Just a quick post to offer direction. IF you are visiting here from Wendy Pope'sblog, looking for the daily devotional as we read through the Bible this year, please click my other blog, "Pondering In His Presence". What a sweet opportunity Wendyhas extended to me. It is a delight, honour and privilege to serve the Lord in this way while Wendy and her family enjoy a holiday. Hope many of you will join us.
It doesn't look like much. It's been recovered a couple of times to fit my Mom's changing decor. It's not expensive, yet it's value far exceeds it's worth. To any visitor it is ordinary. Although this armchair sits empty now, the prayers that have been lifted from it's frame continue on. This is my Daddy's chair. For countless years my Dad has risen early and found his place here before God's throne. With Bible open on His knee, pen in hand, head and heart bowed, this is holy ground.
As a child I would often peek through the door and watch in silence. I knew I was eyewitness to the sacred. God spoke and my Dad listened and obeyed. Direction was sought and received. God's Word came alive and active in my Dad's life.
Over many years Dad's prayers for me brought life, encouraged character development, enabled me to handle peer pressure, petitioned God for my safety, earnestly sought a godly husband, offered forgiveness, endured hours on his knees during both piano and school exams, cried out to God through every disappointment, longing to take each of my heartaches on himself and taught me to always trust His heart.
His chair was a place of refuge from the storms of life. A place of communion with His Father. Although his chair sits empty, as Dad still remains in a hospital, and short of a miracle he'll never daily sit in this chair again, it is a symbol of my heritage. A heritage of a praying Father. Endless conversations were offered in silence and always heard by a loving God. A tattered Bible gives evidence of God's responses.
The chair is aging, and so is my Dad, yet both still hold firm to their foundation. Memories are held in my heart and echo treasured stories of events long passed. I have never for one moment doubted Dad's love for me. His life has made believing in a loving, Heavenly Father so natural and easy.
I don't ever remember my Dad raising His voice, except in praise and excitement. He is a refined, educated gentleman, but also a great tease, who loves to impersonate others, much to my mother's chagrin. Until this last illness, he embraced life to the full and lived each day with vigor.
Just yesterday while visiting Dad in the hospital I discovered a new note in his handwriting. He wrote, "I love all 4 of my girls. One really without measure, the mother of our lovely children. May her dreams all come true. May all that takes place be the perfect will of God and the foundation of my family and HIS WILL. PRAY. PRAY. PRAY. Thank You God! I love all my girls. It is the mother I love and she has never changed!!"
Here at 83, with mind now wandering and health failing, he still expresses such love for his family and for his God. His chair is empty, but his heart is full. Lord, please bless my Daddy today. Thank You for letting me grow up in the security of a father's love and under the umbrella of a father's prayers.
Happy Father's Day Dad. Love ya for always and forever, "Bells"
My Dad and my Husband. The two men I celebrate with today.
It is with a heart overflowing with emotion I sit here today. There are times when no words are adequate to describe the joy one heart can hold. Some things are simply better 'felt' than 'telt', as my mom would say.
This morning something happened, that I quite honestly wondered would ever happen again. I sat in church beside my Daddy. Just writing that causes a stream of tears to flow. Although he wasn't beside me for long, as his bones were aching and he struggles to sit still, for that brief time, we were worshipping side by side. I was his little girl again. I'm sure my smile and excitement was announcing the joy within my heart. I felt like Shirley Temple in "The Little Princess" when she found her Daddy after he had been lost at sea, and within the shadow of his presence she announced to Queen Victoria, this is my Daddy.
(You must watch this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyCzOTRbPug . Scroll over to 1:29:15 and watch the last 4 minutes, it so picturesquely displays my heart.)
Although Daddy still has so many challenges ahead and the bad days often overpower the good, today Daddy sat in church with me. He was out of the hospital on a Day Pass.
I'm sorry I haven't been posting often. I know so many of you are still praying for my Dad and I appreciate it so much. The struggles continue to be many and the heartache great. I find myself too exhausted emotionally to continue writing updates. To put into words the sadness that surrounds my heart just pulls me down, so I have abandoned writing here over the past month. (I do still post daily on my "Pondering In His Presence" blog, and I trust some of you will chose to visit me there.)
Today, after our family shared a special lunch with Dad, I gave him a gift. Originally I purchased this as a Father's Day gift, but my excitement could not contain my desire to give this to Dad today. Dad will undergo a procedure again this Tuesday at 2:00pm. He again will be subject to anesthetic and medication. He again will have a scope to check for further cancerous cells. Not knowing next weeks outcome, I wanted to give my gift to Dad today...on a good day...on a happy day...it was afterall still a "Father's Day".
When I was a little girl my Dad would let me climb on top of his feet, and holding his hands he would dance me around our living room as the music played. I first heard this song by "Point of Grace" this past Christmas Day. I dissolved into tears. They were singing about my Daddy and me. I couldn't wait for the CD and book release. I was able to present Dad with that book today.
Please enjoy both the links below. The first is a link to a video of the song, "King of the World"; the second is the story, "Dance Me, Daddy" being read by the author from "Point of Grace", Cindy Morgan. Just a warning...go get a Kleenex before viewing either. You'll need a few.
Friends, thanks for your continued care and love. Our family is only finding strength right now through the prayers of many. Several of you have e-mailed me asking how you can pray for us right now. Certainly we would appreciate your prayers for this Tuesday. We are also longing to have Dad settled permanently. We are on quite an extensive waiting list for a long-term care facility. Our desire is to have Daddy moved close to home. Even more than these requests, our heart's cry is to see Daddy happy again. He struggles with depression and because of his lack of discernment and understanding, presently some days are extremely difficult. Please pray the Lord will guard his spirit from the attacks of the evil one.
Today the Lord gave me a treasured gift. I sat in church with my Daddy.
"King of the World" song lyrics by Cindy Morgan
Spinning around on the tops of his feet Smiles of the angels could not be so sweet Wide blue eyes and piggy tail swirls She's her daddy's girl
'Cause he knows the jokes that always make her laugh Takes her for ice cream instead of her nap At the end of the day by the light of the moon They turn up the music in their living room
And she yells, "Dance me. Dance me around till my feet don't ever touch down There's nothing better than being your girl And if I am your princess then, Daddy, you are the king of the world."
It's funny how life moves in circles of time To think not so long ago that face was mine Houses get smaller, we take different names But some things in life stay the same
Some day she'll go off and find a life of her own And marry a good man and make a happy home Until she comes back and sees with those same eyes what time can not disguse
She walks through the door with that look on her face 'Cause Daddy's brown hair has all turned to gray They talk for hours They cry and they laugh
Watching old movies and thinking back Just as she turns to go, she says "Hey, Dad, how about one for the road?
"Dance me, dance me around till my feet don't ever touch down Dance me, dance me around till my feet don't ever touch down 'Cause there's nothing better than being your girl Oh no there's nothing better than being your girl And if I am your princess then Daddy, you are the king of the world King of the world."
Spinning around on the tops of his feet Smiles of the angels could not be so sweet
I am a wife and mother - still learning in both of those vocations - who thrives on writing, in-depth Bible study and prayer. I would much rather be reading a good book and writing letters, than cooking or playing sports. I love my family and God is the center of our home. To most people I am nothing more than a stranger, BUT, God sees me as His, and I rejoice daily in knowing I am loved and that I am a child of the King.
I haven't reported over here in a very long time. I just want to quickly let you know that my daily time with the Lord has been growing. I have now added in an extra hour of prayer a day. What a delight it is to sit in His presence, share my heart and listen to His. Many of you are lifted to Him during that time, so be sure to share your prayer requests with me.
