Looking Back – Twenty-five Years Without My Dad
Looking back, on 25 years since my dad’s death, I wonder where the years have gone, marvel at how much I still miss him, and give thanks to God for carrying me through.
Looking Back – Twenty-five Years Without My Dad
2MefromHim
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. Proverbs 14:26 #Godislove #fortress #children Share on X
When I was very little and afraid of the storm,
My father would hold me, so I felt safe and warm.
Silly songs, funny stories, and wild games we would play—
The fun and his love chased the bad things away.
The lightning and thunder were never so bad
When I was held safe in the arms of my dad.
As I grew older and the problems grew more large,
The gentle, patient answers still came straight from his heart.
There was no more important thing he ever had to do
Than take time to show— the important thing was you.
He never gave anyone less than his best,
No matter what the need was, his commitment stood the test.
No matter what the need was, his commitment stood the test. #memories #dad #Godisgood Share on X
When lightning struck our house one night,
Shattering the darkness with its brilliant light—
Hobbling on crutches from a broken leg,
He soon had us laughing from the jokes that he made.
Once certain that all would soon be well—
He soon had another great story to tell.
Many things set my father apart,
Not the least of which was his great, loving heart.
People who came to my father in need
Always left knowing they had a friend indeed.
He did much to further the Father’s plan
By the generosity of his giant hands.
My father rose each morning to meet with his Lord.
He loved Him and served Him and cherished His word.
He was a man of great strength—yet gentle and kind
Because he loved the Lord Jesus with heart, soul, and mind.
He would say that if anything set him apart,
It was the presence of the Savior, who lived in his heart.
My father rose each morning to meet with his Lord. #dads #prayer #example Share on X
Then the lightning once again appeared,
Something all in the family but my father feared.
He, rather than seeing something to fear—
Said it showed the protection of God very clear.
For all in the house were both safe and sound
And only slight damage to the house was found.
As the years passed by, the family grew,
The sons-in-law came, and the grandchildren, too.
Each one he loved in a unique special way,
And faithfully, for each one, he daily would pray—
Upon our family, God’s blessings were poured,
Because each day my father spent time with his Lord.
It could have been just a regular day,
But our heavenly Father didn’t see it that way.
A man going fishing—just and ordinary man—
But our heavenly Father had another plan.
Ordinary things, when you live for the Lord,
Can often have bearing on eternal reward.
Once more, God’s lightning entered our lives,
And on fiery wings, bore my father home, through the skies.
The look on his face showed amazement, they said,
And confirmed for us all that he was not really dead.
He had gotten his first glimpse of his heavenly home,
And he knew that our Lord would not leave us alone.
The lessons that he taught us through the life that he lived;
And the Lord that he gave all the love he could give;
Are still here inside us—though he’s gone from our sight
Across that wide river— the River of Life.
He’s sitting there watching—he knows we will come;
And from his side, it really won’t be very long.
If we could just see—each event in our lives—
Is meant just to show us, God is loving and wise.
The traits that I loved in my father, you see,
Are all of the things God will be—just for me.
And so when I long for Daddy’s face—just to see,
I’ll look up to heaven—where two fathers wait for me.
He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. Job 36:32
God is loving and wise. #fathers #children #teachablemoments Share on X
Written June 14, 1996. In loving memory of my daddy, Lyle E. Thurston, who died when he was struck by lightning while fly-fishing on the San Juan River, in the “Quality Waters” below Navajo Dam near Farmington, New Mexico on September 29, 1995.
© Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman. All Rights Reserved. Do not use without express written permission of the author.
About the author –
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (released May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.
Sometimes Life is Full of Mountains to be Climbed
Sometimes life is full of mountains to be climbed. Life in the year 2020 seems to have more mountains than usual.
Sometimes Life is Full of Mountains to Be Climbed
2MefromHim Devotionals
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5, 6
Sometimes life is full of mountains to be climbed. Life in the year 2020 seems to have more mountains than usual.
Whatever mountains you’re facing, the answer is the same, take it to the Lord. You’ll probably still have to climb the mountain but the Good Shepherd, who is sure of foot and knows all the pathways will be there to climb it with you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5, 6 #trust #hope #guidance Share on XSometimes Life Looks Great From the Top of the Mountain
In 2003, we had just completed homeschooling our son. He would head off to college in the fall. Our daughter, the starting goalkeeper for her high school soccer team, looked forward to her senior year. She already knew she would continue her career at a small, Division II university. I had accepted the opportunity to begin the first weekly women’s Bible studies at our small church. It was thrilling to have the opportunity to put 14 years of Bible Study Fellowship training into practice and develop my own leadership team for both morning and evening Bible studies. Everything in life was good.
Sometimes life is full of mountains to be climbed. #life #trials #challenges Share on XSometimes Life Reveals a New Mountain Beyond the One Just Conquered
During a routine physical, my primary care doctor discovered a small nodule on my thyroid gland. Since I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada during the above-ground nuclear testing of the 1950s, I knew immediately that it would be cancer. My aunt, who lived in Nevada at the time I was born, had experienced thyroid cancer twice. Having just completed treatment for another ongoing medical condition, I was hoping for freedom from doctors for a while. Fear of the cancer wasn’t a concern. I knew that thyroid cancer was very treatable. However, the timing of the surgery interfered with the start dates for the Bible study and my ability to attend all of our daughter’s soccer games, both in and out of town. It was a mountain I didn’t want to climb.
As I prayed the next morning, the Lord graciously gave me a poem to put the events of my life into perspective. Whenever I read it, I remember how God brought me through a tough year and buoyed me with hope through many challenges. During that period of my life, as in the year 2020, God’s design was to cause me to look to Him for strength, seek His will, and give me His perspective.
I’m tired and weary, and I need a rest, but, dear Lord, I know that You always know best. #COVID #Godislove #victory Share on XOne More Mountain
I’m tired and weary, and I need a rest,
But, dear Lord, I know that You always know best.
When I’m battle-weary and feel alone,
When I beg for bread but it seems like a stone.
I know there is something You are working in me—
There is something new You have to show me.
There is something I haven’t become just yet,
There is some other challenge I’ve not ever met.
You’ve carried me through so many before—
Lord, help me now to face one more.
When I look in the mirror, I want to see
A reflection of You looking back at me.
So once more, Lord, pick me up and let’s go—
So, I never forget how I need you so.
And I have the feeling that when this one is through,
I’ll see, just beyond, there is something else new.
So, thank You, Lord, for not forgetting me,
For never letting me rest till it’s You that I see.
Sometimes Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan
Sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. The older I get, the more I realize that is the norm. We all face mountains but we don’t have to face them alone.
Whatever mountain you face, there is hope and help. Seek God with all your heart. Don’t trust your understanding of the situation but seek God’s way to the top of the mountain. He will make your paths straight and make you sure-footed. He will not allow you to stumble and fall. He will lead you through the trials and bring you to the summit with new blessings and an improved perspective on life in this crazy world.
God will lead you through the trials and bring you to the summit with new blessings and an improved perspective on life. #life #Godisgood #perspective Share on XPoem, Copyright Norma Gail Holtman August 15, 2003
Copyright, Norma Gail Holtman, July 29, 2020
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