What Dad Left Behind

Dad didn't leave much behind when he crossed over to the Other Side. 

The clothing he owned took up about 12 inches of closet space and one or two drawers in the bedroom.

He had several pairs of shoes, sandals, and slippers, most of them very old and used. 

He left behind about a dozen coats and jackets on some hooks near the front door.  

And some blankets and medical supplies. 

A computer and desk, a single box of memorabilia. 

A bass fiddle that Dad used to try to play, hitting all the wrong notes and usually even the wrong beats, but when he was playing it, he was not here anyway--

he was in heaven somewhere!

Some tools, grocery items, and some other stuff.

About the only new personal things left behind were three sets of suspenders,

 including these red ones, Mom said, in case he'd need them some time down the road!

 

What he did leave behind were things of far more value--like a godly wife. (Grandson Andrew and Heather sent her these flowers a few days after Dad passed.) .

 Mom was the best choice Dad ever made in his life. 

She stuck by him all these years. Sixty years.

And then Dad left behind nine children--whose families were so involved in missions, music, and ministry that the memorial service had to wait a few weeks. Parts of three families were scheduled to fly to Mexico for a ten-day mission work trip days after Dad passed away.

We knew Dad would not have wanted them to cancel their trip--although they were considering it, so they all flew and the memorial service waited while they worked on a roof and conducted a VBS.

Another family was scheduled for a ten-day Christmas concert tour. 

We knew Dad would not have wanted them to cancel, so they went ahead with that.   

And since the memorial service isn't scheduled till December 29th, our family made a ten-day mission work trip to South Dakota. We know Dad would have been pleased.

He left behind 54 grand children and 8 great grands with more on the way.

And when I was back there in Missouri with my mom a couple days after Dad died, I discovered something else he'd left behind. 

His Bible. 

Actually, there was more than one. There was the big old NKJV he'd used every day for family worship, and another old Bible that must have been many years old. 

There was his Sunday Bible inside a case that he took to church every Sunday--clear up until just two or three weeks before he died.

And another giant print Bible.

I wondered what verses were on the page where Dad's very old butterfly bookmark was, gifted him by someone. 

It was Romans 10. 

Not much in Dad's Bible was underlined but on this page, several verses were marked, including this one. 

"That if you shall confess with your the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Part of the Roman Road, a verse that shows the way to salvation--confessing and believing. 

Underlined in blue pen.  

I thought about a memory Dorcas shared about Dad. Dad had told told many times in our programs, how as a young man out of the Air Force and college, he was attending a service at a Methodist revival meeting, thinking how righteous and good he was. Why, he had attended church all his life, sung in the church choir, never drunk a drop of liquor. Yet the Lord pointed His finger at him and said, "You are the worst sinner here tonight!" And that is when Dad went forward and turned his life over to the Lord.

 Their last seven years in Missouri were probably some of their best years. 

It's hard to believe they've lived there seven years--the longest they have ever lived in any one place.

And what Dad left behind isn't just in Missouri, in the very humble, dilapidated little abode he used to live in with Mom. 

It is all over the United States, and in fact, into the uttermost part of the earth, whether Mexico or Mongolia or Ukraine or Africa--

 

in terms of the beautiful feet of children and grandchildren going abroad to spread the good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people--

whether being involved in missions and VBS's, delivering Bibles, working with Pro-life activities, teaching or any other ministry.

 What Dad did leave behind will not soon rust or fade away.