Who Are You Praying For?

This will most likely be a double blog posting day (is that an appropriate use of the work blog? see... I'm new to this). Anyway, I just want everyone to know my dad got into surgery a little late this morning, but so far that's all that we know. I just thought I'd take the opportunity for those of you who don't know my dad, but have been gracious enough to pray for him, to let you know exactly who it is that you're praying for.

Since I was a small child, my dad has been invincible. He was the one person who was never "wrong" about anything, and I don't recall him being wrong about anything (factual or otherwise) until I was about 14 years old... and then, it was something trivial that really didn't matter.  Not only was he intellectually invincible, I was pretty convinced that no one could take him down physically either (I once told all the boys at church camp that if any of them could take down my dad I would date them... it certainly did not happen, and though he's weakened right now, I'm pretty sure under normal conditions my husband probably couldn't either;)).

Even though my own perceptions may be biased, I can tell you a few things that aren't. My dad, growing up and since then as far as I know has NEVER drank, NEVER smoked, and NEVER let a cuss word cross his lips. It seems ironic then that his tongue would be where cancer decided to take root. The old cliche that bad things happen to good people doesn't seems to provide any comfort in this situation. Though it seems terribly unfair, my dad took it in stride and has been as classy as ever since finding out the news.

He's also been a caring husband and father. Though we've all done things that disappoint him, he takes every opportunity to tell me he's proud of me. He told my mom that he would've rather had 30 good years with her than 100 years with someone else. I'm sure he told my brother something similar.

So now you know about my dad as a person, what's left to tell you is what a powerful christian he is. He has put secular careers on the backburner multiple times in my life to pastor churches. Even now, he's responsible for two churches in Ohio, and that was his greatest concern upon finding out about his cancer. Not only that, but mom and dad took care of the Ohio church campgrounds for our church organization for a number of years. He touched the lives of many children and young adults, as well as other adults, while working there all summer long.

Though it may sometimes seem like the things we do go unnoticed, people notice when it counts. Everyone has come out in scores to pray for my dad and my entire family. People have been so supportive, and one pastor even paid for their hotel rooms for the next few nights after dad's surgery. The love and outpouring of generosity and faith are just unbelievable to me, and shows how faithful God is to people who work their whole lives to be faithful to him. My father is a much better person than I will ever be... and though its hard to understand right now why he's going through all of this, in the end just like every other step in his life, I know that God will be glorified in the end.

I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart; I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not hid away Your steadfast love and Your truth from the great assembly. Psalms 40:10. Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one]. 2 Thessalonians 3:3. 


ps-as I wrote this, my mom text me to let me know that they were just updated that things are going well. "God is good... all the time. All the time... God is good." -Greg Hord.