MY DAD'S BEEN IN HEAVEN!!

THE MINISTER WONDERFULLY USED THIS WORD FOR MY DAD AT THE FUNERAL.  WHAT A TREAT!

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      MY DAD DIED 31 YEARS AGO TODAY, MAY 22ND, 1984, WHEN 65 YEARS OLD.

     THROUGH MUCH SINFULNESS, FROM HIS CHILDHOOD TIME FORWARD, HE OFFICIALLY CAME TO THE LORD WHEN HE WAS 59.  HE LIVED IN TACOMA MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, AND CALLED ME HERE IN OMAHA ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE SPRINGTIME AND TOLD ME.  THEN HE SENT ME A LETTER WITH HOW IT HAPPENED.  I REJOICED.

     MY DAD AND I HAD RARELY SEEN EACH OTHER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE I WAS ABOUT 23.  THEN, AFTER HE SENT ME THE LETTER AND CALLED ME ABOUT TURNING TO THE LORD, WE SAW EACH OTHER JUST ONE MORE TIME.  THE REASON I SAW HIM WAS BECAUSE ALL OF MY SISTERS WENT TO SEE HIM DURING THE THANKSGIVING TIME IN '83.  MIRACULOUSLY, I WAS ABLE TO BE THERE. SINCE FLYING FROM OKLAHOMA WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE, I DIDN'T THINK I COULD GO.  THEN  A CO-WORKER WITH ME AT MY JOB IN OKLAHOMA GAVE ME THE FINANCIAL GIFT.  SO MY SISTERS AND I ALL KNEW IT WOULD BE OUR LAST TIME WITH HIM AS A GROUP.

      MY SISTER, NIKI, HAD CALLED ME WHEN I WAS IN OKLAHOMA IN THE PREVIOUS SEPTEMBER AND TOLD ME HE WOULD DIE SOON. HE HAD JUST BEEN TOLD THIS BY THE DOCTORS WHEN HE WAS CHECKED ON.  IT WAS A SUDDEN SITUATION. NIKI SAID I SHOULD WRITE A POEM FOR HIM.  GOD QUICKLY GAVE IT TO ME THAT DAY, AND I SENT IT TO HER.  SHE FRAMED IT, AND GAVE IT TO HIM.  HE HAD IT FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS INSTEAD OF JUST A FEW WEEKS.  

       MIRACULOUSLY, I WAS FLOWN OUT TO TACOMA FOR HIS FUNERAL SERVICE; MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, FRED, THE HUSBAND OF KRISTAN, ARRANGED IT FOR THE PLANE COMPANY.  AT THE FUNERAL, THE POEM FRAME WAS HANDED TO ME, AND I READ IT DURING THE SERVICE, AND, OFFICIALLY, IT WAS GIVEN TO ME,  AND I STILL HAVE IT ON A WALL, EVEN WHEN MOVING TO DIFFERENT HOMES SEVERAL TIMES OVER THESE YEARS.  IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME OFTEN AND I'M SMILING.  CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SEE DAD WHEN I'M IN HEAVEN!

HERE'S THE POEM:

TO DAD

We’re so much alike – you and I – 
    We think and we feel much the same.
When we love, it’s a deep, soul-filling love,
    When we hurt, it’s with soul-rending pain.

We’re like mirrors – mirror images.

Two needn’t be close –
    If you’re counting the miles –
To Share this world’s Days and its Night.
    There are soul-mates
Who travel life’s path side by side
    Though mountains and plains bar their sight.

And we’re mirrors – you and I – mirror images.

Without Jesus to keep us, we’d Die – you and I –
    Eternally lost from our Lord.
Our hurts closed our hearts to the goodness of God,
    And we turned our backs to His Word.

We’re SO alike – like mirrors – mirror images.

But He reached us – He found us
    And He healed our hearts –
The greatest of healings provided.
    We opened our hearts to receive that great love,
And now He walks closely beside us.

We walk hand-in-hand,
    But with Jesus between –
As He looks in our hearts, we can say
    It’s not just the one,
        or the Two,
            But the THREE of us,
Who will love through Eternity’s Day.

Shining like mirrors – mirror images