My Dad Always Said…

On this day after Father’s Day, I’m thinking much about my precious dad. If you’ve been following me for very long, you know that my 90 year-old father went to heaven on March 11 of this year. I’m so happy for him to be with Christ his Savior. He was ready to die, and spoke many times about being ready to go to heaven. I miss him so much, but I wouldn’t bring him back here. I simply long for the day when we will be together again in heaven.

In these three months since he’s been gone, I have found myself saying, You know what Dad always said…” That’s kind of strange because my dad was a very quiet man, but though he didn’t talk often, when he did say something, it was worth hearing. As for all of us, his words showed his heart which was one of love, godliness, and care. Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. Here’s a short video I took of him last year speaking from his heart…

He did have some things he said often. Here are some I’ve recalled and want to remember. My dad always said…

• prayers for his family.
• “Thank you for your presence in our lives.” He was keenly aware of God’s sovereign care.
• “Good morning, Bear, did you have a good night?” He rarely ever called me Denise, but chose my nickname (Bear)for me when I was a little girl.
• “Would you like some popcorn?” He didn’t really care for it, but he would pop it for me and my mom in the electric popper they had. His technique of popping, buttering and salting was as precise as an artist applying paint on a canvas.
• “I’m getting to where I like the stuff.” This was said while eating ice cream, scooped into a little bowl at all times throughout a day. It might be afternoon, after dinner for dessert, or later in the evening. He LOVED ice cream any way it came.
• “I sure love you girls.”
• “I’m so proud the lives you live.” He only wanted us to live for Christ, and this brought him the greatest joy.
• “How are Paul and Whitney? Allison and Andrew and the boys?” He frequently asked me about our family and wanted to stay up with everyone’s life.
• “How’s your book coming?” He was always encouraging me about the book I’m trying to get written.
• “That’ll bring you back!” This was encouragement spoken on the golf course when someone else hit a good drive.
• My dad LOVED Gospel quartet music but if you watched him in a concert, you would only see him sitting quietly listening, but his heart overflowing. He might only say, “That was good,” while tears pooled in his eyes.
• “If I don’t see you again here, I’ll see you on the other side.”
• A prayer of thanks for his meal, whether alone or with our family, as you heard in the video posted here. I’m so thankful that I recorded him saying the blessing not long before he got sick. I missed the first part, but you can still hear the preciousness of the seconds I did get. My dad loved the Lord and lived for Him in his daily life.

We all eat every single day. Do you regularly stop to thank the Lord for your meal? We are so blessed from the hand of our Heavenly Father, and He deserves our gratitude. The words you speak at mealtime could be a great influence in the lives of your family. What will others remember about your prayers? About your words? Are they grace-filled? Are you kind and loving? Others are listening. Others will remember. Ask me how I know.

Refresh others with words that show your love for God and for them.