June 17, 2012 ~ My Dad's Legacy

Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

Thoughts~

As I reflect on Father’s Day about my Dad, it is no different than any other day because he is forever in my heart and mind. He is my hero and words of my own would fill a book, not a small blog. The depth of unconditional love I had for him, and he for me, is something I treasure without words conveying the exact emotions.

My Dad went to be with the Lord in 1983 when he was only 57. I am grateful he came to know Jesus and in part, I was blessed to be part of his “salvation chain”. There were several of us who were sharing our faith with him and when he made the decision to give his heart to the Lord I was ecstatic. I am anticipating a joyful reunion one day, but, until then, I am thankful for the legacy he left me.

My Dad had sweet compassion for me but that is not the legacy he left to me. What he left was the ability to love and trust the Lord with all of my heart. There are many Christian speakers and authors who believe that when a young girl has a solid relationship with her father, she is more likely to be able to trust God deeply and to love Him without reservation. I believe this to be true; the legacy my Dad left was providing the pathway to my deeper walk with the Lord. Even though I partly led my Dad to the Lord, his love for me led me to be able to love the Lord without any reservation. Tears are filling my eyes as I think about this amazing gift he left me . . . I am blessed.

These two poems are especially special to me so I wanted to share them with my readers.

What is a Dad?

A dad is someone who
wants to catch you before you fall
but instead picks you up,
brushes you off,
and lets you try again.

A dad is someone who
wants to keep you from making mistakes
but instead lets you find your own way,
even though his heart breaks in silence
when you get hurt.

A dad is someone who
holds you when you cry,
scolds you when you break the rules,
shines with pride when you succeed,
and has faith in you even when you fail...
~By Susan Ceylise

You Never

You never said I'm leaving
You never said goodbye
You were gone before I knew it,
And only God knew why
A million times I needed you,
A million times I cried
If Love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died
In Life I loved you dearly
In death I love you still
In my heart you hold a place,
That no one could ever fill
It broke my heart to lose you,
But you didn't go alone
For part of me went with you,
The day God took you home.

~Author Unknown

Action~

If your Dad is alive, pray for him.  If he has left you a sweet legacy, tell him. If he doesn’t know the Lord, don’t stop praying. If he has not been the best Dad, forgive him. Pray, pray, and pray some more for the man that you call Dad.

Pray~

Father, I thank you with every bit of my being for the love you have for me. You are the Father above all other fathers and your compassion for me never fails.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

My Dad