My Dad is home with Jesus

God knew the end from the beginning. Our gracious God saw each numbered day before my dad took his first breath. Jesus stepped into his heart on August 8th, an answer to a thousand prayers. We stayed by his side and fought tough battles for 8 weeks.  Each piece of bad news, he was more determined to overcome. I have never known such strength, although I shouldn't be surprised. Those bear hands and all 6 feet and 3 inches of him have been mighty strong all my life. 

Then he started walking home. It was time. It was so quiet and graceful and precious. So sacred. I spent the last three nights of his life listening to every breath, holding his hand. I told him so many times, "It's ok, we'll hold your hand as you go home." Samantha and I bled our hearts out in love with him these last eight weeks. Not a single unshared word or affection. I can't thank God enough for those gifts. 

So many moments keeping him neat and clean, adjusting the sheets, repositioning pillows. So many laughs. Many tears. Therapy sessions. So many fights with doctors. So many triumphs. Many disappointments and moments of shock. 

Our hearts spoke a thousand grateful prayers of God's promise to never leave or forsake. For 76 years, His angels fought for Dad's life. The incredible pursuit by Jesus for Dad's heart was unstoppable. He won Dad's heart. If we had to leave, we begged God to show our dad that he was not forgotten or alone. How many days he had been so lonely in his life... not anymore. God who keeps watch never sleeps or slumbers, Psalm 121. 

Samantha, Adam, baby Henry, and I were there. Just starting to eat a very late lunch. And then we knew he was going home. All day we had told him how close he was. "You're almost there, Dad." And then it was happening. Adam prayed for God to send His legion of angels and usher His child home. The nurse came in, and in that holy moment, we loved and held Dad as he met Jesus face to face. With such gratitude and sorrow, our hearts just bled again. So grateful for God's love-pursuit, for these eight weeks of amazing memories, for peacefully carrying His child home. So grateful for the great rejoicing Dad heard over his homecoming. We praised Jesus. We wept. We felt the thick Spirit of God in that room, rejoicing over Dad, broken-hearted with us. 

Hard joy. Good grief. God's timing is absolutely perfect, and His love is relentless. 

I will miss my Dad like crazy - I already do. I am FOREVER grateful that God answered our desperate prayer for Dad's salvation. The peace of that assurance is amazing. We rejoice. 

To our Dad and my boys' "Doc": you are so loved, and I miss you already. See you when I get home.