Two Great Fathers in My Life

This is a re-post from last year because it says it all about the fathers in my life.  


The first part of this blog today is about my own father, Ryland, and is taken from the eulogy I gave at his funeral in 2004.  He died at the age of 85.

"[My Dad] was a serious man but we had lots of fun times and Dad always enjoyed a good joke and a good laugh.

By today’s standards, Dad didn’t lead a very exciting life but it was long and it was full.  Paul said in I Thessalonians 4:11 that we should make it our ambition to lead a quiet life, mind our own business and work with our hands.  Certainly Dad did that … He was a good and honest man who always worked very hard to provide for us.  For over 20 years he worked seven days a week and yet he always found the time to spend with the family.  He would arrange his long days so that he could be available for family activities in the middle of the day, then go back to his job at night to finish up. His was a quiet kind of sacrifice that you don’t see so much in these days.

I spent a lot of time with my Dad in my formative years.  When I was little and we lived on the farm I would sit on his lap while he drove the tractor doing whatever he was doing that day.  I followed him around so much he called me his “shadow”. 

Then when I was about 10 or so I started riding with him on his rounds to the farmers and doing his “bookwork”.  I didn’t so much like housework so the deal was that if I went with Dad to help him I could get out of the house cleaning stuff.  Well, that was only the  “frosting on the cake” because I got to spend many, many hours with my Dad all to myself in all kinds of circumstances and we talked a lot – sometimes about trivial stuff and other times about the nitty gritty things of life.  It was a blessing that has lasted all my life.

Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t perfect – he was stubborn and opinionated and his way was always the right way (and most times it was) but he was a good man trying to do the right things.  Brenda and I were blessed to have him as our father and we will miss him a lot.  But he is at peace now and his worn out body is resting -- and  -- I look forward to seeing both him and Mama again in the resurrection.  Now that will be a real blessing!

Rest peacefully, Dad … I love you …"

The second part of this is about my present husband who has no biological children of his own, but for over 20 years now he has been the father my boys needed and loved.  George has stood by them through all the trials of their late teens, 20's and 30's.  We are blessed to have him as head of our family and his example of quiet giving is bearing bountiful fruit in their lives.  Without him in those formative young adult years I'm sure their lives would have turned out quite differently. He has truly been a blessing.

 Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there who quietly go about their business of being fathers and have such an impact on their families and ultimately on our world.  

Blessings,