My post today is a bit uncanny in light of what I posted three days ago about my visits to the cemetary. Yesterday morning at 6am, I received a call from my younger sister, Jill, in Alabama telling me of the sudden and unexpected death of her husband’s father. My heart goes out to her and her husband, Brian.
My heart goes out to Brian because it was eleven years ago this month I when I came in from preaching on a Sunday night to a phone call from my older sister, Barbara, telling me that our father had passed away suddenly. Because of this, I have some sense of appreciation for what Brian is now going through. I have walked that path and it is not easy.
My heart goes out to Jill because she has now lost both her own father and her father-in-law. I hurt for her; and I pray for her during this critical time in her life, when both she (and Brian) are having to assume responsibilities in life that are new to them, and which none of us are ever fully prepared to handle.
I would appreciate a little prayer as well. Needless to say, this event has ripped off the proverbial scab for me. My own father’s passing in January of 2000 is always heavy on my heart at this time of year.
Ironically, I had recently created a playlist on my ipod for songs that remind me of my father; and I had just added one particular song to that playlist titled “Seein’ My Father in Me.” That song, which reached number two on the charts back in 1990, was written and recorded by Paul Overstreet. It was released on his Sowin’ Love album in 1989 by RCA Records.
The words, posted all over the internet, are as follows:
Last night we brought the children by to visit their grandpa;
And it's plain to see they're truly part of him.
While we were there, their grandma took out some old photographs.
Man he sure looked a lot like me back then.
I'm seein' my father in me; I guess that's how it's meant to be,
And I find I'm more and more like him each day.
I notice I walk the way he walks; I notice I talk the way he talks.
I'm startin' to see my father in me.
And today I took my wife for a walk down that old dirt road
Where my daddy took my mom so many times.
And we found the time to mention things we never had before,
And we shared some thoughts about the family life.
Yeah, I'm seein' my father in me; I guess that's how it's meant to be.
And I find I'm more and more like him each day.
I notice I walk the way he walks; I notice I talk the way he talks.
I'm startin' to see my father in me.
And now looking bac,k I can recall the times we disagreed,
When I could not take hold of his old fashioned ways.
And the more I tried to prove him wrong, the more I proved him right.
Now I know why he still stood by me when I went through that stage.
I'm seein' my father in me; I guess that's how it's meant to be.
And I find I'm more and more like him each day.
I notice I walk the way he walks; I notice I talk the way he talks.
I'm startin' to see my father in me.
And I'm happy to see my father in me...
As I approach my fiftieth birthday, I realize more than ever the truth of this simple song. I also realize more and more what a blessing my own father was to me. And I pray I will be just such a blessing to my own children, and perhaps to my grandchildren as well one day.
In the meantime, please pray for my sister, and especially for my brother-in-law. The emotions swirling inside of me have at least been tempered by the passing of time. This is not yet the case for him. There, the storm of grief is raging this day. Your prayers, I know, will be appreciated.
My heart goes out to Brian because it was eleven years ago this month I when I came in from preaching on a Sunday night to a phone call from my older sister, Barbara, telling me that our father had passed away suddenly. Because of this, I have some sense of appreciation for what Brian is now going through. I have walked that path and it is not easy.
My heart goes out to Jill because she has now lost both her own father and her father-in-law. I hurt for her; and I pray for her during this critical time in her life, when both she (and Brian) are having to assume responsibilities in life that are new to them, and which none of us are ever fully prepared to handle.
I would appreciate a little prayer as well. Needless to say, this event has ripped off the proverbial scab for me. My own father’s passing in January of 2000 is always heavy on my heart at this time of year.
Ironically, I had recently created a playlist on my ipod for songs that remind me of my father; and I had just added one particular song to that playlist titled “Seein’ My Father in Me.” That song, which reached number two on the charts back in 1990, was written and recorded by Paul Overstreet. It was released on his Sowin’ Love album in 1989 by RCA Records.
The words, posted all over the internet, are as follows:
Last night we brought the children by to visit their grandpa;
And it's plain to see they're truly part of him.
While we were there, their grandma took out some old photographs.
Man he sure looked a lot like me back then.
I'm seein' my father in me; I guess that's how it's meant to be,
And I find I'm more and more like him each day.
I notice I walk the way he walks; I notice I talk the way he talks.
I'm startin' to see my father in me.
And today I took my wife for a walk down that old dirt road
Where my daddy took my mom so many times.
And we found the time to mention things we never had before,
And we shared some thoughts about the family life.
Yeah, I'm seein' my father in me; I guess that's how it's meant to be.
And I find I'm more and more like him each day.
I notice I walk the way he walks; I notice I talk the way he talks.
I'm startin' to see my father in me.
And now looking bac,k I can recall the times we disagreed,
When I could not take hold of his old fashioned ways.
And the more I tried to prove him wrong, the more I proved him right.
Now I know why he still stood by me when I went through that stage.
I'm seein' my father in me; I guess that's how it's meant to be.
And I find I'm more and more like him each day.
I notice I walk the way he walks; I notice I talk the way he talks.
I'm startin' to see my father in me.
And I'm happy to see my father in me...
As I approach my fiftieth birthday, I realize more than ever the truth of this simple song. I also realize more and more what a blessing my own father was to me. And I pray I will be just such a blessing to my own children, and perhaps to my grandchildren as well one day.
In the meantime, please pray for my sister, and especially for my brother-in-law. The emotions swirling inside of me have at least been tempered by the passing of time. This is not yet the case for him. There, the storm of grief is raging this day. Your prayers, I know, will be appreciated.