My Sis and I

My Sis and I
Summer on Alpena Street
One of my favorite sayings from the show Emily Owens, MD

"We make all these plans of how things will turn out; but life happens, plans change, so we adapt. We draw on strength we didn't know we had; we give up any illusions of control, and we deal head on with problems that come our way."




Thursday, September 5, 2013

INSPIRED BY OBEDIENCE



September 14th will be the fifth anniversary of my dad's death, who succumbed to cancer at age 76.  Even typing that sentence, brings back memories of me watching him slowly die of prostate cancer.  He received the diagnosis in October of 2005 and died three years later in 2008.  I miss my papa very much.  He was a huge inspiration to me growing up and into my adult years. You see, I grew up in a pastor's home. Yes...I'm a PK.

My dad was an amazing man who encouraged me, inspired me, loved me, disciplined me, gave words of wisdom and on occasion handed me money saying....."you never know when you might need it....".  I looked up to him, respected him, wanted to be like him when it came to loving people and loving his God.

My dad had been hurt many times during his 40 years of ministry but never turned his back on God or his calling.  Everything he went through in his life, he always turned to God first and came out with a song of victory - always moving forward.  My dad lived the life of obedience right in front of my eyes even when it was painful.  He had a website of sermons that my mom would post each week so that people from all over the world could read what was coming from his heart.  When he prayed, there was such a powerful force within him touching others lives.  Many people were touched by my dad and I'm still hearing about it today. Many came to Christ because of my dad's life and how he lived it out.  He was a man of integrity.  I want to be that too.  He was a man who knew his God.  I want to know my God too.

I remember a time when I was having trouble getting over some hurt words that were being said about my husband, who is also a pastor.  I called my dad crying, venting, so very hurt.  My dad said to me, "Sharon, just keep putting one foot in front of the other - people are people.  You cannot allow those hurts to sit on your shoulder.  Their opinions are just that....their opinions.  Keep to your purpose and your calling which is worship."  My dad knew my heart was worship, so he encouraged me to just worship, sit at my piano and let all the "stuff" go.  My dad was very cheerful, always had a hearty laugh, could talk to the lowest and highest of people, accepted people for who they were and where they were in life, loved his family, but most importantly, he loved his God.

He was my hero when I was young, and he is still my hero today.