Shortgrass
Well-known member
Good Sunday Mornin', Dad. It is Father's day, isn't it? I tried to rush it, and make it come a couple of weeks early, but, alas, to no avail! Now, that it is the real Father's Day, I felt it appropriate to tell one more story about my dad. He had a stroke some 16+ years before he passed away. He recovered physically quite well, but his speech skills never returned. His thought process worked fine, but he was never able to tell others what he was thinking.
About a year into what would be nearly 17 years of struggling to communicate, the folk's pastor asked Mom & Dad to give a testimony of God's seeing them through their ordeal. Mom asked me what I would say, and, although, I had no ready answer Dad did. He pointed upward towards the heavens, where God resides, slowly, and with difficulty, the two words came. "He said"; after a pause as he clasped his hands together, then his voice quivered as he added, "He'd hold it" (meaning his hand). He had struggled to say that, but then he relaxed and as calm and plain as you please, he said, "and He will, too". As we thought of the ordeal that was behind us, Dad seemed to sense the struggles that lay ahead, and expressed, very eloquently, his trust in his God to see him through. Dad was right, as the Lord held his hand (and mine) all those days until He took him home. I always looked to that simple sentence (The Lord said He will hold your hand, and you can count on it) as my dad's parting advice to me. Thanks for the opportunity to share it with all you.
If ya want some good reading, read Isaiah 41: verses 10 and 13. Now, have a good Sunday mornin' and a mighty fine Father's Day.
About a year into what would be nearly 17 years of struggling to communicate, the folk's pastor asked Mom & Dad to give a testimony of God's seeing them through their ordeal. Mom asked me what I would say, and, although, I had no ready answer Dad did. He pointed upward towards the heavens, where God resides, slowly, and with difficulty, the two words came. "He said"; after a pause as he clasped his hands together, then his voice quivered as he added, "He'd hold it" (meaning his hand). He had struggled to say that, but then he relaxed and as calm and plain as you please, he said, "and He will, too". As we thought of the ordeal that was behind us, Dad seemed to sense the struggles that lay ahead, and expressed, very eloquently, his trust in his God to see him through. Dad was right, as the Lord held his hand (and mine) all those days until He took him home. I always looked to that simple sentence (The Lord said He will hold your hand, and you can count on it) as my dad's parting advice to me. Thanks for the opportunity to share it with all you.
If ya want some good reading, read Isaiah 41: verses 10 and 13. Now, have a good Sunday mornin' and a mighty fine Father's Day.
