I'LL MISS YOU DAD

This Blog was intended to be an art blog but the last year it seems to have become a blog about deep thoughts and things I'm going through.  At the beginning of the month my Dad passed away.  It's been hard, especially on my Mom.  64 years of marriage.  They were a wonderful example of making it through good and bad times.  I spent a lot of time thinking about the things I will remember my Dad for and here is what I shared at his memorial service:

Memories of my Father

I know that each of us hold special memories of Dad.  I was the youngest and probably didn’t have nearly the same experience my siblings had growing up.  Dad was possibly a little tired of parenting when I came along.  After all parenting is exhausting and he had already been doing it for 16 years. 

Dad summed up his parenting with this phrase… “Do as I say, not as I do”.  Yep, that was his trump card when I would ask “why”.  I couldn’t argue with that.  I do remember some episodes of him laying down the law to my poor choices.  I thank him for that, but I mostly thank him for the other memories I’ll share with you today.  Maybe you will find out a little more about our Dad…

Dad was a newspaper man and he had deadlines for articles… 

Dad, I love the memory of falling asleep to the sound of your typewriter.  Thank you for the wonderful stories you wrote for us to remember you by.

Dad was a tender heart and he loved animals…

Dad, I love the memory of when you took us to see “Where the Red Fern Grows”, and I saw you cry for the first time.  You taught me that it’s ok to cry.

Dad was a wood worker and made so many beautiful things… 

Dad, I love my memory of working in your wood shop with you.  And I will always remember to measure twice and cut once.  Thank you for showing me how to be creative.

Dad loved to beach comb… 

Dad, I love the memory of walking on the beach with you and finding the perfect piece of driftwood or rock for you to paint on.  Just so you know…I love to beach comb with my boys now.  Thank you for teaching me to find beauty in the things we overlook each day.

Dad loved to paint… 

Dad I thank you for the memory of watching you paint the beauty that you saw around you and for passing that along to me.  I will paint with those memories now.

Dad loved my Mom… 

Dad, thank you for the memory of going birthday shopping for Mom with you. We found the most beautiful dress in the world that day on display in the store window and you bought it for her.  I will always remember that dress and the smile it brought to Mom’s face.  I learned from you that sometimes it’s perfect to be extravagant for the ones you love.

Dad hated the way he sounded when he sang at church…but he did it anyway and reminded me that even if you have a bad singing voice it still sounds beautiful to God.

Dad, thank you for teaching me that God hears us and thinks it’s beautiful when we worship Him.

I think about the beauty that my Dad saw living on this Earth and I can only imagine the beauty he is seeing today…

My last visit with my Dad was wonderful.  He was nearing the end and at a point where he was hallucinating.  He was seeing beautiful images, one of which was several rainbow trout swimming on the living room floor.  I was honored with trying to help him catch the fish.  My Nephew was there and he brought up the point that maybe death wasn't a black and white thing...maybe it's a process.  Maybe Dad had allowed me to see a vision of what he was seeing in Heaven that night.  I think that is what I am going to choose to believe.  It fills my heart knowing that my Dad is in Heaven fishing. 

I'll miss you so much Dad...and look forward to fishing in Heaven with you.

Meagan