Father's Day 2010

As this Father's Day approaches, I have found myself reminiscing about my daddy. I miss him. He had a HUGE personality! While this post is not really a tribute to Daddy, it is more of a reminder of God's love, and how we are to demonstrate it. I originally posted the post below in November 2008, but truth still stands: Love is a Verb!
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Three weeks ago, my father died. Even though Daddy had been sick for some time, he really did not start to appear to be ill until he started losing weight within the past year. The weight loss was a result of one of the side complications of his illness. Up until the very night that he lost consciousness, Daddy drove himself around, walked on his own strength, had his right mind, and was not shy about giving you a piece of it in an articulate manner. He was becoming a little forgetful though…

On October 19, 2008, Sunday morning, his wife could not wake him. Daddy was determined to be in a diabetic coma by the paramedics, and confirmed by the hospital doctors. The doctors were aggressive and did everything humanly possible to help him. He stayed in ICU for 12 days, and then was moved to hospice for his remaining days with us. We prayed without ceasing, looking and believing that God could send a miracle if He so desired. That was not to be God’s will. Daddy never recovered from the coma, and died peacefully while my youngest son and I were at his side on November 2, 2008.

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15

When I got home, I called a dear friend of mine at the church, and briefly told her what happened. She evidently called some other church members, and they began to pray for me and my family. I asked my husband to call two of my girlfriends to tell them the news also. They in turn spread the word, and I actually felt love all around me. I slept peacefully that night.

“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.” Ps. 34:7 (NAS)

My dear husband called my job the next day and spoke to my employers. He was told to relay to me to take my time coming back, and not to worry about anything. Soon, my phone started ringing off the hook with condolences, people checking up on me, and sincere offers of help.

Beautiful flowers and plants suddenly started arriving at my house. My living room became so flooded with cards, that I do not have a place to put even one more card! Friends started coming over with food. That’s when I first started to experience the self sacrificing love of others, and the love of God in action for myself. The Love Outreach ministry members at my church continuously called with a word of encouragement and prayer, but they also brought over food for my family and the out-of-town guests.

At the funeral home viewing, my family, extended family, friends, and even former co-workers that I have not seen in eons came out to support me during my time of bereavement. All of the hugs, love, support and encouragement that I received that night from everyone, including my family, extended relatives and friends, my Pastor and loving church family, my dear small group members, past and present co-workers all showed me very clearly one thing: That God’s love is a verb…LOVE IS AN ACTION WORD. God used everyone there to fortify us…build us up….and His love gave me the strength to carry on through the next day….the day of the funeral.

“He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

At the funeral, many people came out to support me and my family during our time of loss…and their love held us up and made us strong.

My Daddy was eulogized by his Pastor, who was also a personal friend of his for 35 years. By the time the Pastor was done with the eulogy, you would have thought that in addition to all of his real life accomplishments and accolades that Daddy could walk on water too! :-)

Which brings me to today…three weeks and one day after my Daddy was called home by God. My support system is still just as strong as ever. My friends and extended family still call and check on me, they email me, cards are still arriving, and those wonderful hugs are still given to me freely. I’ve been told that several small groups at my church are specifically praying for me and my family!

And through all of this, I wonder I how do I pay anyone back? Thank you is not enough. I‘ve been there for some in their time of need, but I could not know how much it meant to them…and for others I have to admit, I was not there for. Now I truly see the importance of extending oneself, truly sacrificing myself for the needs of someone else…Out of gratitude, I am indebted to be diligent to pay it forward for the rest of my life...

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

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