I recently wrote an article about my mom as a tribute to her and thought of writing the same for my dad. My dad went to be with the Lord in 2018 (June 18th). Just two days before he passed away, it was Father’s Day, and he went to church and talked to many people normally, so no one expected my dad to go to heaven immediately after that. My mom was a great comfort during that time, and I was able to process my grief with her. Only when my mom passed away last November did I realize that I hadn’t spent a lot of time grieving the loss of my dad. This year feels like I’m grieving the loss of my mom and dad.
My dad was a very joyful person and always brought laughter wherever he went. He got along with everyone it doesn’t matter if they were a kid or an adult; he always had something to say that brought a smile to their faces. My dad was very generous and used to help poor people consistently. My dad considered everyone equal and interacted with people with whom others don’t usually interact. That reminds me of Jesus’ characteristics, who interacted with people others may not usually hang out with. According to Luke 15:2, “Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (New American Standard Bible).
When I was a kid, my dad traveled a lot because of his job and came home only on weekends. We used to look forward to spending time with him during the weekends and holidays. Some memories include watching movies together late at night as a family. My dad was also very good at singing and always sang songs during family and church events. That explains why I also like to sing and where I got those skills. My dad loved listening to one of the country singers called ‘Jim Reeves.’ My dad used to listen to all his songs and sing them out loud at home. One of his favorite songs was “Precious Lord Take My Hand.” Here is some part of the lyrics:
“When my way growth drear
Precious Lord, linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious Lord.”
Lead me on
Precious Lord, take my hand.
Lead me on, let me stand.
I am tired; I’m weak; I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious Lord
Lead me home.”
– Jim Reeves
My dad always gave so much importance to education that he made many sacrifices financially so we could get a good education and a comfortable life. One of the things I miss a lot about my dad is his messages. He actually learned how to send text messages just a few years before he passed away. His text messages used to be very formal, usually starting with ‘Dear Prisci, I hope your day is going well,” etc. He made sure anything he wrote had no grammatical errors, even if it was just a casual text message. My dad also loved writing, and I can see where I got that skill from, and I’m so thankful for that.
Just a few months before he passed away, he celebrated his birthday, and I remember calling him early morning. My dad was very happy that I called to wish him, and he became very emotional and started to cry and said that he didn’t know how long God was going to keep him in this world. Even though he didn’t have any major health issues at that point, it seemed as if he knew he was going to heaven in just a couple of months. Also, my mom and dad celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary just one month before he passed away, and he was very excited to share everything they did that day to celebrate.
My dad was an encourager, protector, sacrificial & loving father, and a Godly man. From the time he retired, he spent most of his time reading Bible, praying, cooking, and interacting with people in the neighborhood. My dad will always hold a special place not only in my heart but also in others who interacted with him. I’m forever thankful for all the sacrifices he made so we can enjoy the life we are living now.
