As we sat in the silent room the night of dads passing with only the noise of sniffling noses and Emma’s occasional call for someone to come play with her, there was a flood of memories that seemed to be endless. And with tears still streaming down our faces we began to share some of our fondest memories of dad, the one story that I was not proud of, but showed the great character dad had, was the story of dads most recent truck, the one in which he had dreamed about for quite some time. After the purchase of this truck just a few months later I received my license, and with my jeep not yet road worthy, that meant I was going to be driving the truck. A young boy with a lead foot was probably not the ideal person behind the wheel of dads new purchase, and just a few months after I began driving it the tires were warn bare, and as dad got new tires put on all he said with a little chuckle was, “looks like someone has been getting on the gas a little too hard…” and then a few weeks after the tire change I was leaving one of my friends houses late one evening, and backed the truck into their mailbox, as my heart sank all I could think about was what dad was going to say? The worst nightmare for any kid is the anticipation of what is to come, so as I slowly drove home taking some back roads killing some time, in hopes that dad might be in bed by the time I got home. But wouldn’t you know it, as I return home and quietly open the front door dad walks out into the kitchen and says, “hey bud, your home late.” Great here was the moment of truth I thought, “Dad I have to tell you something…. With the pause and the look on my face he knew something was coming, waiting for me to go on he stood there with a half grin, thinking to himself, oh boy, what did Joel get himself into this time. And then it came, I shyly said, “I backed your truck up into a mailbox tonight, there is a dent and a pretty nice sized scratch.” He paused for a second that seemed like an eternity and said, “Well did you learn your lesson.” I was taken back, I just put a dent and a big scratch on this truck he loved so much, and he was worried if I had learned my lesson.
That story pretty much sums up how good I have it, the best parents a kid could ask for. And I believe that God could not have blessed me with a better dad. For those of you that know dad, you know the great man he was. He was a man that could overcome any obstacle, and one to do it with great humility. Some of you are asking yourselves how I turned out so different… that is still unanswered (pause for a roaring laugh). There are so many things that I have learned from him, so many things I could never forget. Not only did he teach me how to use my hands, he taught me what it was to have a true relationship with the Lord. When they say your earthly father is supposed to be a representation of your heavenly father, this description could have not been more fitting for dad. Dad was a man that led by example, his relationship with the lord was so evident just through his actions, Dad was a man of few words, but when he spoke he had a way of quieting a room. The life he lived so deliberately was one of complete servant hood. When something needed to be done, he was the first one there and never expected anything in return.
As I spent these last few months with dad, there was so much that I was able to learn about life. When we first learned of the diagnosis, there were so many questions that I was hit with. One day as dad and I were driving I looked over and asked, “Dad if you could do anything over again, what would it be?” With a few seconds passing dad answered, “You know, I lived a full life, and I wouldn’t change anything.” Part of me just thought maybe he was saying this, until he followed up with saying, “God has blessed me, I was fortunate enough to do everything I wanted to, and now I have seen all my kids grow up to be the individuals I knew they could be.” With a tear making its way down my cheek I gently said, “So what are we going to do about this whole situation?” dad responded reassuringly, “I’ll fight it with all I have and leave the rest in the Lords hands.” Over the next few months dad’s strength slowly slipped away from him, even in his weakest moments, dad was still the strongest man I ever knew. I love You Dad
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