This week would have been my dad's birthday. He would have been 59 years old last Sunday, January 4th. I miss him and wish he were still here, but more than that I wish he had been the man God created him to be. More than his death, I regret the end of his life and the way he chose to live it. And I wonder how eternity looks for him when he is smacked up the side of the head with the complete and total view of the choices he made and ramifications of his actions. I hope he finally has some true remorse over his decisions and regret over the relationships he harmed.
These are not the least of what his choices cost him:
-A long and prosperous life
-A satisfying and loving marriage
-The respect and admiration of lifelong friends
-A relationship with all four of his children and all 9 of his grandchildren
-The legacy of a Godly man in the lives of:
son Allen and his children
Ethan
Elijah
Lillianna
daughter Michelle, her husband Michael and their children
Aaron
Sarah
Joshua
daughter Brenda, her husband Chris and their children
Jacob
Emily
Daniel
daughter Sheila
I miss you dad. So do the kids.
3 comments:
Fortunately I only knew him for what he stood for back in the days in Congo.
A loving father and a steadfast service man for "Missionary Air Force".
He was also seen as a good and reliable friend by the other missionaries!
I miss him too and will rejoice to meet with him upthere...
The demons that haunt some men can be pretty ugly. But that's what they are.
Take care Shelly!
Love,
Andreas
Andreas,
Thanks, friend.
XOXOXO
Michelle,
I can hear your pain and loss, and I'm so sorry. :-( I remember your dad as someone I always admired. I thought it was so remarkable for someone to pick up his family and move to the unkown, let alone the Congo.
The Bible is full of stories of men and women who didn't 'finish well', as I'm sure you know. The Christian life is certainly not an easy one. Fortunately, for us, God loves us often in spite of us...
Your father's legacy lives on even today in his grandchildren I can see, as many of them bear names of Bible heroes. What an incredible testimony to have and at the same time, what a loss!
I can sympathize with your grief. May God be near to you all in those moments when you need Him. May he show Himself to be the ever-present Father that He always is, near to the brokenhearted, from everlasting to everlasting...
Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King!
Blessings to you All,
Laura
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