June 20, 2009

My Dad

So many things come to my mind when I think of my Dad that I really have no idea where to begin.  I have fond memories of him playing guitar all the time, randomly, in the house.  I remember that he played a few of Grandpa's songs when we went to New Jersey for a Folk Festival in Spring of 2001 where he died before being able to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.  My Dad didn't play guitar as well as my Grandpa, but I always enjoyed his playing.  As a little girl I would dance to it.  When I moved out, that was the sound of home that I missed the most.

My Dad was very quiet in the house; he rarely said many words unless he was on the phone.  He loved to get out and be with his friends and at church.  He loved to joke and laugh.  He was really good at horseshoes and dug a pit in our front yard.  My Dad loved to work with wood and generally he was very handy.  I think his official job title was general mechanical expert or carpenter, something like that.  He could do plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, automotive, remodeling, tiling, etc.  You could call him a Jack-of-all-trades and all of his various trades he performed well.

My Dad was thirty when I was born.  As a kid, I remember that he would cart me around with him after school wherever he needed to go and I didn't mind, because I was with him.  I remember that he would let me hand him tools, nails and screws as he worked with his hands.  When I got bigger, he let me use the hammer and paint the new drywall in the basement.  He built several pieces of furniture for me and always gave me big gifts for my birthday and Christmas.

The Lord caused my Dad to repent at an older age.  Growing up I knew that my Dad wasn't a Christian but when we moved to Manassas he met the preacher at the church Mom and I were currently members of; God used him to draw my Dad to Christ.  There were changes in his behavior and speech.  He completely stopped drinking beer, although he was never an alcoholic, and he started serving  . . . a lot!  He served in our house by cooking dinner, cleaning, doing laundry, walking the dog - things that he didn't normally do before becoming a believer.  He served in the church by ministering to the senior citizens and doing all kinds of various building projects on the grounds.  There is not a room in the church or our house where Dad didn't do something!  It was a joy to see the fruit of the Spirit evidenced in his life as a Christian.  It brings comfort.

I love my Dad and I miss him a lot.  He died two years ago this past May just a few months shy of his 57th birthday.  He was a patient man, the true definition of bearing all things.  Honestly, one of my biggest regrets is how unappreciative I was of him while he was alive and I always wonder if we would have a better relationship now if he were still here.  It was about 6 months before he died that God convicted me and caused me to realize (through the Bible as applied through the book For Women Only) the level of disrespect I was showing him, i.e. that I was a contentious young woman.  God is sovereign and I am glad that he caused me to see how destructive my words and attitudes were/are.  I wish I could go back because he was a better man than I gave him credit for, still a sinner, but better than I believed back then.



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