#19 2014

This is about my Dad.  To honor him on Father's Day.  Daddy was a kind and caring man, in his later years he was a born again Christian.  I remember him telling me about coming to Christ.  He shook my hand and was very excited.  At the time I was well ok but  many years later I realized how much that meant to him.  I am sad that I did not appreciate the moment with him as much as I should have.  He was active in the First Southern Baptist Church of Dixon.  He was choir director and a Deacon of the Church.  I did not share his love of the Lord.  Several years later when I went into the Army and was stationed in Germany.  I began to read the Bible he gave  me and became a believer.  I have never been a devout church goer, but I do believe in God.  I am grateful my Dad was a believer, it gave him much peace and joy in his life.

A couple of years ago one of my nephews asked me "What was Grandpa like?".  He said he had been kinda afraid of him when he was younger.  Him and his parents lived in another state for several years so he wasn't around Daddy that much.  I could not find the words to ease his feelings about Daddy.

He worked and us kids knew about what time he would be home.  We would hear the car and drop what we were doing to go see Daddy.  Always a kind word and happy to see us.  He was a nice man and I learned a lot from him over the years.  As a teenager I would work summers with him on construction jobs when possible.  Not being paid but just to help him and to ease his day.  It was also a learning experience for me.

Saturday was shopping day for groceries and things.  Saturday night was movie night at the local movie house.  A western with Roy Rogers or a Tarzan film.  No popcorn but maybe a candy bar.  Daddy was my rock.  I could count on him.  Daddy never drank or smoked.  I respected that.  Later as a teenager I learned to play a few cords on the guitar.  Daddy had friends and cousins, who played and sang.  We would go to some one's house and play music for two or three hours.  Old country songs, Bob Wills and old gospel songs by the Blackwood brothers.  Some of the guys picked a mean guitar.  Me I just watched and corded along.  I felt really good after those sessions.  I never sang with the group.  I did my singing at home alone.

Daddy raised me right.  He was a great Dad.  I miss him a lot.  So thank you Dad for all you did for me I wish I had shown more appreciation for him when he was still alive.  The last time I saw him alive we were heading back to Idaho.  We said our goodbyes in his driveway.  I said "Goodbye Pop I love you".  I had never called him Pop before.  It just seemed right at the time.
Pappy1