"Pastor Dan"

Thanksgiving 2016

I have been worrying about my Dad's impending death since 9th (or 10th?) grade.
I was in Spanish One (Or Spanish Two??).
We had to go around the room and in Spanish, tell the ages of our parents.
Most everyone said late thirties or forties (in Spanish, of course-)

But not me-.
My dad was forty years old when I was born, so when I was 15 (or 16? Who can remember??), in high school Spanish, that would have put my Dad in a much older bracket of parents. He was the ancient age of 55 (or 56?).
I remember thinking,
Oh Dear. 
Oh Dear! 
My Dad is so old! 
He could die at any moment, really!
From then on, I worried about my Dad's future death.

This isn't to say, I walked around in a state of fear,-just that as I went away to college, or got married, or had my boys-it was a thought in the back of my head: My dad is so much older than most parents! What if he dies??

And now, here we are.
Thirty years of that worry. (What a waste of time!)
We have even buried my mom, who was eight years younger.
And amazingly-I still have my Dad!
He is eighty-six, and although he is much frailer,
and uses a walker now, he is doing wonderfully.

We weren't so sure how he would do without my mom-
I mean, fifty years together.
And for the last 10 years, he had been her caregiver.
What would he do?
He loves to read his Louis L'Amour books,
but, besides that,
what was he going to do?
Go down hill?
That was definitely my worry.

How would he do without her?

Well-
How about great?
How about better than great!

Imagine my excitement to see one day this fall,
as I came into his apartment,
at his care facility,
he was furiously writing in a notebook,
with his Bible open on his lap.
He did not even notice that I walked in after knocking.
(He can't hear that well, so it wasn't too surprising.)

I said, "Dad! What in the world are you up to?"
Excitedly he told me he was asked by the activities director to start giving a once-a-month "sermon" for his assisted living friends and neighbors.
He showed me the pages and pages of his notes,
and scripture references he had planned to share over the next six months.
He was animatedly telling me of the topics he would be "preaching" on, and he said, he had so much to share, he was planning out the year.
It made me so happy.

As September rolled into October,
and then into November,
again, I was over at his place for a visit.
He was again super excited, and furiously writing in his notebook,
with his Bible open on his lap.
He had pen marks all over his pants.
It looked like he had been writing all day.

He was so happy to see me, and gave me a huge grin.
His face lit up from the inside.
He got out the assisted living's monthly schedule, and pointed to Fridays,
which were highlighted.

"Now", he said, "LOOK-- I am preaching once a week!
My friends loved my sermons in September, and October, 
and they have even given me a nickname:
Pastor Dan.
Can you believe it? 
I am preaching now every Friday!
This week I am going to talk about Psalm 23. 
They need to know God loves them so much!"

I think I am not going to waste any more time worrying about my Dad.
He has lived a great life.
And for now, he is happy,
(so happy!)
and has a purpose that he is excited about.
And see his smile?

November 2016

What more can I ask for?

 "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about every thing. 

Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

~Philippians 4:6

(...who isn't going to worry anymore about her Dad, but will enjoy his LIFE!)
Want to read more about my awesome Dad? Go HERE.