Friday night, Rick and I were riding back home from a sweet date night and Butterfly Kisses was playing on the radio. I love that song, but it always made me cry as I thought about my dad. I even gave him a book by Bob Carlyle titled "Butterfly Kisses" with a personal inscription from me a few years before he died. Every time the song would come on the radio, I would avoid it. But this night, I thought it had been long enough so I didn't say anything at first. Then, not too far into the song, the tears began to flow and I asked Rick to change the station. I told him, "I still can't listen to that song. It reminds me of my dad."
Saturday night, I was flipping through to see what was on the TV and David Phelps was being featured on the Gaither Special. I love David's voice so Rick and I tuned in. I was sitting in the middle of the floor cleaning out an older purse and filling up a new one when David began to sing, "No More Night". Our former youth pastor, Jeff, has a voice as close to David's as anyone I know and he sang "No More Night" at my dad's Celebration Service. Another memory. More tears.
Sunday, after lunch, Madison, Turner, one of Madison's friends, and I went to the lake to spend the day with my best friend's family. (Rick had two meetings at church, so he couldn't go.) The kids had been tubing and I was enjoying one of my simple pleasures, boat riding. When we decided to return to the lake house from riding and tubing, I was riding on the front of the boat just taking in the beauty of the lake, when I noticed that the sunlight was hitting the water just right to make the ripples look like millions of diamonds flashing their brilliance. The sparkles were so magnificent that I thought, "That must be what the Crystal Sea looks like in heaven, only it never dims. The glory of God keeps it eternally shimmering and that's what my dad is experiencing right now! God's glory!" (It still hadn't hit me that Sunday was the day my dad went to be with Jesus.) The sight of the lake led me to memories about my days growing up around the lake with my dad and family. Memories of driving the boat, skiing, cooking breakfast and fresh fish on a Coleman grill out under the trees, picnics, teaching people of all ages to ski, swimming, my dad singing to the top of his lungs as he floated in the cove on a big, black intertube, crickets playing their symphonies as we lay in our beds at night. The memories were crashing in like the waves on the shoreline. It was wonderful and bittersweet at the same time.
Then today, it hit me as to why those memories were so timely. It was 6 years yesterday that my dad went home! Those memories were a gift from God to celebrate the life of my dad. They were reminders of the good times we had together and the love of Jesus that just rolled off of him and onto all who came in contact with him. The tears still flow, but I'm so glad to know that my dad is where I will see him again one day...with my Savior!
Until then dad...I love you and I miss you!
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." (John 14:1-4 NKJV)
My Pleasure,
Melanie
http://www.livingrealmag.com/
I think these sweet gifts from God to you were his pleasure. So glad you didn't miss them.
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