for a walk.’

We spent lunch together, and enjoyed a talk, now he’s preparing for tonight’s sermon.
I don’t know why I wrote this; guess there’s no one home to tell… just needed to get it down.

Far.

[minks]

tis awesome when one has such admiration for ones parents. Seems sad so many people do not. Lovely story Far.

What never ceases to amaze me about the garden is that i never know what i'm going to stumble across when i sign on. Ever. Threads i thought would be going strong are no where to be found, and threads that looked like a waste of time will have 50 whimsical responses.

So i finished mopping the kitchen and thought i'd pop on and see if anyone else was bored this sunday afternoon.

And stumble across this. And am once again amazed at what gifts are given to me from the minds of my fellow gardeners..

Thanks FR. You've made my Sunday. Not because of your religion so much as simply your feelings.

[minks]

Originally Posted by flopstock

What never ceases to amaze me about the garden is that i never know what i'm going to stumble across when i sign on. Ever. Threads i thought would be going strong are no where to be found, and threads that looked like a waste of time will have 50 whimsical responses.

So i finished mopping the kitchen and thought i'd pop on and see if anyone else was bored this sunday afternoon.

And stumble across this. And am once again amazed at what gifts are given to me from the minds of my fellow gardeners..

Thanks FR. You've made my Sunday. Not because of your religion so much as simply your feelings.

So true Floppy so true.

Originally Posted by flopstock

What never ceases to amaze me about the garden is that i never know what i'm going to stumble across when i sign on. Ever. Threads i thought would be going strong are no where to be found, and threads that looked like a waste of time will have 50 whimsical responses.

So i finished mopping the kitchen and thought i'd pop on and see if anyone else was bored this sunday afternoon.

And stumble across this. And am once again amazed at what gifts are given to me from the minds of my fellow gardeners..

Thanks FR. You've made my Sunday. Not because of your religion so much as simply your feelings.

hahaha floppy, thats why I stuck it way down in the religious thread, figured folks could pick and choose what they wanted to read if it was labeled right, you took it how it was meant, just an expression of love and respect for my dad.

[valerie]

I'm with Flops, too. That you would think to share that with us is
just phenomenal.

Thank you, FR!

[pina]

Thanks for sharing this with us it.

It must be a wonderful thing to feel so proud and have so much love for your parents and to feel able to tell others how you feel...there are so many that either don't or will not admit in public let alone in private how they feel.....I love my mom to bits but she is one of those people who doesn't show her feelings and hates what she calls anything sloppy......I have her staying with me for a few weeks so I will spoil her a bit.
I have often heard my two girls talking and saying how much they love me and miss me and it makes me feel so tingly inside and just want to hug and kiss them,......even though they are in their 20's......

Thanks guys, this was hard to write and even harder to post, still not sure why I did it, guess I'm braggin about my Dad, but for so many years I didn't. I never said anything negative about him either, but I quietly tucked him away in my thoughts. As I'm getting older I think it's occuring to me what a great man he really is. I lost my Mom and I always told folks what a great Mom she was, I'd like the opportunity to praise my dad while he's alive.

Originally Posted by Far Rider

I lost my Mom and I always told folks what a great Mom she was, I'd like the opportunity to praise my dad while he's alive.

You did it in the best possible way Far, from your heart. Perhaps a power greater than all of us led you to share your story with us. I'm glad you thought enough of us to do so. Your father would be very proud.

[Clint]

Thank you for telling this story. The respect you have for your father shines through in almost every word. You are blessed and your father is blessed to look out over the congregation and see his son sitting there…interested in what he has to say.

I am encouraged…thank you.