This Feast of Tabernacles of 2012 will always be a special date in my mind. In preparation I had spent the previous weekend in Aledo with mom and dad. We spent sabbath reading and studying mostly the Psalms. I always refer to Ezra's reading of the law to the Israelites to read to the family, and that again was the plan. There was crying by the Israelites when they heard the commandments that they had missed and they longed to be right with the Lord. Ezra instructed them to stop crying and celebrate.
The busyness of this world and the weather had changed our plans of putting up our tent in Aledo on the first night of Sukkot. It was weighing on my mind and I felt like the Israelites who learned of the instructions but needed the help to go out and gather and celebrate.
Wednesday morning, sukkot being half over, I lie in bed with a heart to escape the weariness of this world and my daily chores. I purposed to go to Aledo and spend the day with mom and dad, putting off laundry and dishes, etc. Mom and Dad constantly built my strength with delicious food and spiritual food! Before the kids were off to school Lilli came in with her phone to talk with mom who had called about dad's breathing. Daddy, who had a miraculous strength since his diagnosis of lung cancer was now having a harder time breathing. With a wonderful calm I drove out to Aledo praying that we could help daddy through this hard time. We had been told by too many nurses and doctors just how bad it could get for daddy but we had spent days in prayer believing that the Lord was in control and merciful. We found out Wednesday of the Feast of Tabernacles that the Lord was merciful; after a few minutes of calm concern for dad's breathing he fell asleep and then went to tabernacle with his maker. He never woke up. Our family was able to hug him and tell him goodbye in the presence of the Lord that morning. He had repeatedly told us he was ready to be with his maker and how he was finished with this earth. He came to Texas for 8 months to see us, working on the house and in the yard but he was suddenly done working and ready take the prize of eternal life. His longing for his heavenly father was evident to all.
This would be the day that we would set up the tent and worship and pray, thanking the Lord that this world was just a temporary dwelling and the reality that he has a place prepared for us. We celebrated dad's life and his salvation. He passed the test, he ran the race; he held on to his faith and the hope of forgiveness and salvation. He did not love this world to his death. He overcame and now dwells with the Lord in his tabernacle.
Oh how we miss him, but the Lord said to me that there would be joy in the morning. It took many mornings but I knew that the Lord's word to me was true. What a blessing my daddy was to me. He gave me the best gift any father can give by lifting up my name and my family to the Lord. He blessed us many times putting his hands on our heads and when I cried as I found out he had cancer he simply said, "teach the truth to your children." He knew that was all we needed to make it through this world and stand before our Lord. For all of the great things he taught me like fixing things, using tools, taking care of my car, pulling a trailer, hunting, hospitality and cooking I am mostly grateful for his choice to love the Lord more than the things he had obtained in this world. Many years he started his day before the sun was up reading the scripture at the kitchen table and working as hard as any man is capable of working. He gave of himself as a servant to his family and then gave every earthly possession up to follow the Lord to the ends of the earth. His life is a wonderful example of a life spent seeking the Lord. A righteous mans feet are ordered by the Lord and in my father's life this was evident to all. He fed the homeless, taught young men the value of hard work and late in his life turned many hearts to the truth in God's scripture. He walked in forgiveness and gave, gave, gave being a servant to everyone in the room. Thank you Lord for a daddy that overcame the cares of this life and sought you and found you.
Dwelling in this world can be hard and often distracts us from the hope of our gift of salvation but I am reminded this Feast of Tabernacles that I long to live with my heavenly father forever. As tempting as this world is to jump in and go, go, go I will hold out for something better. It is worth the wait.
The busyness of this world and the weather had changed our plans of putting up our tent in Aledo on the first night of Sukkot. It was weighing on my mind and I felt like the Israelites who learned of the instructions but needed the help to go out and gather and celebrate.
Wednesday morning, sukkot being half over, I lie in bed with a heart to escape the weariness of this world and my daily chores. I purposed to go to Aledo and spend the day with mom and dad, putting off laundry and dishes, etc. Mom and Dad constantly built my strength with delicious food and spiritual food! Before the kids were off to school Lilli came in with her phone to talk with mom who had called about dad's breathing. Daddy, who had a miraculous strength since his diagnosis of lung cancer was now having a harder time breathing. With a wonderful calm I drove out to Aledo praying that we could help daddy through this hard time. We had been told by too many nurses and doctors just how bad it could get for daddy but we had spent days in prayer believing that the Lord was in control and merciful. We found out Wednesday of the Feast of Tabernacles that the Lord was merciful; after a few minutes of calm concern for dad's breathing he fell asleep and then went to tabernacle with his maker. He never woke up. Our family was able to hug him and tell him goodbye in the presence of the Lord that morning. He had repeatedly told us he was ready to be with his maker and how he was finished with this earth. He came to Texas for 8 months to see us, working on the house and in the yard but he was suddenly done working and ready take the prize of eternal life. His longing for his heavenly father was evident to all.
This would be the day that we would set up the tent and worship and pray, thanking the Lord that this world was just a temporary dwelling and the reality that he has a place prepared for us. We celebrated dad's life and his salvation. He passed the test, he ran the race; he held on to his faith and the hope of forgiveness and salvation. He did not love this world to his death. He overcame and now dwells with the Lord in his tabernacle.
Dwelling in this world can be hard and often distracts us from the hope of our gift of salvation but I am reminded this Feast of Tabernacles that I long to live with my heavenly father forever. As tempting as this world is to jump in and go, go, go I will hold out for something better. It is worth the wait.
