I wrote this up this morning ... it will be published (with some editing) in the Indianapolis Star with my dad's obituary and will also be used in the program at the funeral home. Rachel called and asked that I put some thoughts on paper .. and this is how that began ...
How does one take 84 years of a precious man’s life and put into a few paragraphs? How do we convey the depth of love we felt as his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even a great-great-grandchild? And how do we convey his love for all of you?
Do we share how he told us every time we talked to him how much he loved us? Or just called us to say, “Can I pray with you today?” Or during the last few years when he was so afraid of chocking to death, hear a soft voice on the other end of the phone saying, “Please pray for me! I am afraid!”
Do we share memories from childhood of a dad who took his role as “Dad” very seriously—from teaching us how to ride a bike to driving us across the country in our faithful old station wagon to see the sights of the country. We didn’t mind that he was going to be speaking at a campmeeting – we just knew that Dad would take that trip and make it momentous as a family.
Do we share how he served in General Patton’s Third Army in World War II? Or do we share how he built his bride their first home when he was a student at Olivet Nazarene College where he was student body president in 1951? Do we share the times that he sat down beside each of us to listen … or to hear a little girl’s call from upstairs, “Daddy, I can’t sleep!” Do we share about his philosophy that since our mother took care of us all day, he would take care of us all night. And he did! Or to share in the delight in an accomplishment – whether it was the accomplishment of a child or grandchild, he celebrated with us!
Do we share about his love for his siblings .. his brothers and sisters and how he called his sister, Dorothy, almost every night or called one of us to tell us the latest joke told to him by his brother, Bob. How we would laugh together!
Do we share the basketball games he had with the boys or the rousing games of ping pong between father and sons. Or the political discussions at Grandma Nelson’s? Or do we share that it only took a call, “Dad, I need you” and it was quickly Dad to the rescue.
Do we share how he loved each one of us the same and yet differently .. and that was good! Or how he could sense when any one of us had a problem and, up until his health declined so that it was difficult for him to cope, we would get a phone call, “Is everything okay?” We found we had to tell him the truth – or he’d keep calling until we did. Do we share about his deep love for our mother and how they were a role model for marriage.
Do we share how he had to learn to live with Myasthenia Gravis and was pretty sure he knew more than the doctors and probably did. Or that he wrote a book, “Living Positively With Myasthenia Gravis”? Or that he already had a book published, "Fire and Fruit".
Do we share Dad’s love for ministry? For pastoral ministry, missions or his passion for training young people. And how that passion led him to establishing Bible Colleges where they could be trained.
How can we convey the deep love Dad had for everyone! Truly everyone .. he loved people! And because of that, didn’t know a stranger. As he shared again a couple weeks ago, “Dale Carnegie once said that the sweetest word in the English language is one’s name.” And there were very few people that Dad couldn’t call by name once he met them. Even when he couldn’t see – he could hear their voices and call out their name.
It’s difficult to know exactly what to share but I do know this, he was a “gentle giant”. He was the first to admit he had made his share of mistakes over the years but in doing so, earned a new respect from those who knew him. He loved His Lord more than he could express and you could hear him praying to his heavenly Father throughout the day. His desire was simply to be more like Christ. He wasn’t content unless He knew all was clear between his soul and His savior.
Today, we do know what to share -- that we rejoice in the fact that Dad is finally home with Jesus. And home with Mother and perhaps they are walking through heaven today where he can catch her up on all the latest news about the kids and grandkids and assure her that one day soon, we will all be together again – may the circle be unbroken!!
How does one take 84 years of a precious man’s life and put into a few paragraphs? How do we convey the depth of love we felt as his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even a great-great-grandchild? And how do we convey his love for all of you?
Do we share how he told us every time we talked to him how much he loved us? Or just called us to say, “Can I pray with you today?” Or during the last few years when he was so afraid of chocking to death, hear a soft voice on the other end of the phone saying, “Please pray for me! I am afraid!”
Do we share memories from childhood of a dad who took his role as “Dad” very seriously—from teaching us how to ride a bike to driving us across the country in our faithful old station wagon to see the sights of the country. We didn’t mind that he was going to be speaking at a campmeeting – we just knew that Dad would take that trip and make it momentous as a family.
Do we share how he served in General Patton’s Third Army in World War II? Or do we share how he built his bride their first home when he was a student at Olivet Nazarene College where he was student body president in 1951? Do we share the times that he sat down beside each of us to listen … or to hear a little girl’s call from upstairs, “Daddy, I can’t sleep!” Do we share about his philosophy that since our mother took care of us all day, he would take care of us all night. And he did! Or to share in the delight in an accomplishment – whether it was the accomplishment of a child or grandchild, he celebrated with us!
Do we share about his love for his siblings .. his brothers and sisters and how he called his sister, Dorothy, almost every night or called one of us to tell us the latest joke told to him by his brother, Bob. How we would laugh together!
Do we share the basketball games he had with the boys or the rousing games of ping pong between father and sons. Or the political discussions at Grandma Nelson’s? Or do we share that it only took a call, “Dad, I need you” and it was quickly Dad to the rescue.
Do we share how he loved each one of us the same and yet differently .. and that was good! Or how he could sense when any one of us had a problem and, up until his health declined so that it was difficult for him to cope, we would get a phone call, “Is everything okay?” We found we had to tell him the truth – or he’d keep calling until we did. Do we share about his deep love for our mother and how they were a role model for marriage.
Do we share how he had to learn to live with Myasthenia Gravis and was pretty sure he knew more than the doctors and probably did. Or that he wrote a book, “Living Positively With Myasthenia Gravis”? Or that he already had a book published, "Fire and Fruit".
Do we share Dad’s love for ministry? For pastoral ministry, missions or his passion for training young people. And how that passion led him to establishing Bible Colleges where they could be trained.
How can we convey the deep love Dad had for everyone! Truly everyone .. he loved people! And because of that, didn’t know a stranger. As he shared again a couple weeks ago, “Dale Carnegie once said that the sweetest word in the English language is one’s name.” And there were very few people that Dad couldn’t call by name once he met them. Even when he couldn’t see – he could hear their voices and call out their name.
It’s difficult to know exactly what to share but I do know this, he was a “gentle giant”. He was the first to admit he had made his share of mistakes over the years but in doing so, earned a new respect from those who knew him. He loved His Lord more than he could express and you could hear him praying to his heavenly Father throughout the day. His desire was simply to be more like Christ. He wasn’t content unless He knew all was clear between his soul and His savior.
Today, we do know what to share -- that we rejoice in the fact that Dad is finally home with Jesus. And home with Mother and perhaps they are walking through heaven today where he can catch her up on all the latest news about the kids and grandkids and assure her that one day soon, we will all be together again – may the circle be unbroken!!
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