During a long walk this past week, I came to a quiet, breezy cove and sat down to rest and take in the beauty of the mountains. While sitting there, I remembered that Father’s Day would soon be celebrated, and I started thinking about my Dad, the dependable anchor for our family.
Daddy was a multitalented “doer.” He could carefully mend the broken leg of a doll, build a “new” bicycle from parts of castaway bicycles, and make a streamlined sled from scraps of lumber. Mama never lacked for shelves or cabinets in which to store things. If she needed them, Dad built them.
Painting, hanging wallpaper, building porches, laying flooring, fixing plumbing, installing electrical wiring, and repairing and replacing shingles are a few of the many things Daddy did to make comfortable the little dwellings we called home. He developed a long-term relationship with ladders, but could also fold his large frame into a tiny crawl space if a job required him to do so.
Playing baseball and board games with Daddy always meant lots of real competition and much laughter. These good times are always recalled when I see a display of Father’s Day cards.
Daddy was a minister. Turning run-down parsonages into livable homes was secondary to his calling from God to share the gospel. His priority was caring for his ministerial duties: preaching memorable sermons* and tending his “flock.”
While Daddy did many things that were special, the most special thing I remember is that he always kept his word. A promise made was a promise kept. There was no coming back after a promise was made to say he had changed his mind; wished he hadn’t made the promise; had discovered something else might be better. He may have regretted a promise, but if he did I never knew that.
So if I could send a Father’s Day card to Daddy in his Heavenly Home, it would read: Thank you, Daddy, Special Christian Promise Keeper. I know your reward is great.
*Last week my sister was doing an internet search and came across an advertisement in the Binghamton (New York) Press for a revival (see link below). My handsome Daddy’s picture is in the revival advertisement on the lower right-hand corner of the page. This was 1947. I was in elementary school at the time.
http://ow.ly/bs2x4
Your father was a special figure in my life as well. I loved how he told stories and made the listener feel they were right in the moment! He listened to people, even the smallest child got his full attention and that made people feel special. He called 'um like he saw 'um, telling Merrill he was afraid of his mother because Merrill wouldn't let him dig fence holes in the sun. He loved God and he loved people and it showed.
ReplyDeleteHe left a wonderful legacy in his children that I am still enjoying!!!
Captain Nancy, I'm so glad he came to live with us and that you were able to have quality time with him. He loved people, and most especially his family.
DeleteAnd when there was no parsonage, or church building, he built that from the ground up. But you are right about the most special things.
ReplyDeleteVanilla, yes, he did build parsonages and church buildings as well. I see some of them from time to time.
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