Today my Dad would have been 96. He lived through the Great Depression and World War II. God allowed him to live to 90. Had he kept a diary, it would have recorded an incredible amount of changes during his lifetime.
Dad had a love for family, a frugal nature and an abiding faith. “A life lived for love of God and c
ountry” was engraved on his tombstone.
When I went through his belongings after he died, it was like a journey back through my own life. He kept every picture, every letter, every gift I had ever given him – sometimes making notations of how he felt when he received them. My dad took special care to express his love to me – especially in his later years.
Like many of his generation, Dad watched every penny. He didn’t replace things. He fixed them. If he needed something, he often built it out of materials he already had. When my husband discovered Dad had repaired the seat in his recliner with a piece of plywood, he bought Dad a new one. Dad would probably have never purchased a new one even if he had the money.
His mother instilled in him a love for God that dominated everything he did. As far back as I can remember, Dad was looking for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. He felt confident it would happen in his lifetime. His favorite biblical subject was prophecy and he poured over every reference in the Old and New Testament to it. He was in his eighties when he wrote a book, The Unveiling: How the Symbols of Prophecy Reveal What Happens in the Last Days.
I miss my Dad. His legacy lives on. I will see him again.
I will always remember that his favorite verse was Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
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