One month ago my Dad went home to be with his Lord and Savior.  Our God blessed him with 103 years on this earth. He was the last of his 11 siblings to go home to heaven.

He was the best Dad a girl could have. He was a farmer all his life and a mighty good one at that and I feel blessed to have had him and Mom raise me on the farm. It was the best way of life to grow up.  You learn hard work and good values that you carry with you the rest of your life.

He loved the Lord with all his heart and taught us kids to love and fear the Lord .  He made sure we were in church every Sunday unless we were sick. He was a deacon in the church for many years and was faithful and took seriously and fulfilled that role making sure it was pleasing to God in all that was required. He and Mom taught me common sense, how to think for myself, and how to be a useful citizen of society. He taught me how to read my Bible and pray.

As a little girl, quite often he would take me to town with him, which I always looked forward to. On the outskirts of town there was this little place that was open only during the spring and summer months that you could get hamburgers, fries, milkshakes, and of course, ice-cream. They had the best soft ice-cream I’ve ever eaten. It was made with fresh ingredients everyday. They didn’t use the artificial mixes that most make their soft ice-cream with today.  They filled the cones right up and the ice-cream would end up being almost three inches high. My Dad loved those cones. He had to get one every time he went to town.  So of course he would buy me one too. Those are some of the best times I had with my Dad.

Not only was he a strong man with good ethics, he was also a kind and gentle man who would give his shirt off his back to help some in need. When he gave his word he would always do his  best to keep it. He and Mom would give surplus vegetables, meat and eggs away all the time and sometimes even gasoline, we had 3 big 500 gallon fuel tanks on the farm. That’s the kind of people my parents were.

He and Chester, the love of my life, got along very well. In fact they became quite close. My husband’s parents were still in England when Chester and I had started dating, and both my parents kind of adopted him and treated him as if he was one of their sons. They had many a great conversation on many topics, mainly religion and politics.  It was awesome to see them get along so well. Now they’re chatting together again I’m sure. Shortly after my love went home, almost a year ago now, I was with my Dad at Christmas time. He was such a great comfort to me.  I sat there with him and held his hand. He could see I was grieving. He looked into my eyes and said,”What’s wrong?”  I tearfully tried to tell him the best I could that his son-in-law had gone home to be with the Lord. My Dad immediately squeezed my hand even tighter.  He was still my Dad and I was still his little girl and he let me know.  I am so thankful for that. Grieving the two most important men in my life within a little less than a year is very difficult to say the least. I’m also thankful that I got to spend some of his last hours on this earth with him.

My Dad was a good steward with everything that God had given him. He took excellent care of his livestock and his land. He recognized that all he had came from God and not himself. He was a hard worker and would spend sun up to sun down working on the farm. He loved getting that dirt under his fingernails.

He retired shortly after the Lord called Mom home. He moved to the city for a short time and found it was not compatible with him, so he bought a small acreage where he grew a huge garden and raised a few chickens. My kids were very young at the time and he would always had ice-cream Revels, or cookies, or some kind of treat on hand when any of his grandchildren would go and visit.  They all enjoyed when Grandpa would hand out his goodies.

About 12 years ago he started getting dementia and eventually had to move into a nursing home. It was hard to see his memory deteriorate but his love for the Lord never waned. His faith I think became stronger as a result and I praise God for that.

His death for me is kind of bitter sweet. Bitter in the sense that he’s left us and we miss him, but sweet in the sense that he’s finally in heaven with my Mom, the love of his life, whom he was always very close with. He’s finally with his parents and siblings who he loved and missed. He’s with my wonderful, awesome husband who I’m sure was very glad to see him. Finally he’s with his Lord and Savior who he served and trusted most of his life – now that is the best!

I am who I am in Christ as a result of what my Dad and my Mom taught me all my life.  I was always in their prayers and also in the prayers of my Grandparents. I do look forward to the day when I will see my Dad and my Mom again. It will be kind of like old times but much, much better.

I thank God for giving me such a great Dad, and Mom for that matter. I’m thankful I got to spend some of your last hours with you on this earth.  To see you in such peace just before you went home was so beautiful.  Dad, I love you, miss you, and I hope you’re having an awesome time with those you love and have missed all these years, who you are now reunited with.  I know the best thing you’ve experienced since you’ve gone home is seeing Jesus. I’m sure he’s told you, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

See you later, Dad!