I was running late, so I called the nursing home to let my step mom know I was on my to my dad's birthday party. The nurse who answered the phone asked me if I had spoke to my step mom, and if hadn't I needed to call her as soon as possible. I hung up thinking that's odd then I dialed the phone and it went straight to voice mail. Which in itself was not unusual, because she usually didn't have her phone on. I called the nursing home back got the same nurse. She got quite, asked me if I was driving and if I was I needed to pull over. With a sense of dread I did just that. Then she told me that my dad had passed away before midnight and was sorry that she was one the who gave me the news. I told her thank you and then hung up. For a moment in time I just sat there in my van in the rain. I was stunned at the news for I had just seen him two days before and I had no idea he was on deaths door. I had just reconnected with him the week before after a long period of not seeing him. I sat there and cried, for the loss of life and the loss of not knowing who my dad was.
My sister Mary flew in from California the next day, and as I was waiting at the airport for her plane to come in. I started pondering life and all the relationships in my life. You see I didn't know my sister either this would be the second time we would be meeting. The first time we made promises to stay in touch and call each other. We were good at it for a while and when she moved to California we lost track of each other. We are much closer now and we try to take the time for each other.
My dad's family is Mormon and the bishop asked Mary and I to speak at his funeral. We of course agreed, that's what family members do right? We went out for coffee to go over what we were going to say. As we looked at our blank pieces of paper in front of us, we realized we did not know our dad enough to speak on his behalf. This really hit home for me, I wanted to honor my step mom but at the same time I did not know what to say. I mean he was not a part of my life, he was not even a small childhood memory. I have no bitterness towards him and I love him because he is my father. I believe only because the love that Christ has for me was I able to do this. Mary and I decided to ask Rose, his wife some question about him. The look in her eyes when she talked about our dad made me realize she truly loved him and he made her extremely happy. This knowledge helped me have peace with his passing.
On the day of his funeral it was my turn to speak, I got up and spoke about things Rose had told me, and then God stepped in and spoke his love and truth through me. I had added some verses to my talk and while I was speaking I looked down at his wife of 30 years and there was tears of joy on her face. Yet again there was that feeling of peace that only God can give come over me. At the reception several people came up to me and thanked me for the words that I had spoken, and even told me that they were very comforting. I smile said my thanks and gave it back to God.
Through this whole season God really spoke to me and continues to speak to my on the relationships I have in my life. Whether it be a family member, a friend, a stranger on the street. I need to give them all of me, not just what I want them to see. To be that loyal committed and trustworthy friend. To be the friend that will love you in kindness and yet at the same time speak truth even if it hurts. To get to know a person and who that person really is. I don't want it to be to late to share God's love for them. I don't want it to be to late to let them know me and who I am, what my beliefs systems are, and let them have the feeling that I truly want to get to know them. To make every interaction with someone count, and not waste time on the little things like having to be right. To show them the grace that God has shown me. For we are only here for a brief moment in time and the time is now to be in the present. My prayer for you and myself is that you take a moment to reflect on who God has put into your life. God does everything with a purpose, take a moment and ask Him what purpose he has for you and the people He has placed in your life. You will probably be surprised by His answer because at the same time it is a call to action, are you ready to answer that call? ~Missie
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
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