When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
~ Count Your Blessings by Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1897
This is my daddy's favorite song. It epitomizes who he is.
It is hard for me to describe my dad, to give you an accurate picture. He is a gentle giant. He has a cunning wit and a ready smile. He is a good provider, a faithful husband, a dedicated father, a supportive grandfather. He is stable and true. A man of integrity. He is one goofy dude as was his father before him, and, truth be told, his mother had her own spats of silliness as well. Some people are born silly; other people have silliness thrust upon them.
My dad turned a full-length schoolbus into a camper complete with bunkbeds. He's a smart one with that whole, engineering-brain thing going on. He likes to challenge and nourish his mind with things like complicated puzzles of all sorts and books rich in history.
He is oft quiet but holds his own in a conversation. He is frugal yet generous. He is nonconfrontational, so he may not talk the talk much, but he'll walk the walk every time. Well, almost. ;) He is steadfast with patience like you wouldn't believe. A man of integrity indeed.
What motivates him? Hmmm...lots of things, I suppose. The desire to do what's right. To please his God. To love his wife. To lead his children.
It is an awesome responsibility to be the patriarch of a family. It's not easy, and all eyes are on you. But I see what you've done, Daddy. I see the man you are. How you count your blessings no matter what. Your silent strength isn't lost on me. You are absolutely right. You will beat cancer one day...and heaven will be a richer place.
I love you, Dad.
Your little girl...always
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13 comments:
Beautiful article!
Beautiful article, well done. Great man.
Thanks, Ed. Truly. He is a great man. I had to tell him now while I still could.
Thank you Edie, for letting me see Dad through your eyes. He is all that you said. And we love him much!
Why, yes, we do.
Beautifully said Edie. Thanks for letting us see your Dad is a way only you could show us.
Amber, I adore you. Thank you. :)
Wonderful post. It's great you had a Godly father.
Thanks Edie for sharing this portrait of your dad and my uncle. He really is the spitting image of grandpa isn't he! I do love him, Aunt Sue, you and your sisters too!
That he is. I love you too, Brian.
Miss Edie this was simply wonderful. I must admit I am crying right now. Sharing your feeling about your father like this is very humbling to me. I wish everyone could have such great parents as we both have. Just like you, we all need to tell them how much they mean to us and what they have done for us before its too late.
What you say is true, my dear. Blessed we are.
Lovely....
Now I also must say, I came here with the specific purpose of telling you that you make me laugh harder than almost anyone on the planet, and that takes some doing. You and Chris... is it legal for two hilarious people to be friends???
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