Something fatherly

Tomorrow is Father's Day and I have the absolute best dad in the world. I am a total daddy's girl and he's totally wrapped around my little finger and he knows it and I know it, and we just like it that way! And lest you think that I am only a total clone of my mother, so much of who I am is from him, too. I am not one of those people who could say that their father wasn't a good example of how we are to think of our Heavenly Father. I've never met a man who has been a more godly example to me more than my dad. That's not every one's story, but it's mine and it's blessed. So, tomorrow I'll tell him 'Happy Father's Day' and how much I love him just like every other day. But, this year is a sad Father's Day for all of us. I've experienced another new milestone of being overseas for some amount of time. I have had a loved one to die. My papaw died Friday, and I wasn't there. His mind hadn't belonged to his body in some time and his body had been slowing down and slowly starting not to work for awhile. But, he was my papaw and as far as he was concerned, I hung the moon. I think he may have been as smitten with me as my dad is. They're totally biased (don't you know!). And, he was like no other in my book, too. But, I wasn't there to kiss his cheek like I loved to do and tell him that I loved him and that, ...that is hard. I'm at such a good place with being overseas right now. I love where God has me at this moment, but I am ready to be home. I want to be home this weekend. It's just his body in a box. It's not the papaw that I used to take long walks with, look at lots of Pearl Harbor pictures (that I wasn't always as interested in as I should have been) with, or wake up early and drink coffee milk with just for the company, when I could have slept in. He's not here anymore. Going home wouldn't bring that back. But, it's the goodbye. It's the knowing, I wasn't there and I'm not there. And that is a whole other set of emotions that I am learning how to deal with today. It's the having the greatest dad in the world and knowing that this Father's Day, he's missing his dad...and I'm not there.
But, then there is the weight lifted, the sweet peace, the comfort in knowing that always God is Sovereign and He is good. And, this Father's Day, He was kind to my old dying papaw. He hadn't been himself in sometime and my mamaw couldn't take care of him anymore and neither really could my parents. His poor body was hurting, but in that sad and somehow kind moment, he was no longer hurting and he was at that instant and until forever more in such a better place. And that, in spite of the sadness this Father's Day is the gift that we will be taking with us from our Heavenly Father who is preparing a place for us and knew it was papaw's time to be with Him there.

"Amazing Grace"
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!
Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;’
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.
--John New­ton