Thankful Thursday ~ One Lucky Gal!

On this Thankful Thursday I couldn’t help but think about what a lucky gal I really was.

Whenever I needed advise, direction, encouragement and wisdom, I always knew I could count on my mother and father to be there for me.  My father seemed to be my “go to man” when it came certain subjects.  Sometimes he gave me more advice than I needed, but other times it seemed there was never enough wisdom for one lifetime. Now that he is gone so too is any new wisdom he could impart.

The other day I was feeling, well, a bit overwhelmed by our life.  Like many, we are all in the throes of reinventing ourselves, following God’s call on our lives and frankly just trying to figure it all out.  Since the loss of mom and dad, there has been a hole in my heart that feels like the size of the Grand Canyon.  But worse than the hole that remains in my heart is the absence of  my prayer warrior and that good old guy’s pearls of wisdom.

So last week in one of those, God help me moments,  I remember just saying out loud to myself, “Gosh, I wish my dad was here, I would just love to talk with him and hear what he would have to say. I could always count on him.”

He never just patted me on the back and said “It will be alright,.” No, he problem solved and advised and discussed with love my life and future.  That is why I said I was such a lucky gal.

I imagined for a brief moment we would have discussed work opportunities, Winters’ writing and how proud he was of the SONs.  But I knew those conversations were long gone and tears soon followed when the reality of the loss of  those  precious conversations hit. They were a gift and I was indeed a lucky gal, but I did not feel so  lucky right then.

But my luck seemed to turn the other day.  Now I am not really much into the word “luck,” because I believe that as Christians luck has very little to do with anything.  We as believers in Christ are blessed, truly blessed.

I was digging  in my old counseling briefcase on a mission to find a specific piece of paper and I came across some of my dad’s old business files. I began to dig through them. There were letters daddy had written to his alcoholic estranged father seeking a new relationship, forgiveness from his brother whom he had evidently hurt and letter to others.  He photo copied them I suppose so he could remember what he had said in them.  I think that is a pretty smart thing to do because the written word lasts forever.

Powerful letters filled the files and tears filled my eyes as I read my father’s legacy of love, compassion, forgiveness and so much more.  Those letters and stories are for another post, but there was one letter that was extra special.

It was a letter to me.

I had so wanted to talk to my dad  just a few days before and now I held in my hand a letter he had sent me more than eighteen years ago. It was dated July of 1994, but I read it was though it were yesterday.

He wanted to make a few suggestions about my new profession, work life and new marriage:  Things he said had taken him 38 years to learn.

• Be careful not to make your work your life and reason for being.

• Keep your heart open to God, husband and family.

• Don’t let your work be your identity.

• The only thing you can control is you, so when you work for others focus on your job and doing your job well.

• Do your job to the best of your ability with a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

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• You have overcome so many hurdles with your learning disability by the power of God and are a new creation.

Daddy’s letter was six pages, so this is just sampling but I hope you get the point – pearls of wisdom from the other side of heaven.

Then he said:

“I love you Corby and I am so proud of you! I am proud of all you have accomplished with your life.  You have what it takes to succeed!”

A letter written eighteen years ago and its timing could not have been more perfect this week.

I am so grateful that on this Thankful Thursday I did have a chat with daddy.  I did get his advice about work and love.  I did experience the blessing of being reminded of how loved and treasured I was and still am.  Although we were not face to face, I held his written words in my hands and will treasure that moment forever.  My father wasn’t perfect, but he knew how to bless his children and how to leave a blessing that would outlive him.

He ended the letter with “My Love: Daddy”

Then he added one more thing.

P.S.  Romans 8:25  “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we then wait for it patiently”

Times are tough my friends and for many money is tight, employment maybe in jeopardy, relationships may even broken, but God is the God of hope and our hope is in Him.  God’s word says “He orders our steps.” So with prayer, patience and a little hard work, less striving and more trusting, it will all work out for His good.  I am sure of it.

So on this Thankful Thursday I am so thankful for a father who took the time to write such words of encouragement to me.  I am also thankful that we can rise up and be those kinds of parents to our children. But remember, the God of the universe wrote us all a letter too. It is call the Bible and it is full of encouragement, love and promises for all of us.

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday because we are blessed, we are loved – not only by an earthly father, but our heavenly Father!