Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Gift of Memories

Saturday was my dad's birthday.  Do you like the huge candle?  Heh heh.... My dad is awesome.  He's taught me so much.  He's taught me that Christianity is not about rules, about perfection.  It's not about how many doors you knock on or how many services you attend.  He taught me that no matter what you never quit.  No matter what battles you face or obstacles get in your way, you keep going, keep serving God.  My mom and dad have been Christians since before I was born and I'm soooooo very blessed to have their exampleship in my life.


My dad in his dad's arms
For my dad's birthday I think he got the very best gift he could have been given.  A gift of memories from a family friend.  My dad lost his mom to cancer when she was only 22.  My dad was only two years old at the time.  Two years later his dad was shot and killed in the room right next to my dad and he had to see his dad carried out.  My dad was only four years old by the time he lost both of his parents.  I can't imagine what it'd be like to be only FOUR and have that trauma in your life.  No parents.  These are parents that loved him very, very much but were lost to tragedy.  

My dad's parents
Well, for his birthday some friends came over that knew his parents.  In fact, the lady that came not only knew his parents but would babysit my dad and his brother sometimes when his parents were alive.  She remembers so much about his parents and was able to give the gift of memories to my dad.  Everything she could remember about his parents she told him.  So many stories, some funny, some sad, she told him.  Three hours later and my dad and them were still talking about their memories.  My dad learned so much about his parents he still hadn't known.  What a blessing for him.  He also got to play guitar and hang out with another guitarist friend. It was a good day.  :)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

How special and what a blessing to have these people share such wonderful and precious memories with you all. :) God bless them. :)

Amber said...

What an amazing gift! Praise the Lord that she could provide him with those memories.

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday to you dad, so sorry for his loss :(. But I must say I see a lot of your grandmother in you.

Anonymous said...

Jen,
I guess you didn't realize that the friends that came over, were more like family. The oldest is 86 and she is a sister to your grandfather Dude's sister in Law, Mae(who was asked to look over Dad and his brother, by your grandmother, on her death bed. Then it's the 86 year olds dauther, is Mae's neice. So Mae's neice came with her Mom (86 yr old), her son and his wife and son. Mae is almost like another grandmother to you.
Love, Mom
ps-glad you liked the huge candle, it was a joke and a half. Thanks for presenting it Dad, after I turned off the lights and then we sang happy birthday to him. The guitarist friend, is like a cousin to Dad. So it was like a nice, about time, family get-together.